Are you under-utilizing your 4WD tractor? DOVER, Del.' Conservation minded fanning means catting back on consumption by getting the most out of the fuel and machinery used. To achieve it, equipment has to be tuned, weighted, adjusted and used properly. Many Delaware farmers are using four-wheel-drive tractors. Recent research findings show that most farmers are not using them efficiently, and that means they are not getting out what they invest in these expensive pieces of machinery, according to Delaware extension energy program coor dinator Ronald C. Jester. A Montana State University researcher, William E. Larson, studied how fanners are using the four-wheel-drive tractors. He found that most tractors are being under-used. The farmers are not using as much of the available power as they should because they are throttling back or gearing up. This results in poor fuel economy. The study showed .that most farmers operate their tractors too slowly. The largest percentage of four-wheel-drive tractors are operated at between four and five' miles per hour, which is below the minimum recommended for best drive tram life when the tractor is fully loaded. Farmers seem to feel they need to.operate at reduced' engine loading in order to get adequate drive train life. While the farmers in the study were not willing to load their engines, they were all too willing to load the tractor weight. This was reflected in travel reductions or wheel slip figures that were too low. Slippage in some cases was as low as one percent and as high as 25 percent, while the average was 7.9 percent. This indicates the tractors were heavier than needed for good tractive performance or that drawbar pull was lower than it ' should have been for these trac tors. The result was too much LIQUIDATION AUCTION Harleysville Mill & All Equipment REAL ESTATE, GRAIN HANDLING & DRYING EQUIP., TRUCKS SATURDAY, JULY II 10:00 A.M. R.E. 12 Noon 279 Maple Ave., Harleysville, Pa. Just off Rt 63 at intersection of old Rt. 113. REAL ESTATE consists of Mill Building, brick constr., slate roof, 1350 sq. ft, per floor, 3 floors & basement. Lot size 72 x 200 ft. Also, a Chapel of brick constr., slate roof, 1550 sq. ft. Oil h. w. heat. Public sewer. To be sold separately or as entirety. A good location for offices or convert to apts. Come to the sale prepared to bid what you are able to pay. 10% down, bal. 60 days. EQUIPMENT: 3 grain dryers, 60 ft. elevator leg w/5 hp motor, rotary valve & 4 down spouts. Some of this equip, is only 3 years old. Storage bins, many augers w/motors, 3 hammer mills, many motors 5 to 15 hp. portable elevator, belt conveyors, platform scales, 4 TRUCKS, Office equip. - - Due to death, everything must go, after many years in the feed & gram business. Send for brochure. Co-op broker Harold R. Rittenhouse, Inc. 256-6543. " : By order of, HARLEYSVILLE MILL INC. 40*7127 »4».»OSO jS&J tESS&HIOTER ” % AUCTIONEERS lIS HESS ROAD • COLLEGEVILLE. PA lA42C Fireplace Insert Convert your existing fireplace to evident weodetove heat today l CHESTER B. HOLT 30 S. Hershey Ave. (Bareville) Leola, Pa. 17540 PHONE (717) 656-6598 Hours: Mon. tTues. By Appointment Wed., Thurs., Fri. 10 to 8; Sat. 10to4 power, so fuel was used just to overcome rolling resistance. One of the best ways to deter mine if power is being used ef fectively is by comparing the drawbar power in the actual operation to the maximum available as established in the Nebraska Tractor Test. Those tested use an average of 59 percent of the maximum power available. The range was 29 to 86 percent. Full utilization of the available engine power would probably be between 72-85 percent of the Nebraska Test. The tractors were definitely being under-utilized. Jester says. Other conclusions resulting from thestudyare: FACTORY AUTHORIZED SALE! 25% t 030% OFF Easily fits your existing fireplace' Comes complete with blower for even greater efficiency! Your choice of two sizes . . / large size heats up to 2500 sq.ft. Lancaster Farming, Saturday, June 13,1981—D27 The load rpm was most often too high, averaging 95 percent of the load rpm. Farmers were regularly un derloading their tractors for tractive loading. The highest ef-' f iciency can be obtained by using a pull weight equal to 49-50 percent of the tractor’s weight whereas the average pull weight in the tests was 32 percent. What does all this mean? If you have a four-wheel-drive tractor, it probably means that you have too much of a good thing. By being aware of the items discussed, you can use these tractors more ef ficiently Think about choosing Agent begins duties FLEMINGTON, N.J. - Hun terdon’s new agricultural agent arrived June 1 and experienced one of those hectic days rather common mid to late spring in the Extension office. Richard Wagner found a myriad of home garden problems with a few household insects thrown m. The phone calls were numerous witfrdetailed descriptions of insect and disease conditions in vegetables, shrubs, trees and fruits. And in between calls, he was greeting office visitors laden down with specimens gathered outdoors over the weekend. Wagner brings to his position a strong background in plant science, with emphasis on plant pathology. He just recently received his Master of Science Now is Dairy Automation Time Special Terms when you purchase a De Laval® Pipeline Milking System Get a head start on this limited special offer. Call or come by for the facts Learn how you can improve your milk production and cut labor costs with a new De Laval Pipeline Milking System. De Laval- Dairy Innovation in the 80’s. p— _ SERVICE WHEN YOU NEED IT ■ Trained Installation and Service Personnel ■ Planning Service ■ Competitive Price ■ Hundreds of Satisfied Users ■ Route Truck to Supply Your Needs J.B. ZIMMERMAN & SONS West of Blue Ball, PA on Rt. 23 PH: 717-354-4955 Ask For Ralph StoKzfus RADIO DISPATCHED TRUCKS tillage tools designed to operate over a wider range of speeds, and having performance monitors installed on tractors. Performance monitors would allow farmers to check engine load as well as wheel slip to maximize efficiency during specific operations. For information on maximizing fuel economy with your farm tractor, write for our fact sheet entitled “Gear-Up and Throttle- Down to Save Fuel.” The fact sheet is available from the County Extension Offices or the Univer sity of Delaware Substation, R.D. 2, Box 48, Georgetown, DE19947. Degree in plant pathology at Cook College. As an undergraduate at Cook, he majored in horticulture. As County Agricultural Agent and a Cook College faculty member, he assumes a big portion of the Cooperative Extension Service educational program in the county. His areas of respon sibility will include, in addition to home vegetables, fruits and grounds, programs and activities in commercial horticulture such as vegetable production, nurseries, floriculture and turf. He will also be our, agency’s representative to the Soil Conservation District, working in the area of resource development. Farmland Assessment and pesticide ap plication training will also be among his concerns. CECIL DAIRY SERVICE RDI, Rt. 274 Vz Mile South of Rising Sun, Md. 21911 PH: 301-658-6923
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers