Farm Machinery and Equipment. Harris Pearson Smith

Company; Dodge Manufacturing Company; The Dunham Company; Empire Plow Company; The Farmhand Company; Flexible Steel Lacing Company; John Bean Division, Food Machinery and Chemical Corporation; Tractor and Implement Division, Ford Motor Company; Fowler Manufacturing Company; Frick Company; Fundingsland Manufacturing Corporation; Gate City Steel; Gleaner Harvester Corporation; Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company; Gotcher Engineering and Manufacturing Company; The Graham-Hoeme Plow Company; Great Lakes Steel Corporation; Gustafuson Manufacturing Company; Habco Manufacturing Company; Hardie Manufacturing Company; Harry Ferguson, Inc.; Hartzell Propeller Fan Company; Helix Corporation; Huron Tools, Inc.; Hotchkiss Products Company; Hyatt Roller Bearing Company; Ideal Manufacturing Company; International Harvester Company; Jeffery Manufacturing Company; John Blue, Inc.; K. B. H. Corporation; G. A. Kelley Plow Company; King & Hamilton Company; Kooiker Manufacturing Company; O. W. Kromer Company; Link-Belt Company; Lion Products Company; Massey-Harris Company; Mayer Manufacturing Company; Messinger Manufacturing Company; National Safety Council; National Sprayer and Duster Association; Niagara Chemical Division, Food Machinery and Chemical Corporation; New Holland Machine Company; New Idea Division, Avco Manufacturing Corporation; The Oliver Corporation; Ottawa Steel Products, Inc.; Owatonna Manufacturing Company; Peeck Vacuum Blower Company; Perfection Steel Body Company; The Perry Company; Portable Elevator Company; Quick Repair Washer Company; Rome Plow Company; Root-Lowell Corporation; Seaman Motors, Inc.; Servis Equipment Company; Shafer Plow Company; H. M. Shanster Company; Singer Manufacturing Company; Sprayer-Systems Company; Spaulding Products Company; Standard Oil Company; Stow Manufacturing Company; Surgi Manufacturing Company; Thomson Machinery Company, Inc.; Thomas Welding & Manufacturing Company; Timken Roller Bearing Company; The Torrington Company; Transland Company; Tryco Manufacturing Company; Universal Pulleys, Inc.; Vandale Farm Machines, Inc.; Vickers, Inc.; Western Land Roller Company; Wyatt Manufacturing Company.

      H. P. S.

       CONTENTS

       Preface

       Acknowledgments

       1. Farm Machinery and Its Relation to Agriculture

       2. Materials of Construction

       3. Mechanics

       4. Transmission of Power and Component Parts of Machines

       5. Lubricants and Lubrication

       6. Hydraulic Power Lifts and Rubber Tires

       7. Selection of Farm Machinery

       8. Tillage History and Requirements

       9. Primary Tillage Equipment

       10. Secondary Tillage Equipment

       11. Planting Equipment

       12. Weed-control Equipment

       13. Spraying and Dusting Equipment

       14. Fertilizing Equipment

       15. Hay and Forage Harvesting Equipment

       16. Grain Harvesting Equipment

       17. Corn Harvesting Equipment

       18. Cotton Harvesting Equipment

       19. Miscellaneous Harvesting Equipment

       20. Crop-processing Equipment

       21. Laborsaving Equipment

       Appendix

       Index

      CHAPTER 1

       FARM MACHINERY AND ITS RELATION TO AGRICULTURE

      In the beginning, all crops for the sustenance of mankind were produced and prepared by the power of human muscles. Many centuries passed before the power of animal muscles was used to relieve that of the human being. With the discovery of iron, tools were fashioned that further relieved the labor of human muscles. The transition from hand farming to this modern power-farming age was at first slow, but with the development of the steel plow, the internal-combustion engine, the farm tractor, and other modern farm machines, the movement has accelerated beyond the wildest dreams of our forefathers. The changes which occurred during the past decade have so tremendously affected human values that one wonders what effect farm machines of the future will have on our welfare. In fact, there has been more farming progress in the last hundred years than in all the previous history of the world.¹

      Progress of Farm Mechanization. In 1855, practically 80 per cent of the population of the United States lived on farms, while in 1955, more than 85 per cent live in towns and cities.

      Figure 1–1 shows that

      . . . since the peak of farm population in 1916, the trend in the number of persons living on farms has been generally downward. The depression in the 1930’s brought a temporary increase, but World War II with its demand for manpower in industry and the armed forces caused a rapid loss in the farm population. The high level of nonfarm employment prevailing since 1916, together with defense mobilization following the outbreak of hostilities in Korea, have been conducive to a continuation of a relatively high rate of net migration from farms.²

      In 1854, farm tools were so crude that each farm worker could produce only enough food for himself and four to five others. By 1920, with improved horse-drawn equipment, the farm worker could support himself and nine others. In 1955, with modern power equipment, the farm worker can support himself and about seventeen others.³

      The number of tractors on farms increased from a few giant tractors in 1910 to 4.5 million in 1955. As the number of tractors have increased, the number of horses and mules on farms have decreased to around 4.5 million in 1955. It is obvious that as the number of tractors increased there was also a corresponding increase in farm power machines.

      FIG. 1–1. Decline in farm