USA > Illinois > Ford County > Ford County, Illinois, county directory, 1917 > Part 18
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Wall
Loda 1918
G. F. Howk
Peach Orchard
.Melvin
1918
William A. Witt
Sullivant
.Sibley
1918
R. E. Fox.
Drummer
. Gibson City
1918
J. T. Marshall.
Dix
Elliott
1918
Henry Newman
Patton
Paxton
1918
L. J. Kirkpatrick
Button
.Clarence
1918
138
FARMERS AND BREEDERS, FORD COUNTY
FORD COUNTY ASSESSORS
Name
Township
Postoffice
Term Expires
M. W. Schumaker
Rogers
Cabery
1918
Oscar J. Donley
Mona
Kempton
1918
S. D. Hevener ..
Pella
. Piper City
1918
Eldon C. Henry.
Brenton
Piper City
1918
H. E. Fairley ..
Lyman
Roberts
1918
Frank Nicewander
Wall
Melvin
1918
E. E. Thompson
Peach Orchard
. Melvin
1918
John Blum
Sullivant
. Sibley
1918
Amos Ball
Drummer
Gibson
City 1918
Geo. M. Johnson.
Dix
Elliott
1918
Albert Frederickson
Patton
Paxton
1918
W. C. Pool
Button
Clarence
.1918
FORD COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF HIGHWAYS S. E. Wells, County Superintendent of Highways, Piper City, Illinois
Term
Name
Township
Postoffice
Expires
John Sengpiel
Rogers
Cabery
1918
Geo. Greenwood
Rogers
Cabery
1919
L. G. Stewart ..
Rogers
Cabery
1920
James R. Sutton.
Mona
.Kempton
1919
August Richter
Mona
Cullom
1918
Chas. Riebe
Mona
Kempton
1920
John T. Pearson
Pella
Piper City
1919
Pat O'Mara
Pella
Piper City
1918
B. S. Thompson.
7. Pella
Piper City
1920
Ed. Fuoss
Brenton
Thawville
1920
F. W. Tieken.
Brenton
Piper City
1919
Jacob Ehresman
Brenton
. Roberts
1918
W. H. Netherton.
Lyman
. Roberts
1919
Bernhard Wright
Lyman
Roberts
1918
Seward Arnold
Lyman
Roberts
1920
Henry Aukland
Wall
.Loda
1919
Bernard Short
Wall
Melvin
1918
J. S. Kenney
Wall
Loda
1920
H. K. Reehl.
Peach
Orchard
Melvin
1919
John Johnson, Jr Michael Arends
Peach Orchard
.Melvin
1918
Fred Skinner
Sullivant
.Sibley
1919
Jacob Blum
Sullivant
Sibley
1918
P. J. Leenerman.
Sullivant
Sibley
1920
W. H. Ayersman.
Drummer
Gibson City
1919
Sam Suter
Drummer
Proctor
1918
Fred Harm
Drummer
Gibson City
1920
Roy Donovan
Dix
Gibson
City
1919
W. G. Wood.
Dix
.Elliott
1918
William Shilts
Dix
Gibson City
1920
R. C. Park
Patton
Paxton
1920
John Parsons
Button
. Clarence
1920
FORD COUNTY POLICE MAGISTRATES
James W. Moore.
Gibson City
Harry H. Marsh
. Paxton
David Watson
Kempton
Frank Williams
.. Elliott
A. C. Miller
Piper City
139
/
Peach Orchard
Melvin
1920
PRAIRIE FARMER'S RELIABLE DIRECTORY
FORD COUNTY JUSTICES OF THE PEACE
Name
Township
Postoffice
Term Expires
Nathan P. Wilson
Mona
Kempton
1921
S. M. Erskine.
Pella
Piper City
1921
Chas. Opperman
Brenton
. Piper City
1921
W. O. Sanders
Lyman
. Roberts
1921
Oliver C. Dilks.
Lyman
. Roberts
1921
W. T. Gash.
Peach Orchard
Melvin
1921
E. E. Thompson
Peach Orchard
Melvin
1921
J. H. Carney.
Sullivant
. Sibley
1921
L. FitzHenry
Drummer
Gibson
City 1921
J. M. Burt ..
Drummer
Gibson City
1921
E. H. Fagerburg
Patton
. Paxton
1921
E. O. Newman.
Patton
Paxton
1921
John M. Briney
Patton
Paxton
1921
H. Dienelt
Wall
Melvin
1921
FORD COUNTY CONSTABLES
Name
Township
Postoffice
Term Expires
Fred J. Nightengale.
Brenton
. Piper City
1921
W. F. Lemna
Brenton
Piper City
1917
Albert Sehmann
Sullivant
Sibley
1917
John Rebeck
Sullivant
.Sibley
1921
Ole Stevens
Patton
.Paxton
1921
S. Maile
Patton
Paxton
1921
Charles Lieberg
Patton
. Paxton
1917
F. H. Campbell
Lyman
Roberts
1917
A. F. Perkins
Pella
Piper City
1917
W. S. Williams
Drummer
Gibson City
1921
J. H. Ren
Peach Orchard
Melvin
1921
FORD COUNTY TOWNSHIP TREASURERS
T. R.
Name
Postoffice
T. R.
Name
Postoffice
23-7
Chloe Rady
Gibson City
24-9
William Kenney
Loda
23-8
C. E. Cameron
Elliott
25-7
E. D. Cameron
Sibley
23-9
Philip Larson
Perdueville
25-8
J. A. Rupell
Chatsworth
23-10
W. J. Lateer
Paxton
25-9
J. P. Smith
Roberts
23-11
Edwin Strayer
Clarence
26-9
F. A. Luther
Piper City
23-14
Wm. M. Cutler
Rankin
27-9
S. D. Hevener
Piper City
24-7
C. J. Heckens
Garber
28-9
J. T. Corkill
Kempton
24-8
Geo. T. Ichl
Melvin
29-9
J. F. Schumacker
Cabery
FORD COUNTY OFFICERS
M. L McQuiston
County Judge
J. S. Thompson.
County Clerk
Minnie Smith
Deputy County Clerk
T. A. Flora
. Sheriff
T. M. Flora
Deputy Sheriff
H. B. Shaw
Treasurer
M. E. Hunt.
Deputy Treasurer
H. M. Rudolph
Superintendent of Schools
Ethel R. Kinnison
Deputy Circuit Clerk
F. M. Thompson
State's Attorney
S. E. Wells.
County Superintendent Highways
Charles F. Helman
County Surveyor
S. A. Hanson.
. Coroner
Frank Lindley
Master in Chancery
Otto Carlson.
Superintendent County Farm
W. R. Watts.
.. Circuit Clerk
Dr. I. D. Kelsheimer County Farm Physician
140
FARMERS AND BREEDERS, FORD COUNTY
GENERAL FARM DATA FOR FORD COUNTY ILLINOIS-From 1910 Census
17,096
Number of all farms.
1,747
Color and nativity of farmers:
Native white
1,269
Foreign-born white
478
Negro and other non-white.
.
Number of farms, classified by size:
Under 3 acres.
7
3 to 9 acres.
36
10 to 19 acres
33
20 to 49 acres.
46
50 to 99 acres.
232
100 to 174 acres.
735
175 to 259 acres
392
260 to 499 acres.
254
500 to 999 acres ..
12
1,000 acres and over
Approximate land area .. . acres
320,000
Land in farms ...
. acres
304,019
Improved land in farms.
. acres
300,811
Woodland in farms ..
acres
2,040
Other unimproved land in farms.
. acres
1,168
Percent of land area in farms.
95.0
Percent of farm land improved.
98.9
Average acres per farm.
174.0
Average improved acres per
farm.
. dollars
52,568,207
Land
. dollars
45,288,978
Implements and machinery.
. dollars
756,728
Domestic animals, poultry and bees
. dollars
2,924,496
Percent of value of all property in
Land
86.2
Buildings
6.8
Domestic animals, poultry and bees
5.6
Average values:
All property per farm.
. dollars
30,091
Land and buildings, per farm
. dollars
27,983
Land, per acre ..
. dollars
148.97
Farms reporting domestic animals.
1,736
Value of domestic animals ..
dollars
2,835,704
Cattle:
Total number
13,817
Dairy cows
6,446
Other cows
1,208
Yearling heifers
2,021
Calves
224,211
Yearling steers and bulls.
1,186
Other steers and bulls.
741
Value .
dollars
398,823
Horses:
Total number
16,675
Mature horses
14,230
Yearling colts
1,764
Spring colts
681
Value .
dollars
2,138,148
Mules:
Total number
597
Mature mules
543
Yearling colts
46
Spring colts
8
Value ..
dollars
77,362
Asses and burros:
Number
1
Value
dollars
30
Swine:
Total number
21,410
Mature hogs
13,221
Spring pigs
8,189
Value .
dollars
201,549
Sheep:
Total number
3,569
Rams, ewes and wethers.
2,074
Spring lambs
1,495
Value
dollars
19,720
Goats:
Number
26
Value
. dollars
72
172.2
All farm property value.
Buildings
. dollars
3,598,005
Implements and machinery.
1.4
Population
141
PRAIRIE FARMER'S RELIABLE DIRECTORY
Number of poultry of all kinds
157,783
Value ..
dollars
86,101
Number of colonies of bees
681
Value ..
dollars
2,691
Number of farms operated by owners.
564
Percent of all farms.
32.3
Land in farms ..
. acres
89,057
Improved land in farms
. acres
88,232
Value of land and buildings.
. dollars
14,763,120
Degree of ownership:
Farms consisting of owned land only.
412
Farms consisting of owned and hired land
152
Color and nativity of owners:
Native white
368
Foreign-born white
196
Negro and other non-white.
Number of farms operated by tenants
1,169
Percent of all farms.
66.9
Land in farms ...
. acres
211,967
Improved land in farms.
. acres
209,626
Value of land and buildings.
. dollars
33,584,073
Form of tenancy:
Share tenants
118
Share cash tenants.
766
Cash tenants .
276
Tenure not specified.
9
Color and nativity of tenants:
Native white
892
Foreign-born white Negro and other non-white.
277
Number of farms operated by managers. Land in farms ..
14
Improved land in farms.
. acres
2,953
Value of land and buildings
. dollars
539,790
Mortgage debt report:
For all farms operated by owners:
Number free from mortgage debt.
289
Number with mortgage debt ...
264
Number with no mortgage report ..
11
For farms consisting of owned land only:
Number reporting debt and amount.
172
Value of their land and buildings.
dollars
4,789,090
Amount of mortgage debt ...
. dollars
1,008,645
Percent of value of land and buildings
21.1
LIVESTOCK PRODUCTS
Dairy cows on farms reporting dairy products.
number
6,178
Dairy cows on farms reporting milk produced.
. number
6,069
Milk produced
. gallons
2,142,969
Sold
gallons
70,361
Cream sold
gallons
31,146
Butter fat sold Produced
. pounds
479,745
Sold
pounds
222,278
Cheese produced
.pounds
20
Sold
. pounds
155,094
Receipts from sale of dairy products.
dollars
98,299
Poultry raised
. number
249,582
Sold
number
102,077
dozens
765,740
Value of poultry and eggs produced.
dollars
257,817
Wool, fleeces shorn ...
. number
1,311
Mohair and goat hair fleeces shorn
number
.
Value of wool and mohair produced.
dollars
2,950
Honey produced
pounds
5,089
Wax produced
. pounds
28
Value of honey and wax produced.
. dollars
771
DOMESTIC ANIMALS SOLD OR SLAUGHTERED
Calves, sold or slaughtered.
number
2,235
Other cattle sold or slaughtered.
. number
4,379
Horses, mules, asses and burros sold.
. number
2,014
Swine sold or slaughtered ...
number
21,689
Sheep and goats sold or slaughtered.
. number
884
Receipts from sale of animals ..
dollars
759,573
Value of animals slaughtered.
. dollars
111,936
Eggs produced Sold
dozens
412,025
Receipts from sale of poultry and eggs.
dollars
129,671
pounds
41,659
Value, of dairy products, excluding home use of milk and cream . . dollars
. acres
2,995
142
FARMERS AND BREEDERS, FORD COUNTY
VALUE OF ALL CROPS
Cereals
dollars
4,901,850
Other grains and seeds.
dollars
4,506
Hay and forage
dollars
232,728
Vegetables
dollars
86,821
Fruits and nuts
dollars
21,181
All other crops.
. dollars
25,871
SELECTED CROPS
Corn
acres
141,112
bushels
6,589,380
acres
91,220
bushels
3,836,545
Wheat
acres
2,330
Emmer and spelt
acres
bushels
acres
14
bushels
360
Buckwheat
acres
bushels
acres
180
All tame or cultivated grasses
. acres
17,312
Timothy alone
acres
8,394
Timothy and clover mixed.
acres
4,884
tons
5,879
Clover alone
acres
3,826
Alfalfa
acre's
6
Millet or Hungarian grass.
acres
131
Other tame or cultivated grasses
acres
71
Wild, salt or prairie grasses
acres
35
Grains cut green.
acres
28
Coarse forage
acres
593
Potatoes
. acres
729
Sweet potatoes and yams
acres
4
All other vegetables.
acres
1,321
Maple trees
number
Maple sugar
(made)
. pounds
Maple sirup
(made)
ยท gallons
Broom corn
acres
.....
FRUITS AND NUTS
Apples
trees
27,876
bushels
8,836
Peaches and nectarines.
. trees
15,064
Pears
trees
1,485
Plums and prunes.
trees
1,908
Cherries
trees
7,906
Quinces
trees
49
Grapes
vines
9,125
Strawberries
acres
2
quarts
2,560
acres
4
quarts
2,034
Blackberries and dewberries.
acres
7
quarts
3,509
Nuts
trees
237
pounds
2,120
MISCELLANEOUS
Labor-farms reporting
1,234
Cash expended
dollars
307,003
Rent and board.
dollars
104,208
Fertilizer-farms reporting
66
Amount expended
dollars
2,771
Feed-farms reporting
587
Amount expended
dollars
45.679
Receipts from sale of feedable crops.
dollars
2.924.401
..
Rve
bushels
1,380
tons
21,302
tons
10,796
tons
4,301
tons
18
tons
234
tons
74
tons
17
tons
59
tons
1,416
bushels
65,644
bushels
323
. . pounds
bushels
6,619
bushels
305
bushels
117
bushels
4,147
bushels
5
pounds
100,429
Raspberries and loganberries
Oats
bushels
45,537
Barley
..
143
PRAIRIE FARMER'S RELIABLE DIRECTORY
HOW TO ADJUST HORSE AND TRACTOR PLOWS
By C. O. Reed, University of Illinois, in Prairie Farmer
A GOOD plowman plows well with a minimum of draft. He knows that the quality of work done by the plow has considerable in- fluence upon the tilth of the soil, and that plowing at best is a very expen- sive operation.
It has been estimated that the an- nual plowing bill of this country is over $400,000,000 per year. When we consider that the draft of the plow may be increased considerably by common and easily remedied causes, and that the quality of its work may also be materially affected by simple manipulation of certain parts, the sub- ject of the proper adjustment of the plow becomes one of great import- ance. It is the purpose of this ar- ticle to discuss in a practical way important points bearing upon the ef- ficiency of the plow which are often overlooked by the average operator.
Probably the greatest cause for ex- cessive draft in plows is sidedraft. For the practical purposes of this discussion we may consider side-
draft, the loss of power or the in- crease in draft due to the center of the power not being directly ahead of the center of the load, or, in other words, it is the loss of power due to the true line of pull from the team or tractor not coinciding with the true line of draft of the plow. It is obvious that sidedraft cannot be elim- inated unless these two lines coin- cide. It is sometimes claimed that certain patent devices overcome side- draft. Such devices may overcome the sidewise tendency of the plow to some extent by transforming or shift- ing the sidedraft, but they cannot en- tirely eliminate loss of power unless the two lines coincide as described. If the plow is to be pulled with the minimum of power, a hitch must be used that will place the center of power directly ahead of the center, of the load.
When three horses are driven abreast on the common sizes of walk- ing plows or sulkies, sidedraft cannot
26
LINE OF DRAFT
1
-5-12
TRUE LINE OF DRAFT-TWO 14" BOTTOMS Fig. 1. Locating The True Line of Draft Is & Simple Arithmetical Problem.
144
FARMERS AND BREEDERS, FORD COUNTY
be entirely eliminated; but with a high lift sulky it can be partially overcome, and a better quality work will usually result, if the rear fur- row wheel is set to lead slightly away from the furrow bank while the front furrow wheel is set to lead very slightly toward the furrow wall.
Sidedraft resulting from using four or five horses abreast on the ordinary sizes of sulkies and two bottom gang plows can be eliminated by using the tandem hitch. In such a hitch the true line of pull can be brought over the true line of draft. The draft of the implement will be lessened, and usually a better quality of work will result because the soil-working sur- faces of the implement will be held nearer their proper relation to the turning furrow slice.
One often hears these objections to the tandem hitch: it necessitates leav- ing a wide headland; it is a difficult formation in which to handle horses, and it increases draft because the team is "strung out." These objec- tions are not well founded. One might far better take a few extra trips across the headlands in finishing a field than to plow the whole field with loss of power, due to excessive sidedraft; the tandem formation is not a difficult method of driving horses if patience is used during the first half day until the animals be- come accustomed to the formation, and the "strung out" hitch on a gang plow really lessens the draft because the angle of elevation of hitch is de- creased.
If one wishes to make a four or five-horse tandem hitch he can secure detailed information from Prairie Farmer. Reliable plow manufacturers, however, are now making excellent four, five, six and seven-horse tandem hitches and it is doubtful if the aver- age operator can afford to make a hitch for five or more horses when these commercial hitches can be pur- chased at such a reasonable figure. In using a commercial hitch the plow- man should endeavor to attach it so that the true line of pull from the team will fall as near as possible to the true line of draft of the plow. Considering that the center of re- sistance of each plow-bottom lies at a point in the lower corner of the moldboard two inches from the shin, it is a simple matter, as indicated in Fig. 1, to determine that the true
lines of draft of the various sizes of riding plans falls the following dis- tances from the center of the open furrow over which the furrow horse walks:
22 inches in a 16-inch sulky.
25 inches in a 18-inch sulky.
22 inches in a 12-inch double gang.
24 inches in a 13-inch double gang.
26 inches in a 14-inch double gang.
28 inches in a 12-inch triple gang.
In a three-bottom engine gang the true line of draft may be considered to fall through the middle beam, and on a, four-bottom gang it falls mid- way between the two middle beams. The true line of pull from a single drive wheel tractor may be consid- ered to fall through the center of the drive; on a double drive-wheel engine it falls midway between the drive wheels.
The elimination of sidedraft is im- portant also when a tractor is used, both to reduce draft and to produce a better quality of work. If the sidedraft in the power plowing outfit cannot be reduced, it should at least be divided up between the two im- plements. If the plow is forced to carry most of the sidedraft a poorer quality of work is almost sure to result.
Care should be taken also to secure the proper height of hitch on the vertical clevis. Ordinarily the point of attachment of the doubletree to the plow should lie in an imaginary straight line from the horses' hame hooks to the center of resistance. When the horses are driven abreast a practical means of determining this proper height of hitch is to sight to the plow bottom from the hame hooks of the horse standing next to the open furrow. Of course, the plow should be in the furrow when this sighting is done. On a single bail, high-lift rider the hitch sould be at- tached at such a point on the ver- tical clevis that the rear of the beam floats between its stops when the plow is working. When the tandem hitch is substituted for the abreast hitch the point of attachment to the plow should be lowered slightly. It should also be remembered that if increased draft is to be avoided with an engine gang the hitch should be raised or lowered on the plow when the depth of plowing is materially changed.
145
PRAIRIE FARMER'S RELIABLE DIRECTORY
The hitch is not solely to blame for heavy draft, however. An improper- ly sharpened share may cause exces- sive draft. Some blacksmiths are very apt to purposely increase the share suck so that the plow will be sure to penetrate. As a rule, this practice is to be condemned. It causes a considerable increase in draft; plows have actually been dis- carded as failures simply because the suction was materially changed when the shares were redressed. When the shares are new, measure the amount of share suck, as indicated in Fig. 2, and scratch this figure on the wall of the home shop or preserve it by some other means. Then when the shares are redressed tell the black- smith how much share suck they or- iginally carried.
Landside friction is another cause for unnecessary draft. Under ordin- ary conditions the rear furrow wheel should be moved over on the frame toward the unplowed land to hold the landside away from the furrow wall. Sliding friction will then be elimi- nated between the landside and soil because the rear wheel will carry the sidethrust of the implement. A com- mon form of adjustment for this pur- pose is shown at A in Fig. 3. Other makes of plows carry devices for this purpose at the same point. Some plow experts claim that the landside should be held a half-inch or a finger's width from the furrow wall. Usually a quarter of an inch will suffice. If an abreast hitch is being used on a plow which is working in very soft ground, sufficient side- draft may exist in the imple- ment to cause the rear furrow wheel to cut into and break up the furrow wall. Under such conditions the operator will have to let the land- side take the sidethrust if he refuses to use the tandem hitch.
Although non-scouring does not oc- cur frequently enough in some local- ities to be called a common trouble, still it is apt to occur in spring plow- ing in any, heavy soil, and when it does exist it is an exceptionally ob- stinate trouble to overcome. Even slight non-scouring will lessen the ef- ficiency of the plow if it increases draft and destroys the laying over ef- fect of the moldboard sufficiently to lessen the pulverizing action. Every
plowman knows that when a small portion of soil sticks to the mold of a walking plow it can be quickly forced off by the plowman bearing down on the outside handle in order to throw the plow on its wing for , moment. With a riding plow the operator does the same thing by rais- ing the front furrow wheel for a few seconds. This indicates that the set of the plow has considerable in- fluence upon scouring.
Usually non-scouring can be rem- edied to some degree by making ad- justments that will increase the pres- sure of the furrow slice upon the mold. Thus, setting the plow to cut a little wider or a little deeper may lessen the trouble, or setting the colt. er to space off a wider furrow slice may have the same effect. If the loose, fine soil which is freed by the colter finds its way on to the mold- board it may cause non-scouring. This condition can often be remedied by setting the colter well forward.
Increasing the suction of a plow bottom and winging the plow down will usually effect better scouring, but it must be remembered that such pro- cedure may increase the draft. On some horse plows the suction can be increased by lengthening the rear bail, by raising the frame on the rear
Fig. 2. The Proper Amount of Share Suction Should Be Main- tained When the Shares Are Re- dressed.
wheel, or by moving the rear bail slightly forward. If the operator must resort to this latter adjustment he should proceed only with great cau- tion after he has made sure that he can retrace his steps if the new ad- justment fails to bring relicf. It is a delicate means of affecting the suc- tion and should be used only by care- ful operators who are well acquainted with their implements. On some en gine gangs the suck of each plow can be increased by a special suck regu- lator, and the bottoms can also. be winged down by a special device for the purpose. On other engine gangs and on most horse plows the bot-
146
FARMERS AND BREEDERS, FORD COUNTY
toms can be winged down for a mo- ment by running the frame out of level.
Excessive sidedraft may cause the molds to drop back sufficiently from their proper position in respect to the oncoming furrow slice to allow non-
A
-
S
Fig. 3. The rear furrow wheel should be set to hold the landside away from the fur- row wall.
scouring. This is often the cause for the trouble when non-scouring oc- curs with 12-inch gangs. Of course, the remedy is to be found in the nitch as described above.
Rust on the moldboard as the cause for non-scouring is too familiar to deserve discussion. If the soil-work- ing surfaces fail to shed the soil properly when the plow is first taken
to the field, usually the desired land polish of these surfaces can be hasten- ed by increasing the depth of plowing for an hour or so. The lacquer on new plow bottoms can best be removed with varnish re- mover. If lye is resorted to for this purpose, the moldboard should be washed immediately after the appli- cation and wiped dry.
A gang plow which throws furrow crowns of unequal height cannot be said to be doing work of good qual- ity. This results in alternately high and low furrow backs throughout the field, the surface of which cannot be pulverized uniformly with the mini- mum of effort in the subsequent til- lage operations. With either a horse or engine gang, in which the frame is run level, the common causes for alternately high and low furrow crowns are: Colters not being set alike, and the front bottom cutting too wide or too narrow. The remedy for the first cause is obvious. On an engine gang the second cause can usually be overcome by adjusting the hitch; on a horse gang it can be over- come by shifting the front furrow wheel in or out on the frame by some such device for the purpose as is shown at A in Fig. 4. This figure also illustrates the methods of meas- uring the width of cut of the front plow, which should be the same as that of the rear bottom.
The set of the colters has a de- cided influence upon the draft of a plow and upon its quality of work. Ordinarily the colter bearing should be placed over the point of the share. In sod the blade should cut the en- tire depth of the furrow and a half- inch to land. In stubble it should penetrate from one-half to two-thirds of the depth of the furrow and should be set five-eighths of an inch to land. If a sharp colter blade fails to cut through heavy, wet corn stalks, try setting it a little closer to the shin of the plow, a little higher, and back on the beam in such a position that it can mount the trash and carry it down to shear it against the plow shin.
If difficulty is being experienced in getting under a heavy layer of fine surface trash, attach a six-foot piece of No. 9 wire to the yoke of each colter, letting the end of the wire drag along under the newly turned slice. The wire will stretch tight across the surface of the slice as it
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PRAIRIE FARMER'S RELIABLE DIRECTORY
is raised and inverted, thus holding the trash in place until it is well covered. This makes an inexpensive and easily attached trash coverer.
The prospective tractor owner usu- ally seeks draft data on plows through which he may secure information in regard to the proper size of plow to use with a certain tractor. There is a lack of such data for both horse and engine gangs. Some work along this line has been done, however, and the results may be used as a fair indication of the draft of plows under certain conditions.
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