Farmers in the ancient ages use hand-held tools when tilling the land. This caused them to cultivate minimal land areas, and later resulted to minimal food production. Later on, they have learned how to utilize animals such as horses and cows for farm work. This escalated the production rate, but not enough to supply a growing number of people demanding for food. Towards the end of the 19th century, various inventors and engineers created engine-powered industrial mechanisms in order to address these needs.
One of the innovations during those days was the creation of internal combustion engines, which uses petrol. However, one of the problems of “these engines is the fact that they are too heavy at 8600 Kg. or 8. 5 tons. ” (Page, 2003) In 1902, a British inventor Dan Albone addressed this disadvantage when he completed the Ivel Agricultural Motor—a lightweight general purpose agricultural vehicle.
With an objective to provide an agricultural tractor that would make a farmer’s task in tilling the land and transporting products from one point to another easier, Albone developed his tractor made up of one front rubber wheel and two large rear wheels like what a modern tractor has. “The name “Ivel” came from a river that runs through his hometown in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire. ” (Page, 2003) Indeed, Albone’s invention revolutionized the world of engineering and agricultural machineries for its accuracy and usability.
In fact, it received 31 gold and silver medals at agricultural shows in and out of Britain. This 20th century innovation in the field of agriculture is of great importance since it helped in shifting the number of food production with lesser manpower—a truly win-win situation. Whether a society is modern or not, agriculture plays a very important and inevitable role, since this industry provides one of the most basic needs of man: Food. Reference Page, K. (2003). Dan Albone. Biggleswade History Society. Retrieved September 10, 2007, from http://www. biggleswadehistory. org. uk/Dan%20Albone. htm
