STANDARD TRACTOR Around the farm farmers need machines that can perform many different roles from pulling trailers to clearing out milking sheds The machine that fits this job is the tractor It can lift and drag heavy objects around the farmyard and is also tough enough to drive across rugged countryside in all weather conditions The driver's cab is fitted with a tough roll cage to protect the driver if the tractor should tip over Many gears Tractors have to be ablet to drive over many different surfaces including dry farmyards and muddy fields To handle these tractors have many gears to help deliver the power needed from the engine to the drive shaft and the wheels Some tractors have 18 forward gears and Six reverse gears Front wheels The front wheels of this tractor are much smaller than its rear wheels These small front wheels are not powered by the engine but are just used for steering OHANDY MACHINE Tractors like this one above can be seen on farms all over the country being used to clear land plow plant or harvest depending on what tool is attached Chunky wheels The big rear wheels with their chunky tread help the tractor to drive over uneven ground They also spread the tractor s weight over a larger area This stops it from squashing the soil which could harm a growing
EL OLE Cushion comfort Some cabs have seats that have air filled Cushions These cushions absorb knocks and jolts giving the farmer a more comfortable ride Attachment points Farm machines such as plows and seed drills are connected to attachment points on the tractor The hydraulic linkage can be raised and lowered to hold the machine at the correct height The power takeoff PTO transfers power from the tractor to the
MANY DIFFERENT KINDS OF JOBs A tractor can do all sorts of useful jobs on a farm depending on what type of tool is attached to it This makes tractors the biggest multi purpose vehicle on the farm John Froelich a blacksmith from Iowa built the first successful gasoline powered tractor in 1892 It was the first gas powered tractor able to move forward and backward and was used for threshing wheat Before this threshing machines had been heavy and hard to use and there was even a risk of sparks from the boiler starting a fire Froelich's machine made farming much safer and was the beginning stage of the tractor that we use today Now there are nearly 17 million tractors in use in the world OGOING UP The front of this tractor below has been fitted with two powerful hydraulic arms to lift heavy objects In this case they are being used to lift and stack bales of hay see pages 26 27 The other tractor is linked up to a trailer and is waiting to tow the hay bales away PITT 10
TOWING A TRAILERE The simplest job a tractor does is towing Even the smallest tractors are used to pull trailers left These trailers can contain anything from harvested crops to manure O IN THE DARK Some jobs on the farm may need to be done at any time even in the middle of the night Some crops like lettuce and grapes are so perishable they have to be picked right away so farmers pick all through the night to get them picked at just the right time Other times farmers have more crops than they can pick during the day and have to work through the nighttime To work in the dark tractors are fitted with headlights right At least it's cooler when the Sun is down LEAF BLOWING Tractors are not only used on farms This tractor left is being used on a golf course It is pushing a machine that cuts the grass
