The Quiz Answer — How Many Tractors?

Sorry, I fogot I owed you folfs an answer.  I wrote about an innovative Jogn Deere Inc. GPS/photo-imagery service here and posed the question, How many internal cumbustion engine tractors did founder John Deere ever see?

The answer seems like it would be difficult since Mr. deer’s distinctive green and yellow machinery is recognizable the world over, even by small boys who aren’t frustrated farmers or ranchers.

But Mr. Deere died in 1888, when there were virtually no steam driven traction engines in use on American farms.   It’s unlikely he ever even saw one of these external combustion bhemoths … but the first tractor to bear the John Deere name (the Dain) and the first tractor to be a commercial success for Deere (which didn’t bear their name, it was a “Waterloo Boy product) both came along in 1912/13 … so zero would be a safe answer to the question.

And no, the Waterloo Boy didn’t have a GPS … but it would have been a better tractor if it had.