The Farm Debut of the Gasoline Engine

Abstract:     
Stationary gasoline engines began to appear on U.S. farms around 1895. Within 20 years later their numbers had exploded to one million; yet their use has received scant attention. This paper examines the demand for stationary power on the farm and compares alternative power sources in 1895. It traces the development of the market for farm gas engines and its interaction with the market for automobiles and tractors. It then presents evidence from the magazine, Gas Review, to show how farmers became engine mechanics and facilitated the adoption of automobiles and tractors across rural America.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 31

Keywords: gasoline engine, farm engine

JEL Classification: N51, N71, O33

working papers series