Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1915-11-12

G. Arthur Bell, of the Bureau of
Animal Industry, Washington, D. c.,
in an address before the Carriage
Builders National Association, at
Cleveland. last month, said that up
to June, 1915, the estimated num-
Der Of automobiles and trucks in
the United States was 1,707, 900.
These figures were taken from State
registration accounts for 1914, and
included machines licensed in more
than one State. We will assume,
however," said Mr.. Bell, that that
number is approximately correct.
Let US for liberal estimate add
800, 900 to this number for the addi-
tional machines of 1915. This
makes a total of 10000 automo-
biles and motor trucks in the United
States. This means that there are
twelve horses for every automobile
and motor truck in this country.
This certainly does not indicate that
we have reached the horseless stage.
about which we hear so much. Now.
am not saying this in disparage-
ment of the automobile at all, be-
cause we all realize the great value
of the automobile, both for pleasure
and for business purposes, but mere
ly to point out the fact that we have
not reached the horseless stage.
Now let US turn to consider
alton of the relationship of the
horse to agricultural production.
There is. in my estimation, no fact
OF of greater Importance in the pro-
duction Of agricultural products than
getting efficient horse power. With
out good, efficient work horses farm
ing cannot be done as economically
as it can be with them, and these
horses are needed to offset the in.
creased cost of labor. We have ir
the United States more than 6,000,.
900 farms, which means that there
is on an average not more than foul
mature working animals per farm
we hear great deal of the dis
placement Of horses by motor trucks
You will realize that there is no
much danger of displacing any larg
number Of these horses by motto
trucks when the average farm ha
not over four work horses. TIL
motor truck, to be an economics
factor in agricultural production
must displace more than four horses
If the average farm does not hav
more than four horses, how is tn
motor truck to displace them? Their
is always some kind of work o
every farm for which It is necessar
to have horses. Much of our farm
ing land is wet, low land, and I'll
motor truck would get stuck, an
it is, therefore, necessary to ha,
horses.
The Agricultural Departmer
made very careful survey of Il
motor truck. and fonnd that in mo
cases it had not displaced horses
any extent.
1t is estimated that there are q
proximately 1OO,00O,OOO horses
the world. OF this 100, 900, 900. t
United States possesses over q, ,00I
900, or practically one-fourth. 7
United States and Russia togeth
possess over fifty per cent, Of all {
horses in the world, Russia bel
the only country which has mo
horses than we have. Il can res
lily be seen, therefore, thai with |
exception of Russia, the ether col
tries now at war are bound to
short of horses for work purpos
Russia will probably have enou
for her own use, but on account
the great number that are be
killed in Russia today, she will pr
ably not have any for export.
That means that the other co
les win have to turn to the Q
other big horse producing cOuni
the United States. ! think, hou
er, that we should be able. to n
this export demand. We are /
ducing annually more than 500.
colts. If this demand continua
win. of course. mean that the pr
Of horses will increase. but do
think they win 80 ahn0rmalIy b