John Deere's "singing plow" in 1837 increased the amount of land that could be worked ten times to 80 acres. It was called the singing plow because it cut cleanly through the sod without needing to stop frequently to clear a tangle from the plow (Bruton 5). Technologies constantly improved too take advantage of horse-powered machines and implements but eventually the limitations of farming with horses were reached.
Farming with horses was labor intensive. It required many men to handle the animals, run the machinery as well as providing the muscle to do whatever the animals could not do. Horses needed rest just like the farmer. If the horses were not rested properly then they would not be able to work as hard or as efficiently. Horses need to be fed and watered. This meant that the water and feed had to hauled to where the horses were working or they would have to go back to the farm. Horses needed to be looked after by a veterinarian if they were ill. If it was hot the horses would be affected the same as the farmer, they would not be able to work as hard and care had to be taken not too work the team to death. Ironically it was the shortage of manpower that helped to bring an end to animals being the power plant of the farm. The advent of World War One (WWI) helped to usher in the next step of modernization on the farm.
When WWI started to draw men from the farm a more efficient means of farming had to be introduced. Steam traction engines were the forerunners of the modern tractor. Steam engines were used to replace horse power on the farm in several ways. At first they were to big and slow to replace the draft animals in the field so they were used to power stationary machinery like threshers, cornshellers and elevators. Because the steam engine uses fire to produce steam there was always the chance of a fire. Steam traction engines became more maneuverable and versatile and were introduced to jobs that draft animals were generally used for such as plowing. This greatly increased the amount of land that could be worked by a farmer. A major draw back of the steam traction engine was the cost, they were very expensive. Because they were so expensive most farmers didnąt own their own machine, the machines were owned by a CO-OP. The introduction of the internal combustion engine to farm applications greatly reduced the expense and added more flexibility for its use because of itąs smaller size and weight. In most cases they were safer to operate because you didnąt have to worry about them exploding.
The tractors that replaced the steam engines were faster, safer and cheaper. They were rated two ways; belt horsepower and drawbar horsepower. These early tractors came with belt pulleys for working the machinery on the farm that ran off of belt power, the drawbar horsepower was determined by how much they could pull. What is horespower? The largest tractors today can get up to 450 horsepower. They can work 200 or more acres in one day and in some applications apply the fertilizer, seed and herbicide at the same time. Early advertisements for tractors highlighted the fact that tractors could work 24 hours with no rest, they didnąt consume the crops that were planted and they couldnąt get sick. Tractors do need to have maintenance performed on them to keep them running. Tractors need to have their oil checked and changed regularly. They need to have their filters changed and routine lubrication done. They also need to have their tires changed when they are worn out and tune-ups completed according to their schedule of maintenance.
Another major advantage of the modern tractor is the cab. The cab can be air conditioned in the summer and heated in the winter. It may have a stereo system and many of them have two-way radios so that the farmer is in touch with his workers at all times. The use of Ground Positioning Satellite systems (GPS) is now being used to help manage fields for greater yields. Many farmers do not stop working at dark anymore during planting and harvest season. They continue to work until the work is done or the conditions wonąt let them continue. They work for prices that are similar to what they were when there fathers or grandfathers were farming. The difference is that advances in technology have greatly increased yields per acre.
-Tom Carpenter
Student Intern
(2003)
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