The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1913-11-06
SCALES ON FARM
GOOD INVESTMENT
Average Farmer Does Not Real
ize How Much He Loses Each
Year by Lack of Device.
(By r. b. RUsHING1


do not believe the average farmer
realizes how much he loses each year
because he has not pair Of good,
reliable scales located on the farm.
Nearly all of tho farmers produce Is
sold by weight, and 1t is not enough
TO stand by and see it weighed on the
buyers scales. You should have a set
of your own in your yard so that you
may be sure you are getting all you
are entitled to. l do not mean to in
sinuate that buyers are dishonest, but
mistakes are sometimes too easily
made.
If you feed a number of hogs you
should have pair of platform scales
to weigh them on when you COM
mence TO feed them. and then by
weighing the grain that is fed them
you should be able to tell whether
you were doing it at profit and how
much. When you are ready to deliver
to market it takes just a few minutes
to weigh your wagon empty and again
after the hogs are loaded, and then
you are able to tell where you are,
OF course you must allow a little for
shrinkage. From my own experience
| would say fat hogs will shrink about
two pounds apiece, drawing four
miles.
Here In southern Illinois many Of
the hogs and cattle are sold to the
buyers, who come and buy them at
the farm, and unless a pair of scales
are at hand they are generally lump
cd of. This, OF course, is too uncer-
tain. The buyers are buying all the
time and are very apt to make a price
that is more than safe for themselves.
Besides there is not the satisfaction
In the deal that there is where you
see them weighed on your own
scales
When you 80 to the market to buy
a piece of meat or to the grocery for
sugar II is never Jumped off. but care.
fully weighed, and ! believe that II
is a poor rule that won't work both
ways. II it pays these people to have
scales, why will it not pay you?
If you are farmer that does not
feed stock. but sell your hay and
grain to feeders, you certainly do
need pair OF scales. You cannot
afford to guess off a load of hay. What
you would lose I'm this way In a year
would usually buy a pair Of good
scales II you do much business. II
you sell your corn to feeders you arc
liable to lose money by guessing of
crib Of corp or by measuring t.
This. as you plainly see, is not a safe
way to do business.
When you draw your wheat. oats or
rye TO market and try to load about
the same every time you may find
that the loads vary 200 pounds or
more No use 10 kick. unless you
kick yourself because you have not
bought a pair OF scales. for they are
constantly being advertised I'm the
best farm journals.
The first year / had my scales I got
enough more money on two deals TO
half pay for the scales. One was A
load Of wheat that fell short 500
pounds, and the other was wool and
still some will say It does not paw To
bother with weighing everything you
sell They are satisfied as long az
they can see the Weighing done but
even this is not always safe.
] have in mind a pair of scales that
cen be thrown short 200 pounds right
in front OF your eyes and eleven men
out OF every dozen would not notice
IT, When ] first purchased my scales
ten years ago my neighbors thought
] was just sinking that much money
In the ground. unnecessarily. but
nave learned 10 consider them a good
paying Investment.
MY custom weighing at ten cents
draft paid good interest ON the In.
yestment the first year, and has every
year since Perhaps there will be
some that VIII be interested I'm the
cost Of good wagon scales. ] bought
a standard make Of five tons capacity
and the scales. Umbers for the framo
and platform, stone and mason work
cost me about an even 800. including
q 5O-pound test weight
When YOU buy a set % scales be