Los Angeles herald., 1909-01-24
AUTOMOBILE OF
VALUE TO FARMS
FARMING CLASS IN BEST POSI-.
TON TO BUY
TILLERS OF SOIL REQUIRE NO
FURTHER EDUCATION
Country Car Must Be Able to Nego-
tiate inferior Roads and Stand
Much Hard Usage Away
from Garages
| UToMoBILE manufacturers gener-

A UTOMOBILE manufacturers gener-
~ orally are recognizing the possi-
49, bilities of expanding their business
by adapting their product to the needs
of the farmer, and then through ad
vertising, personal solicitation and dem
onstration making every effort to Sc
cure this trade, says H. B. Harper in
the Ford Times.
And why shouldn't it be so? If any
part of our population is in position to
buy automobiles it is the farming class.
prosperous as never before, with a
larger crop than in any previous years,
with high prices for all they raise, the
farmer has, money to spend, and the
farmer with money wants to and does
live every whit as well as his city
brothers.
You can go into any country district
and you will find one or more automo-
b1les in use and any number Of farmers
interested and really anxious to buy.
So, with this condition existing, it is
timely to consider what type Of car
will best meet the requirements of the
farmer buyer
First to consider is the question of
roads. The country roads are not all
gravel roads or macadamiZed turnpikes
The successful competitor for coun-
try sales must be the car which will
travel over inferior roads, roads that
sometimes are heavy with mud, roads
that are often covered twelve inches or
more with new fallen, untrodden snow
Here the first essential is weight. A
good lightweight car should be selected.
A car weighing 1000 to 5000 pounds is
not a practical car for all-around coun-
try service. A car weighing 1900 pounds
there is at least one of this weights
much better suited to the average road
conditions.
Then, too, this light car can easily
travel off the regular roads, over the
fields to any part of the farm.
A light car is easier on tires, reduces
gasoline and oil bills, and calls for less
replacement expenses.
The next point Of Importance lies in
simplicity of design, accessibility Of all
parts and perfect standardization of var
ious parts. While the average farmer
is much better mechanic than is the
city man, due to long use of agricul-
tural implements, he has no garage to
call on for repair work, and must do it
all. The less complicated the mechan-
ism the better suited to the farmers
need.
I have in mind a car with which it is
possible to get to every working part
of the entire power plant by removing
fourteen bolts and by opening a small
door in the foOtboardS, one can reach
every part of the transmission, ignition
or oiling system. With this car all ad-
Justments or repairs can be made from
the seat, and it is never necessary to
get under the car for any purpose what
ever.
The right car should be sold with
price list of parts, the prices made in
accordance with the price of the car.
There should also be an instruction
book to show how each adjustment, re-
pair or replacement should be made
The farmers car should have a sim
pie, dependable magnetic, as dry bat
teries are hard to buy in the country,
and storage batteries difficult to get
recharged.
Because Of its easier, smoother oper-
alton and greater fiexibility, a plane
tary transmission seems to have the
preference among farmers. With this
type it is impossible to strip any gears,
and the repair item is very low. The
sliding gear, however, has a large fol-
lowing, the more particularly among
buyers of heavy, high powered cars.
When the farmer buys this car he
finds that it will accomplish the follow
ing much to be desired results:
Any trip-buSiness or pleasure-can
be made in decidedly less time In
planting, plowing or harvest times this
saving is valuable. A quick trip to the
city for repairs for a, mower or a reaper
and back again in hurry is very i'm
pOrtant when the grain is ripe or the
grass is ready.
There's a saving Of horses, the horse
with which you plOW all day is hardly
fit for trip to town or a drive for the