Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1906-03-09
CONVENIENT SCALE HOUSE.

self can and so evident is the truth of
this that we all incline to adopt the
adage. It is questionable if another
source has furnished more material
to stimulate envy between the two in
volved parties. the farmer and the
purchaser. than the matter of honest
weights. Were such conditions simply
confined to certain localities and indi-
viduals an immediate remedy could lie
enacted by the establishment of weien-
ing stations where all weighing would
be under the direct charge OF disintei-
ested parties: but so universal is me
evil in every market whether large or
small that a solution of the problem
is made difficult.
AS we sun up present conditions
based upOn years of experience selling
upon both local and large markets
there evidently is but one solution and
that is for the farmer to have a relia-
BILE set of standard scales conveniently
located and in good working condition
where he can weigh his produce be
fore It leaves the farm. Under sucn
al arrangement there is no reason
why, after receiving the purchasers
weights, he should ever have cause to
feel he had been dishonesty dealt
with. No time ever presents a better
opportunity to correct dishonesty han
the immediate moment of the transac-
ton. Several instances have come IN
der my observation where difficulty
hoC criGan from fan1tW uvaiOhinU fhot
could nave been satisfactorily adjust
ed had the involved parties gotten to-
gether and made a new draft. In a
great many cases faulty weighing is
not due to unreliable scales, but rather
the mi in which the machine has
been previously adjusted. | have
known instances where scales were )ff
several pounds to the hundred and so
far as observation could account had
been purpOsely fixed up,
The installation of a set of scales
upon the farm is not so serious and
costly a proposition as many farmers
imagine. The first matter to be taken
into consideration in installing a set
of scales is the location. In order to
obtain the greatest usefulness it is
essential they should be conveniently
located. No definite rule can be ad-
hered to because of the fact that con-
ditions vary to such a marked extent
on different farms. 1t is advisable,
however, that they should be located
upon slightly elevated ground to pro-
mote drainage. Then, too. the location
should be selected with due regard to
usage.
After these conditions have been
carefully considered a structure to pro-
tect the scales must be designed. In
some instances the scales might be 20
Gated near the granary for convent
ence IN weighing the grain. The illus
t|ration, taken from the Prairie Farm
er, shows a design of scale house con-
structed onto a granary. There is
nothing out of the ordinary concern
ing the structure except that it is a
cheap, practical and convenient build
eing for the purpose. 1t is particular
ly adapted to the average farmers
conditions where the means to con-
struct a costly building are limited.
The structure is 16X20 with ~ feet
posts. For siding matched hemlock
was used. The roofing is more on the
fiat order with sufficient incline to per
init water to run off readily. The ma
terial used for roofing was of a manu-
featured nature and serves the pur-
pose satisfactorily. The door ways are
~ feet wide and permit of a drive over
the scales. The cost of the structure,
including labor and material, did not
exceed $35.