The history of agricultural machinery invention

Since ancient times, many have attempted to replace manual and animal labor in farming with mechanical power. However, it wasn't until the 19th century, with the advent of the steam engine in Europe, that the creation of power-driven agricultural machinery became possible.
France's Arabalte and R. C. Parvin of Illinois, USA, invented the earliest steam-powered tractors in 1856 and 1873, respectively.
In the 1930s, research began on using steam vehicles to pull farm implements for fieldwork. However, the steam-powered vehicles (the predecessors of steam tractors) that could be built at the time were like small locomotives; even if they didn't get stuck in the field, they would compact the soil, making cultivation impossible. In 1851, Britain's Farras and Smith first used a steam engine to achieve mechanical cultivation of farmland. Some consider this the beginning of agricultural mechanization, but at that time, their method was to place the steam engine at the edge of the field and use steel wire ropes to remotely pull the plowshare that was turning over the soil in the field. Later, with the advancement of steam engine manufacturing technology, smaller steam engines appeared. These were installed on vehicle chassis to drive the wheels, allowing them to enter the fields from the edge and directly pull farm implements, thus giving birth to the tractor. The tractors of that time were very similar to early steam cars, but with greater horsepower and slower speeds.
The earliest tractors were cumbersome and expensive, inconvenient to use, often requiring several people to operate, suitable for cultivation in vast fields, generally unaffordable for individual farmers. In 1889, the Canda Engine Company of Chicago, USA, manufactured the world's first gasoline-powered agricultural tractor, the "Bagga" tractor. Because the internal combustion engine was lighter, easier to operate, and more efficient, its appearance laid the foundation for the popularization and application of tractors. In the early 20th century, Sweden, Germany, Hungary, and the United Kingdom almost simultaneously produced tractors powered by diesel internal combustion engines. During World War I, due to the war, labor shortages, and rising agricultural product prices, the development of agricultural tractors was promoted. Between 1910 and 1920, steam-powered and internal combustion engine-powered tractors competed fiercely, with the latter showing greater advantages and gradually replacing the former. Today's tractors all use diesel internal combustion engines.
On November 24, 1904, the "77" steam tractor underwent its first test and was later put into mass production. In 1906, the Holt Tractor Manufacturing Company produced the world's first gasoline-powered tracked tractor. This tractor went into mass production the following year, was the most successful tractor at the time, and became the prototype referenced when Britain developed the world's first tank several years later.
In the development of wheeled tractors, people initially widened the steel wheels to increase the ground contact area and reduce pressure, but the effect was not good. Later, they came up with the idea of adding a layer of rubber protection to the steel wheels. After the invention of automobile tires, people used solid and pneumatic tires for tractors. However, automobile tires are not entirely suitable for tractors. Firstly, the treads of automobile tires are too shallow and fine. Secondly, people found that tractors performed better on soft ground when the tires were under-inflated than when they were fully inflated. In 1932, Firestone Tire and Rubber Company in the United States produced a large-size, high-tread, low-pressure pneumatic rubber tire. This was the first tire truly suitable for agricultural tractors, greatly improving the driving and traction performance of wheeled tractors.
By the late 1940s, in North America, Western Europe, and Australia, tractors had replaced livestock as the main power source on farms. After that, tractors were further promoted in Eastern Europe, Asia, South America, and Africa.