The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1907-12-01

costs farmer nothing, or next to
nothing, to haul his crops, since he
usually does the work himself. TAX
ing into account the time he spends in
this way, that might be advantageous
ly devoted to other work, the cost
of keeping horses and maintaining
the wagon and equipment, the wages
of his assistant, ETC., it has been rouno
that it averages as much as it would
cost to hire team wagon and driver
for the service. The price paid for
hiring, therefore, is taken as fairly rep
resenting the cost for hauling in each
community.
Corn maintains it's reputation OF be
ing the most expensive OF our genera
crops, as it continues to be costly to
the farmer until it passes out OF his
hands. 1t has been found to be the
heaviest crop. and the one that costs
most to haul. The figures, too, are
for shelled corn. To market dollars
worth of wheat costs nine cents, In
a year of average prices. A dollars
worth of wheat can be carried TO the
shipping point for about seven cents
while it costs only fraction over a
cent to carry the same amount OF
cotton or tobacco.
Wheat. in the Atlantic states, as
we'll as in those north OF the ono
river, and in Iowa, Kansas and MIS-
souri,. costs about five cents bushe
to haul the average distance. In many
places a driver can make one or two
trips a day with his load. The ordln
ary load is from $500 to 5000 pounds
and the total cost per load varies
from 1920 to $2.4O. In the far West
Wyoming, for instance, it has to DC
hauled twenty-five miles to its desti
nation.
Corn costs a trife less than five
cents a bushel of seventy pounds) IN
the North Atlantic States (Which dc
not include the New England divis
ion), in Ohio, Indiana, and the north
ern part of the Mississippi valley. In
the South it costs about eight cents
bushel. When it is remembered thai
the price of corn is much less than
that of wheat, it will be seen that
these figures represent much higher
percentage of the total value or the
load. The weight of load varies
from 1000 pounds, in certain parts OF
the South, to 1900 in New York and
Pennsylvania.
Cotton is one of the lightest and
cheapest crops to haul. Owing to its
high value, it may be transported prof
itably in much smaller loads and 1oI
longer distances than less valuable
article, such as grain. 1t is noted
that the average load of cotton Cllnt)
weighs about half as much as the
average load of wheat, but is worth
at times more than four loads OF
wheat. The average load of cotton is
a fraction more than three bales, ano
the cost is about eighty cents bale
The cost of hauling hay forms a
large proportion of the value or the
load. Taking the price at $3.50 ton
and the value of a load at about $l2
the cost of hauling is $3.50. Potatoes
cost about as much to haul as wheat
Wool costs more to haul than any
other product, on account OF the grea'
distances traversed, the average fol
the United States being forty miles
In some parts of the West, 1T is neces
sarv to carry it $50 miles. The value
of a load, however (from $5OO te
5000. is so high that even the charge
of seventy cents per 100 pounds IL
not too large in proportion. The aver
age is fifty cents per 100 pounds
which is less than three per cent o!
the value. Wool is usually carried Dy
professional freighters, with trailer
wagons and fourteen horses, manag
ing a load of seven tons.
One of the inevitable conclusions
from the investigation is the need Of