Exploring Design, Technology, & Engineering, 3rd Edition Page 418 (418 of 704)

418
Section 4 Technological Contexts
• A power source (engine).
• A way to transmit the power (transmission
and drive train) for pulling a load.
• A method of controlling speed and
direction.
• Traction devices (wheels or tracks).
• An operator’s area (seat, cab, and
controls).
• A hitch onto which equipment can be
fastened.
Tillage Equipment
Tillage equipment is designed to break
and pulverize the soil. This equipment
develops a seedbed for the seeds and
plants. The cornerstone of tillage is the
Figure 19-7. Up until the mid-1900s, horses, mules, and oxen provided the pulling power needed on
farms. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)
A Wheel Tractor A Track Machine
Figure 19-8. Wheel and track tractors are used on modern farms. Can you see the major parts of the
tractors described in the text? (Deere and Company)

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418
Section 4 Technological Contexts
• A power source (engine).
• A way to transmit the power (transmission
and drive train) for pulling a load.
• A method of controlling speed and
direction.
• Traction devices (wheels or tracks).
• An operator’s area (seat, cab, and
controls).
• A hitch onto which equipment can be
fastened.
Tillage Equipment
Tillage equipment is designed to break
and pulverize the soil. This equipment
develops a seedbed for the seeds and
plants. The cornerstone of tillage is the
Figure 19-7. Up until the mid-1900s, horses, mules, and oxen provided the pulling power needed on
farms. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)
A Wheel Tractor A Track Machine
Figure 19-8. Wheel and track tractors are used on modern farms. Can you see the major parts of the
tractors described in the text? (Deere and Company)

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Chapter 19 Agricultural and Related Technology
417
Technology in
Agriculture
Crops, as all living things, have a life
cycle. They are born when seeds germi-
nate. Crops grow and reach maturity. They
can be harvested or allowed to die. Farming
takes advantage of this cycle through
four processes. These include planting,
growing, harvesting, and in some cases,
storing. See Figure 19-6. The edible parts
of many crops are processed into food.
For example, wheat can be processed into
flour. Flour can be further processed, with
other ingredients, into bread.
At one time, growing crops was labor-
intensive. It took many people to grow
the food and fiber people needed. Today,
technological advancements allow a few
people to grow food for many people in
a relatively short period of time. Farming
has become equipment intensive. New
tools and machinery have been designed
to make work easier and more productive.
Fewer people are involved with producing
food now. More people are needed,
however, for processing, packaging, and
distributing it.
Growing crops involves a number of
technological devices and systems. These
specialized pieces of equipment are used
to improve the production of food, fiber,
fuel, and other useful products. These
devices can be divided into the following
classifications:
• Power (pulling) equipment.
• Tillage equipment.
• Planting equipment.
• Pest-control equipment.
• Irrigation equipment.
• Harvesting equipment.
• Storage equipment.
Power, or Pulling,
Equipment
People tamed and trained animals
to pull loads in the Stone Age. By 3500
BC, oxen were used to plow fields. Until
the twentieth century, animals provided
the majority of the pulling power needed
in farming. See Figure 19-7. During the
1900s, the tractor replaced animal power
on most farms. In the early 1900s, the
modern all-purpose tractor was developed.
By the 1950s, there were more than 3.5
million of these tractors in use. Today, the
farm tractor can be found in all parts of the
world. These devices provide the power to
pull all types of farm equipment. There are
two basic types of tractors: wheel tractors
and track machines. See Figure 19-8.
Both of these types of machines have the
following features:
Growing
Storing
Harvesting Planting
Figure 19-6. The processes in growing crops.

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Chapter 19 Agricultural and Related Technology
419
moldboard plow. This plow can be traced
back to tree branches and antlers used
to prepare the soil. In the 1800s, iron and
steel plows were developed. They, similar
to modern plows, had a blade-shaped
plowshare that cut, lifted, and turned over
the soil. See Figure 19-9.
Discs (or disc plows) are also used
to prepare the seedbed. Sometimes these
machines are used after the plow. At other
times, the disc is used instead of a plow to
start preparing a field for planting. A disc,
as its name implies, is a series of curved
discs on a shaft. See Figure 19-10. When
the machine is pulled through the ground,
it slices and crumbles the earth.
Generally, a harrow is used after
plowing and discing are completed. A
Figure 19-9. A plow is used to cut, lift, and turn
the soil. (Case IH)
Figure 19-10. A disc cuts and pulverizes the soil. Note the close-up of the discs on the right.
(Deere and Company)

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Page 22Section 1 Scope of Technology click to expand contents

Page 76Section 2 Resources and Technology click to expand contents

Page 202Section 3 Creating Technology click to expand contents

Page 410Section 4 Technological Contexts click to expand contents

Page 626Section 5 Technology and Society click to expand contents

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