Tractors Vs. Tillers: Do You Know The Difference

Posted by | Posted on 12:36 AM

By Riche Goldmann

Theres no need to admit that you dont know the difference between a tiller and a tractor. After all, how many farmers dont know the difference between an iPod and a modem? Learning about the unfamiliar is actually fun and knowing when to use a tiller and when to use a tractor could be quite useful.

A tiller, also known as a soil cultivator, is used to ready the soil for planting. There are small walk-behind gas-powered models or large non-powered models that are pulled behind a tractor. A tillers main function is to break up the hard soil that has been exposed to the harsh winter and not very workable in its present state.

Tractors are big motorized vehicles that people ride on and often use to do various kinds of lawn or field maintenance. They can be used as lawn mowers and can also be used to pull or grad other pieces of equipment including tillers and plows. They come in various shapes and sizes and depending on their horsepower, can be used to pull different pieces of equipment.

The circular blades found on a tiller are powered generally in one of two ways: either internally by a motor, or externally through a power connection made between a tiller and a tractor. This differentiates them from plows that usually work through manual power.

Tractors have the ability to power more than just tillers and are made to be able to power lots of other pieces of equipment. A tiller has no other purpose, however, than tilling.

Tractors are meant to be driven by someone and therefore have a seat for the driver. Tillers simply do not. Tractors must pull heavy equipment and need big, sturdy tires, while tillers can get by on smaller, less hefty tires.

Tractors were first introduced in 1868 before petroleum was used and powered by a steam engine. In 1887, the gasoline traction engine was created and the name tractor became a nickname for the unit. Tillers or harrows have been used since the 18th century when they were driven by horses. The 1880s brought better technology and it was soon incorporated as a piece of machinery to pull behind the tractor.

Today both the tiller and the tractor have invaluable presence in the workings of a farm. Without the tractor we would be forced to trek behind horses to work the ground and without tillers, seeds would be unable to find their way to the massaged surface of the ground to grow.

In summary, the main difference between a tractor and a tiller is that a tractor serves as a driving force for implementing several pieces of equipment necessary to work the ground in addition to other uses, such as pulling wagons that haul material. The tiller is one of those pieces of equipment that is utilized by the tractor but can also be freestanding to deliver on a smaller scale. Together, the tractor and the tiller have made our lives of raising crops much easier.

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