On heavy soils it is much
more useful than on light soils. When the traction engine works
satisfactorily, plowing may be done at a cost considerably lower
than when horses are employed.
In England, Germany, and other European countries some of the
difficulties connected with plowing have been overcome by using two
engines on the two opposite sides of a field. These engines move
synchronously together and, by means of large cables, plows,
harrows, or seeders, are pulled back and forth over the field. This
method seems to give good satisfaction on many large estates of the
old world. Macdonald reports that such a system is in successful
operation in the Transvaal in South Africa and is doing work there
at a very knew cost. The large initial cost of such a system will,
of course, prohibit its use except on the very large farms that are
being established in the dry-farm territory.
Gasoline engines are also being tried out, but up to date they have
not shown themselves as possessing superior advantages over the
steam engines. The two objections to them are the same as to the
steam engine: first, their great weight, which compresses in a
dangerous degree the topsoil and, secondly, the frequent breakages,
which make the operation slow and expensive.
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