Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-06
. !. i MILLION \ MOTOR
CARsNEEDEDF0nfARMs
Glance at Agricultural Market Shows
That Possibilities Are Hardly
Scathed.
LARGER DEMAND EACH YEAR
Nearly 100000 Automobiles Sold
In United States Since 1909.
Farmers Use Cars for Utility
Rather Than Pleasure.

y Nearly 100000 automobiles have
been sold In the United States since
1902. when the business may be said
really to have begun.
Tho number of these machines that
have gone to the scrap heap is ms yet
negligible for commercial reckoning
The Oldest is only twelve or thirteen
years old. You see the quaint old tim
crs In service every day.
Next year, according to tho forecast
OF the trade. nearly 100000 more cars
will be sold. These facts cause many
to wonder where these hundreds of
thousands of cars will go next year
and the years after that. They figure
that there is now one automobile to
each seventy or eighty people in the
country. How many possible purchas-
cfs remain to be supplied?
Jasper. the well-known financial au-
thority and writer for Leelies Weekly
partly indicated the answer when he
says Half OF next years output will
be sold to farmers more largely for
utility than for pleasure" The fact is.
when the farm market is thoughtfully
considered, 1t Is found to be the domi-
rant factor In the future of the auto
mobile industry. And Jasper's words,
more largely for purpose of utility
thar for Dlcasu furnish the reason.
Without taking into account the
serappirg of old machines. which must
be replaced with new ones. 1t may be
said that stupendous as the business is,
the possibilities have not been much
more than scratched"
Not quite so per cent Of the autono-
biles In use now are owned by farm
ers. But there are In tho United States,
according to the census of 1910 6.361,-
5o2 farms. with n total value of s40.-
9,009--an average value per farm,
of S6,444.
- n NM auto, aNlNi IN
TO farm is a long way in the future
but the demand is not inconceiyable
Some day. without doubt II will be ap-
northumberland when 1t comes 1t will
represent a degree of progress and ef-
fictency as far ahead of the present as
the supply of that day will be ahead of
the present supply.
Thus far the number of automobiles
owned by farmers Is only about 10 per
cent of the total number of farms. The
manufacturers would have to produce
over 100000 cars to I'LL the farm mar
Ike. alone.
The coming of the automobile has
made remarkable changes In farm con-
dttions. It is carrying tho farmer far
and wide over the countryside and
bringing him into close touch with NIL
the great improvements In agriculture
To-day X Is no uncommon thing In
any of the Middle Western States to
see anywhere from nifty to 800 automo-
bilcs grouped about field where a
Flowing contest Is going on. or stand
ing about the stable where there Is u
sale OF fine cattle. These automobiles
come from distances of ten. twenty and
even thirty miles. They bring the
farmer to these centres of interest
quickly, and without great waste OF
time.
The automobile on the farm is a paw
ing investment in many ways. On
many farms the car does service both
as pleasure car and truck by
removing the body tho car is converted
into truck. on which farm products
are quickly taken to market at little
expense.
In the old days II member Of the
family. or n valuable horse fell III or
was hurt, or machine broke down In
the midst of harvesting. tho farmer
had no choice but 10 take the conse-
qpences, He would drive off to town
for help, but it WAS long slow drive
oyer bad roads, and help almost al
ways arrived late. The car gives him
tho Quick service he needs.
When 1t comes TO the boys on the
farm no one can doubt the influence
of the automobile In making the farm
attractive. Both the boys and girls of
the farm drive the car and take care
OF IL. and you may be sure that the
young men or women on the farm
where there Is an automobile see to
~.
There is q marked decrease In the de-
sire on the part of the young to get
away from the farm. and the auto
mobile is one OF the most important
influences to bring about this change.
The automobile has promoted the
good roads movement all through
America This Is. Decreasing the cost
of transporting AGRICULTURAL products
to market And so important an Item
Is this that 1t could almost be said TINT
the improvements in roads alone would
more than pay a big interest OH tho
amount the farmer has Invested In
automobiles.
Even now, road improvements have
made II possible In many places to use
The car every month OF the year.
These are factors OF the growing
business OF the local automobile dealer
for on the local dealer the farmer
depends for his car. 1t accounts for
the fact that from now right on
through the winter months the fac
tories will be busy turning out cars
To meet the spring demand. The high
point OF production is reached about
the middle OF February. The local
dealer buys cars in advance and stores
them until the opening or the spring
season so he can make prompt de-
livcries when the rush comes.
Recognition by the banks OF the i'm
portance OF this phase OF the business
Is evidenced In the growing practice
Of local bankers TO make loans to she
dealer on manufactured cars which he
orders and receives during the winter
months. The local dealers place the
cars In warehouses giving warehouse
receipts and certificates of insurance as
security for the loans. Bankers who
make this class of loans say they are
among the most profitable in the mar
bct.
President william Livingstone, OF the
Dime Savings Bank, Detroit bespeslls
for automobile dealers the liberal sup
port of the banks-especialiy in the
small towns where the dealers do a
large part OF their business with farm
ers. He said in his address before the
American Bankers Associations:
LAS the greatest number OF cars are
sold during seven months OF the year,
makers and dealers have been borrow
ers. and it Is matter of record and
congratu1ation that In fostering this
growing industry bankers of this coun-
try have played q most important part
with practically no lose. Discerning