History of American Farm Technology

16 th - 18 th Centuries 18 th. Century Oxen and horses for power, Crude wooden plows, all sowing by hand, cultivating by hoe, Hay and grain cutting with sickle, and threshing with flail

’s- Cradle and scythe introduced Invention of cotton gin Thomas Jefferson’s moldboard tested Charles Newbold patented first cast-iron plow. Cotton Gin. The scythe

Jethro Wood patented iron plow with interchangeable parts U.S. Food canning industry established.

1830’s 1830-About labor hours required to produce 100 bushels (5 acres) of wheat.

1830’s 1834 – McCormick reaper patented McCormick reaper patented. John Lane began to manufacture plows faced with steel saw blades. The McCormick Reaper.

1830’s 1837-John Deere and Leonard Andrus began manufacturing steel plows. Practical threshing machine patented John Deere

1840’s 1840’s-The growing use of factory-made agricultural machinery increased farmers’ need for cash and encouraged commercial farming.

1840’s 1841-Practical grain drill patented First grain elevator, Buffalo, NY 1844-Practical mowing machine patented 1847-Irrigation begun in Utah 1849-Mixed chemical fertilizers sold commercially.

1850’s 1850-About labor-hours required to produce 100 bushels of corn (2 ½ acres) Expanded market for ag. Products brought adoption of improved technology and resulting increases in farm production.

1850’s 1854-Self-governing windmill perfected horse straddle-row cultivator patented. A windmill

1860’s Change from hand power to horse. The first Ag. Revolution Gang plows and sulky plows came into use Steam tractors were tried out. Spring-tooth harrow or seedbed preparation appeared.

1870’s 1870’s -Silos came into use. 1870’s-Deep-well drilling first widely used Glidden barbed wire patented. Availability of barbed wire allowed fencing of rangeland, ending era of unrestricted open-range grazing.

1880’s 1880-William Deering put 3,000 twine binders on the market Horse-drawn combine used in Pacific coast wheat areas. A binder

1890’s Cream separators came into wide use Average annual consumption of commercial fertilizer:1,845,900 tons. Cream seperators

1890’s 1890’s- Agriculture became increasingly mechanized and commercialized labor-hours required to produce 100 bushels of corn (2 ½ acres.)

1900’s Average annual consumption of commercial fertilizer:3,738,300 tons George Washington Carver, pioneered in new uses for peanuts, sweet potatoes, and soybeans, thus helping to diversify southern agriculture. George Washington Carver

1910’s Big open geared gas tractors came into use in areas of extensive farming Enclosed gears developed for tractors Small prairie-type combine with auxiliary engine introduced.

1920’s Average annual consumption of commercial fertilizer:6,845,800 tons Gradual increase in farm production resulting from expanded use of mechanized power Successful light tractor develop. A Fordson Tractor

1930’s Average annual consumption of commercial fertilizer:6,599,913 tons. All-purpose, rubber- tired tractor with complementary machinery came into wide use.

1930’s 1930-One farmer supplied 9.8 persons in the United States and abroad labor hours required to produce 100 bushels of corn.

1940’s One farmer supplied 10.7 persons in the United States and abroad Frozen foods popularized. Spindle cotton produced commercially.

1940’s 1945-Change from horses to tractors-The second great ag. Revolution labor-hours required to produce 100 bushels of corn.

1950’s Average annual consumption of commercial fertilizer: 22,340,666 tons One farmer supplied 15.5 persons in the U.S. and abroad.

1950’s 1954-Number of tractors on farmers exceeded the number of horses and mules for first time ½ labor hours required to produce 100 acres of wheat.

1960’s 1960-One farmer supplied 25.8 persons in the United States and abroad labor-hours required to produce 100 bushels of wheat Federal loans and grants for water/sewer systems began.

1970’s 1970’s No-tillage ag. popularized. One farmer supplied 75.8 persons in the U.S. and abroad ½ hours labor hours required to produce 100 bushels of corn.

’s-More farmers use no-till or low till ¾ hours required to produce 100 bushels of corn (1 1/8 ac.) 1989-More farmers began to use low-input sustainable agriculture, to decrease chemical applications.

Special Thanks To the U.S.D.A. In the production of this presentation