he Omaha Dai
Bee
Fremont Tractor
Section
PACES ONE TO TWELVE
Fremont Tractor
Section
PAGES ONE TO TWELVE
VOL. XLVII NO. 39.
OMAHA, THURSDAY MORNING, AUGUST 2, 1917.
SINGLE COPY TWO CENTS.
Big Tractor Show at Fremont Is a World-Beater
ly
Miracle Story of Farm
Tractor and the Devel
opment of the Tractor
Demonstration
A Big Tractor at Work
Horse race meets are on the wane
in popularity and the tractor show is
drawing the crowds these days. The
big tractor show at Fremont is ex
pected to draw 250,000 to 300,000 peo
ple this year, as it is to be the only
national power farming demonstra
tion in the United States.
Only ten years ago if anyone had
predicted such an assemblage of trao
tors and interested spectators as has
been seen at Fremont each year for
the last four years, the prediction
would have met with the same incre
dulity that would have been displayed
had the present world war and the
importance of aircraft therein been
prophesied. The horse was the
standard farm power and few would
have believed that motor-driven ma
chinery could ever be made to plow,
cultivate and do the other work on
the farm.
Nowadays the farmer is converted
to power farming and the tractor
man's slogan, "Power-Farm Amer
ica," is hailed with enthusiasm on all
sides. The horse makes a good, form
of farm power in some cases, but in
the present day, when time is money
to the farmer as well as to the city
business man, the horse is too slow.
Moreover, the last three years of war
have made a big- drain on the world's
supply of horses and these animals
are scarce and expensive.
To Save the Horses.
They are too expensive to use up
by overworking in the fields in Au
gust and August is the month in
which the great portion of the plow
ing is done for winter wheat . Experi
ments made by the state experiment
stations, as well as the experience
of the farmers themselves, have
proven that early plowing conserves
deeper the plowing is done the better
the soil is able to hold the moisture
that falls for the use of the winter
wheat when it is planted.
Deep plowing is work that requires
a great deal of power. Horses and
mules may be made to supply enough
power by hitching plenty of them
onto the plow, but they must work
slowly, with long rests at the ends
of the furrows, or they will not be
able td withstand the hot sun of the
corn belt summer. Much time is lost
in these rests and when the fields are
large and there is a lot of work to be
done this time is valuable. The tractor
.11 J 1 T Al. - T.
can ku an u.iy iuiik. in mc rusu
season it can also run all night long
and there is no danger of its being
overcome by the heat or of the So
ciety for the Prevention of Cruelty
to Animals having its owner arrested.
To Convince the Farmer.
This is one of the reasons why the
farmer has been interested in it from
the first. All that was necessary to
do to get his interest was to convince
him that the tractor could do this
work. This the introduction to its
future user was the biggest prob
lem that the tractor enthusiast had
to face before the machine could be
put on the market with a reasonable
degree of success. To the Twentieth
Century Farmer belongs the credit
for solving this problem. It was
the pioneer in this work, which has
now been taken up by all the farm
papers, the newspapers and the na--tional
magazines, even such papers as
the Literary Digest devoting space
-for a special department on power
farming.
Tractor manufacturers at first made
large, powerful machines, which were
used with some degree of success on
the immense wheat fields of Canada,
but were too unwieldly and expensive
for the ordinary farmer on the diversi
ed farm of the corn belt country.
As the tractor first came into prac
tical use in Canada, it was in that
country that the manufacturers first
sought to popularize it. They held
great tractor contests, which' attracted
little interest on the part of the farm
ers, as they were more trials of skill
on the part of the engineers employed
than practical demonstrations of what
1
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the machines could do in the hands
of the real user. Much feeling re
sulted in the awarding of the honors
and there was a general feeling among
the contestants that the judging was
not fair. No doubt they tried to be
fair, but such decisions are difficult.
To Show Their Worth.
The Twentieth Century Farmer
conceived the idea of eliminating the
idea and putting on demonstrations,
so that the farmer could see just what
the machines could do in the field and
be his own judge of their merits. The
management of the paper felt that the
tractor had great possibilities for the
average farm, but that the tractor
manufacturer was much in need of a
course of instruction as to the needs
of the farmer in this line, and the
farmer needed to be 6hown how a
properly constructed tractor could
help, him in. bis work. -"
In -1911 T. F." Sturges9, manager of
the' Twentieth Century Farmer, was
also manager of the Omaha Land
show, and invited the tractor manu
facturers to demonstrate there what
their machines could do. There was
some interest taken in the machines
shown at that time; but it was plainly
seen by the manufacturers that they
were not suited for work on the or
dinary farm. Some improvements
were made within the next few years.
In 1913 the first National Power
Farming Demonstration was held at
Fremont, Neb. The Twentieth Cen
tury Farmer and the city of Fremont
put on this demonstration, charging
an entry fee for each tractor company
entered, to pay part of the expenses.
A. E. xHildebrand, who previously
had charge of the boy's and girl's de
partment at the National Corn ex
position at Omaha and later of the
machinery department at the Cleve
land, O., National Corn exposition
was chosen as manager and handled
the show so successfully that he has
been manager of the national tractor
demonstrations ever since.
Get Information Direct.
It was at this show that the tractor
manufacturers received the informa
tion they needed. They got it direct
from headquarteis from the farmer
himself. For the farmer came to the
show-he came by hundreds and even
thousands and he looked the ma
chines over and commented on them
frankly. He found them too big and
heavy, too clumsy and too expensive
to run. The manufacturers took his
criticisms to heart and went home
and acted on them. Some of these big
machines were sold to men who oper
ated large grain farms, but the ma
jority of farmers found them unsuited
to their needs, although they began
to see the possibilities of power farm
ing. The 1914 and 1915 demonstrations,
managed by Mr. Hildebrand and his
coworkers on the Twentieth Century
Farmer, were more successful by far
than the first one. The manufacturers
came each' year with more practical
machines. They got them down to
the proper size and they simplified
the machinery so that the ordinary
man was able to manage it. At both
these demonstrations large numbers
of tractors were sold. Tractor farm
ing began to be a fact instead of a
vision.
Idea Spreads Fast.
So successful was the. 1914 demon
stration that farm, papers and other
organizations all over the country be
gan to organize them, jind in 1915 the
tractor manufacturers were beseiged
with requests for entry into demon
strations in all parts of the country.
Many were held, often not very far
ed. Fremont, the home of the Na
tional Power Farming Demonstra
tion, retained the lead that rightly
belonged to it and the demonstra
tion held there was supreme, as to
number of entrants, attendance and
successful management.
In 1916 the tractor companies de
cided to cut down the heavy expenses
they had been put to in shipping their
machines and men all over the coun
try to the various demonstrations.
They decided to form an organization
of their own to be known as the Na
tional Power Farming association and
to put on a series of eight demonsrta
tions in eight of the best farming
centers in the United States. This
was done, and A. E. Hildebrand was
requested to take charge of all these
eight demonstrations. The Twentieth
Century Farmer consented to loan
Mr. Hildebrand for this time. Every-f
one ot the demonstrations was a suc
cess, but the Fremont demonstration
led them all by a big margin in at
apart, and considerable rivalry exist-1 te"dance- enthusiasm and the ability
ui me town 10 care ior me crowd.
Fremont had had experience and did
its part well. v
Fremont Stands Alone.
This year the association decided.
owing to war conditions, to cut ex
penses still further and only one dem
onstration will be held at Fremont,
ot course. Again the services of A.
E. Hildebrand as manager have been
sought and secured, and there is no
question but what the demonstration
this year will be one of the greatest
gatherings ot any kind ever held in
America.
There is an alarming shortage of
fa rmlabor this year, in conjunction
with a most urgent demand for all
th 'food that the American farmer can-
raise. Grain farming means work and
lots of it. Men can not be found to do
it; horses are scarce. It devolves upon
machinery to meet this demand. And
the tractor is equal to the demand.
Map Showing Location of All the Exhibitors
List of Tractor Makers Who Have
Entered Their Products for
the 1917 Exhibit N
Advance Rumely Thresher company,
LaPorte, Ind.
Albert Lea Tractor company,
Albert Lea, Minn.
Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing com-
pSnv. Milwaukee.
Aultman-Taylor Machinery company,
jviansnem, u.
Avery company,
Peoria, 111.
Bull Tractor company,
Minneapolis.
Bullock Tractor company.
Chicago.
J. I. Case Plow Works,
Racine. Wis.
J. I. Case Threshing Machine com
pany, Racine, Wis.
Cleveland Tractor company,
Cleveland, O.
Dauch Manufacturing companv.
Sandusky O.
Deere & Co., .
Moline, 111.
Electric Wheel company.
Quincy, 111.
Elgin Tractor corporation,
Elgin, 111.
Emerson-Brantingham company,
Rockford. 111.
Four Drive Tractor company,
Big Rapids, Mich.
Gray Tractor Manufacturing com
pany, Minneapolis.
Grand Detour Plow company.
Dixon, 111.
Hart-Parr company.
Charles City, la.'
(Holt Manufacturing company,
. Peoria, I1L
Jfluber Manufacturing company,
Jdarion, O,
Huron Tractor company,
Chicago.
International Harvester company,
Chicago.
Joliet Oil Tractor companv;
Joliet, 111.
KardeU Tractor company,
5t. JLOU1S.
LaCrosse Plow company.
La Crosse, Wis.
John Lauson Manufacturing com
pany, New Holstein, Wis.
Ly6ns-Atlas company,
Indianapolis.
Mclntyre Manufacturing company,
Columbus, O.
Minneapolis Steel and Machinery
company, Minneapolis.
Moline Plow company,
Moline, 111.
Nilson Tractor company,
Minneapolis.
Oliver Chilled Plow Work-.
South Bend, Ind.
Parlin & Orendorff Co.,
Canton. 111.
Parrett Tractor company,
Chicago. ,
Pioneer Tractor Manufacturing com
pany, Winona, Minn.
Roderick Lean Manufacturing com
pany, Mansfield, O.
Rock Island Plow company.
Rock Island, 111.
Russell & Co
Massillon, O. .
Velie Motors corporation.
Moline, III
Vulcan Plow company,
Evansville, Ind.
Waterloo Gas Engine company,
Waterloo, la,
Auto Parking
Space
, Grand Detour Plonf Ox 'B
Hart-ParfCo. p
Holt M$ Co. p 1
- HuberMfi.Co. p
nkmafional Harvester Co.
Met Oil factor Co.
HarJet TraeorCo
LaCrossePlowCo.
sofinLausonMQ Co.
Lyons -Altai Co. P 1
MityreMfd Co. F
Mm Steel C-Nacti'tf Co.
Moline Plot Co
MlsonTnchrCo. P
QtiverCtiilled Plow Worts P"!
Pdrfnt-OnndotffCo p
Panvt factor Co. p1""
ytonterfivctortfg Co
Por Huron Moch.Co
pr
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L FburDrtveTrotforGx
" Emerson-DmnfingliamCQ.
'4 $n Tractor Corp '
3 fiecrt'c WeeCo,
p Deere-Co.
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a CteveandMoforPowCo.
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a I J.I.CaseploivCo.
T Buock7racorCo
duffracforCo -
J Avery Co.
Aufman &rayorftacfiCo
p AfsCtiamerSfSgCo.
Albert Lea TractorCo.
j Advance RumteyT.h.CQ.
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tioderickleanM.Co. " j
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tfusseltc-co. p?
' VcteNohrCorp.
VucanPovCo. p?
Shrit Council
tkftnst
Oircom High Way
I
Increasingly Important
Role Played by Power
Machinery in Economy
of the Modern Farm.
The farm tractor has a leading role
to play in the present food produc
tion campaign. Intensive agriculture
is urged on all sides and in order
to combat the shortage of food in
other countries as well as our own
it is necessary that every possible
plot of ground be made productive.
In the face of this call for increased
activities on the farm the secretary
of agriculture makes a statement to
the effect that it is generally agreed
that labor may be the principal limit
ing factor in increasing production.
Good reliable farm help has always
been hard to find, but when one con
siders the large number of men who
have responded to the call for mili
tary duty and the many that have left
the farm for commercial work because
of higher wages the seriousness of the
labor situation becomes apparent
Scientific agriculturists arc trying to
show the farmer how to make two
blades of grass grow where one for
merly grew. Government officials are
urging that all acres be planted in
stead of allowing any to stand idle,
so now manufacturers are developing
machinery whereby one may do the
work that two or more formerly did.
Improved implements in the form of
tractors and tractor tools are being
purchased very rapidly, which goes
to show that farmers are wide awake
to the situation.
The advantages of a farm tractor
at such a time may be considered in
four ways:
First To assist in solving the la
bor problem.
Second To reduce cost of opera
tion. Third To increase acrea'ge farmed
with same equipment.
Fourth To increase the yield.
Replace Hired Help.
The majority of tractors are being
purchased for the purpose of assist
ing in solving the problem of hired
help and to have more power availa
ble at the busy seasons without hav
ing so many horses to feed during
the entire year. There are many
farm operations vhere one man with
a tractor can do the work of three
or four men and several horses. In
order to do this, however, the work
must be planned so that the tractor
will do all of the heavy work about
the Jarm; leaving the lighter opera
tions which the tractor cannot do
economically fwtlie'ltbrses.
In order to. lessen the expense of
operation the number of horses is
being reduced to a minimum. Only
such a number as can be used to ad
vantage during the entire year will
be kept. Actual data obtained froijt
120 farmers who' have used tractom
for an average of fourteen month'
on farms averaging 300 acres under
cultivation shows a decrease of four
horses per farm. It also shows a
material decrease in the number of
men required during the rush sea
sons. It is not recommended that
a sufficient number of horses be dis
posed of to offset the price bf the
tractor, but in order to reduce ex
penses it is necessary to keep the
tractor busy and dispose of all horses
which cannot be used to advantage
under normal conditions. The more
days of actual service obtained an
nually from an implement the less
interest charges per acre and per day.
Care for More Acres.
Many farmers who have purchased
tractors are finding time to tend a
greater number of acres with the
same effort and same equipment and
are increasing profits accordingly.
uver w per cent of the farmers
from whom the above data was col
lected reported that their yields had
been increased since using the trac
tor. There are occasions on every
farm annually when weather condi
tions prevent preparing the seed bed
properly, planting the seed in season
or harvesting the grain. At such a
time the tractor can be used long
hours or night and day, making it
possible to prepare the seed bed thor
oughly and plant the grain in season,
.both of which are conclusive to larger
yields. In some localities early, plow
ing is considered essential for large
yields of wheat. Very often at such
times the ground is exceedingly hard
and the temperature is such that
plowing to proper depth is impossible.
It has proved its ability in the field.
It is unsurpassed in ability to handle
the plowing. It can do the harrowing,
the rolling, the discing, the planting.
It furnishes power to fill the silo,
grind the feed, cut the wood, and even
to do the family washing. It is the all
around handly man on the modern
farm. They used to say that no ma
chine could be made that would culti
vate the corn, but there are a num
ber of machines on the market now
that belie this prediction.
Up to the Manufacturer.
There is only one thing in the
way of the tractor meeting the situa
tion and solving for the world the
great question of the food supply.
That is the possibility of getting men
and material to make the tractors.
Tractor men, farm paper publishers
and-all the interests that are in touch
with the situation are alive to the
danger of this labor and material on
the preferred list, along with muni
tions, for our armies can not fight un
less they are fed. The farmer has sent
his boys and his hired men to the
front to fight, and he must have some
thing else to take their place. He can
not farm at best without machinery
and implements, and he needs ma
chinery and implements now more
than he ever did before. If enough
tractors and accessories are available
the American farmer will be able to
feed the world. If he is not able to
get these necessities, the world will
suffer from a food shortage before the
year 1918 is ended.
Statistics Tell a Story
The popularity of the tractor dem
onstration has grown with the as
tonishing rapidity of a stalk of Ne
braska corn. In 1913 at the first Na
tional Tower Farming Demonstration
there were fifteen tractor manufac
turers who entered their machines
and the attendance at the show was
about 15,000. In 1914, twenty-two
manufacturers entered and the at
tendance was about 40,000. In 1915
there were twenty-eight entrants and
an attendance of 70,000. In 1916, with
seven other national shows in the
corn belt, thirty-two manufacturers
entered at Fremont and 90,000 peo
ple came to see the machines. This
year here are forty-two manufactur
ers entered and we look to see a
great jump in attendance figures. '
The number of entries does not give
an idea of the number of machines
on the field, as few companies have
just one machine, some having seven
or eight different models. Besides
this, there are a number of accessory
companies, with implements, etc., who
will be there.
List of Accessory Makers Who Have
Entered Their Products
For the 1917 Exhibit
S. K. F. Ball Bearing company,
Hartford, Conn.
Diamond Chin company,
Indianapolis, Id. , ,
Byrn-Kingston company,'
Kokomo, Ind.-'
Timketi Roller Bearing company,
Canton. O.
Delco Engineering company,
Dayton, O.
Holly Bros.,
Detroit.
Buda Motor company,
Harvey, 111.
McQuay-Norris company,
St.' Louis.
Hyatt Roller Bearing company,
Chicago.
Perfex Radiator company,
Racine, Wis.
Kokomo Electric company, -
Kokomo, Ind.
Balso Oil company,
Detroit.
Universal Detachable Lug company,
Chicago.
R. D. Nuttall company,
Pittsburgh.
Standard Oil company,
Omaha.
Doman Motor company,
Oshkosh, Wis.
New Departure Ball Bearing com
pany, Bristol, Conn.
Champion Spark Plug company,
.Toledo Qjj ---v..
K. W. Ignition company,
Cleveland.
Vacuum Oil company,
New York.
Waukesha Motor company,
Waukesha, Wis. (
Climax Engineering company,
Clinton, la. s
Sumter Electric company,
Chicago.
Modine Radiator company,
Racine, Wis.
Eiseman Magneto company,
8 Bush Terminal, Brooklyn.
Maltby Specialty company,
Detroit.
Reray Electric company,
Anderson, Ind.
Keystone Lubricating company,
Chicago.
Erd Motor company,
Saginaw, Mich.
Link-Belt company, , ?
Chicago.
Minneapolis Steel and Machinery
company, Minneapolis.
William J. Oliver Manufacturing
company, Knoxville, Tenn,
S. E. Johnson company,
Racine, Wis.
Eureka Auto Parts Manufacturing
company, St. Louis.
Standard Mechanical Manufacturing
company, St Louis. '
Muzzy-Lyons company,
Deirqit. v.