FARM TRACTORS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3134, 12 July 1917, Page 8

FARM TRACTORS

Already there aro some thousands of agricultural tractors in use in GreatBritain, ami the number will be greatly increased by the. time the nest season of cultivation cpens. Some time ago it was reported that tho British Government had authorised-Americans to build a factory in Cork and bring material from America for tba production of 50,000 low-priced farm tractors per annum. Later liews is to tho effect that Mr. Henry Ford has waived' his patent rights ui • his agricultural tractor design and cabled particulars of the specifications to England. He hopes that \tho British authorities will as a rcsult\bo enabled to greatly increase tho acreage under cultivation. It is. also stated that Mr. Ford may go even further and greatly facilitate the manufacture of a large numbor of tractors for early uso in Britain by the loan of workshop equipmunt—jigs, patterns, and necessary, tools. It is understood that the tractor l>oing manufactured is standardised hO as. to facilitate assembling replacements and repairs. Tho agricultural tractor is coining largely into use in many countries. Tho Russian Government in 1016 ordered 40 American traotors, which wcro bo eminently successful in operation that others havo been ordered for iioniediilo delivery. In the-,United States there aro now 34,371 koroseno and petrol tractors employed in agricultural sorvice, Illinois leading with 3202 of tUe vehicles in use. South America is buying tractors in steadily increasing numbers.