The new Ferguson hydraulic tractor was launched in 1936. In that year reports on it were reported in newspapers in Northern Ireland and southern England. It was not reported in Scottish ones until January of the following year. By March public trials were starting to be held in different parts of the country, though it was not until later in the year that their numbers increased. The public trials included the following ones:
Seaton Farm, Aberdeen, 5 March
Kilbrackmont Craigs, Largoward, Fife, on 30 April
Grange of Lindores, Newburgh, Fife, on 8 May
Bogie Mains, Kirkcaldy, on 27 May
Bodachra, Dyce, on 9 June
Millhill, Longside, on 2 June
Mains of Murie, Errol, in July
Tearie Farm, Brodie, on 18 September
Mainshill Farm, Bargeddie, Ballieston, Glasgow on 17 and 18 November
Home Farm, Kinmundy, Longside in November
Drumore Farm, Campbeltown, on 14 December
They were arranged by a number of Ferguson distributors appointed throughout Scotland. They included:
Menzies Motors Limited, Avenue Garage, Bridge of Allan
Sellar of Huntly
Barclay, Ross and Hutchison, Aberdeen
Geo. Henderson Ltd, Kelso
James H. Steele, “Everything for the Farm”, Harrison Road, Edinburgh
P. S. Nicholson (Forres) Ltd, Forres
John Scarth, Ayre Road, Kirkwall
Strathmore Tractors Ltd, Blairgowrie.
Some of the public demonstrations attracted press coverage. They included one at the Home Farm, Kinmundy, Longside, reported in the Aberdeen press and journal on 4 November. It wrote:
“Tractors impress. Demonstration given at Kinmundy.
Buchan farmers had an opportunity of examining soe of the latest tractor ploughs yesterday when no fewer than six ploughs and a rotary cultivator were demonstrated at the Home Farm, Kinmundy, Longside.
The demonstration was arranged by Messrs Sellar and Messrs Barclay, Ross and Hutchison, but the most of the tractors were supplied by local farmers.
Mr Forbes Gall, of the Home Farm, had placed two large fields at the disposal of the demonstrators, and the large number of farmers who attended saw the various tractors working on both stubble and lea.
Mr Gall had introduced a particularly interesting feature, having a pair of horses working alongside the tractors. The farmers had therefore every chance of judging the merits of the motor power, and their opinions were very favourable to the motor.
A common view expressed to a “Press and Journal” representative was that although the work of the horse plough was perhaps little behind that of the tractors it was very much slower.
The work of all the tractors, and also the rotary cultivator, was greatly admired.
The big saving in time was a feature which aroused the keenest interest and enthusiasm, and as there is no loss in efficiency farmers are becoming more and more in favour of the tractor ploughs.
Leading farmers such as Mr J. S. Grant, Skillymarno; Mr D. J. Fowlie, Millhill, and Mr Forbes Gall spoke of their admiration for the tractors.
“There is no doubt”, said Mr Grant, “that the future of farming lies in the tractor. Time is such a valuable factor nowadays, and there is a scarcity of labour the tractor will become the main thing on the farm.”
