Roths Industries, Inc. was a manufacturer of small garden tractors and other agricultural equipment founded by Herbert C. Roths in Alma, Michigan. The company manufactured Garden King Walking Tractors, BesRo Riding Tractors, and Till Ro Stalk Cutters.
History
Herbert Carl Roths was born in Edna, Iowa in 1902 and died in St. Louis, Michigan in 1978. At the time of his first patent Herbert Roths was a resident of Alpena, Michigan and the company was in the early stages of startup. With the submission of the second patent, the late Roths had settled into Alma, in Gratiot County, Michigan. The first patent was applied for by Herbert C. Roths on August 24, 1945 for the design of an ornamental tractor. This patent was awarded on June 17, 1947. At the time of the second patent, Herbert C. Roths was an assignor to Roths Industries Inc., Alma, Michigan. The patent was applied for on December 19, 1946 and awarded on February 21, 1950. The second patent was a garden tractor design which would later become the Roths Garden King walking tractor. The first production Garden King walking tractors were sold in late 1945. Over the next few years variations built from the Garden King's parts would become available. The Roths Model-G and BesRo would borrow many production parts from the Garden King, one of which being the transmission. The company was still producing the Terrier Tractor, Country Boy and Little Jeff riding tractors as late as 1960. Herbert Roths had two patents issued in 1970 and 1973 for a transplanting loader and transplanting machine.
The Roths Garden King-Model W is a self-propelled two-wheel tractor which was introduced sometime around 1945. The number of units produced remains unknown. According to a March 15, 1949 part list, the 6 H.P. standard Garden King walking tractor and reverse drive with 6x12 tires had a domestic shipping weight of, a net weight of, and a list price of $375.00. Later in 1954 this tractor was listed as $345.00. These tractors may have been sold or licensed to a distributing company in 1946/1947, by the name of General Implement. General Implement sold the Garden King labeled as the GI garden tractor. This may have been a marketing strategy of Roths Industries to reach out to the national agricultural market. In 1949, the Model "W" and "WKS" were made available. Attachments include: Toolbar Cultivator, 6 Blade Disc Draw Bar Type, 8 Blade Disc Draw Bar Type, 6 Blade Disc Draw Bar Type, 8 Blade Disc Draw Bar Type, 14 Tooth Expanding Type Harrow, Moldboard Plow with rolling coulter, Snow Blade, the Columbia III planter with Fertilizer, or Sickle Bar Mower, Cultipacker and Cane or Vineyard Cultivator.
Model G
The Garden King Model W was introduced as a high crop walkbehind garden tractor but sometime in 1947 or 1948 the tractor was also available in a lower stance version. This new design came equipped with a new type ratchet differential drive based on the original Model W differential. By 1950 the tractor had become known as the Model G. To steer this type of tractor, the operator did not have to overcome the power in the drive wheels because of the differential design. When the clutch is disengaged the tractor can be easily moved in forward or backward motion. According to a 1950 magazine advertisement, the Model-G walking tractor had a list price of $175.00.
The Terrier Model T was introduced around 1953-1954. According to a 1954 Red Tractor Book data sheet, the Model T walking tractor had a list price of $175.00. Attachments include: Cultivator, Bull Dozer Blade, Sickle Bar Mower, Tiller, Rotary Lawn Mower, Furrow and Hiller Plow, Weeder or Hoe attachment, Moldboard Plow, Disc, and swinging draw bar.
Columbia III Planter-Fertilizer
In late 1947, the Columbia III Planter had been introduced along with a fertilizer attachment. According to a December 18, 1947 advertisement, the new Columbia III Planter was a power-agitated attachment which had two adjustable opening shoes. The fertilizer was sowed in two bands with the seeds planted in-between the fertilizer bands. Roths Industries stated that this eliminated the danger of damaging the seeds during germination. The planter accurately planted all types of seeds from the smallest flower seed to the largest seed, including Spanish Peanuts in the shell. Any desired seed spacing could be obtained. Roths Industries also had special seed cylinders that could be furnished to suit a wide range of requirements. According to a March 15, 1949 part list, the Columbia III Planter with Fertilizer Attachment: Push Type Model and Tractor Mounted, both had a domestic shipping weight of, a net weight of, and a list price of $47.50. Also a Furrow Marker was available for the planter which had a domestic shipping weight of, a net weight of, and a list price of $8.00.
An optional steering assembly with a sulky seat and wheels was available in 1949 to convert the Model W transmission into a riding unit. The BesRo tractor utilized a similar transmission and drive unit as the Model-W Garden King. The idea of the Model W BesRo was developed from Herbert Roths design of an ornamental tractor patent. This original tricycle design was known as the BesRo Model W and was precursor to the BesRo Model R. The Model R BesRo used four wheels with the drive unit mounted in the rear. The riding frame was attached to the front of the transmission. The BesRo tractor was phased out of production by the mid-1950s and replaced with the Roths Country Boy.
Little Jeff
The Roths Little Jeff was introduced sometime around 1956-1957. It is unknown exactly when these were manufactured or how many of these units were sold. These riding tractors had the following available attachments: Bulldozer Blade, Disc Harrow, Cultivator, Sickle Bar, Rotary Mower, Trailing Gang Mowers, Moldboard Plow and optional: Parallel Rear Tool Lift
Country Boy
The Roths Country Boy was introduced sometime around 1954-1955. It is unknown how many of these units were manufactured. These riding tractors had the following attachments available: Bulldozer Blade, Disc Harrow, Cultivator, Sickle Bar, Rotary Mower, Trailing Gang Mowers, Moldboard Plow and optional: Parallel Rear Tool Lift
