Classy Clearance

Today, the options in high-clearance spraying technology seem almost limitless. But back in the day, the industry wasn’t so mature and sophisticated. It wasn’t uncommon to find modified tractors propped up on structures that allowed the operator to raise up the tractor level without having to invest in a new rig — primitive by today’s standards, but a reasonable solution to a field challenge in days gone by. Shown here is one such vision of tractor flexibility from 1967, known as Tote’s Tractor Stilts. The stilts could be fitted onto any tractor rapidly, according to a report in Farm Chemicals magazine from December of that year. The propped-up tractor is also outfitted with a 9-row hydraulic control sprayer, allowing for “quick conversion of the tractor into a high-clearance machine for spraying or dusting.”