The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1920-12-16

Summarizing the experience Of S31
cOrn-belt farmers who own motor
trucks, the United States Department
of Agriculture found that in the Opin-
ion of nine-tenths of these men, the
greatest advantage in owning motor
truck is Saving time; - in the opinions
of three-fOurths of them the greatest
disadvantage Is poor roads," and 81
per cent believe that their trucks will
turn out to be a profitable investment.
The reports, however, indicate that
on most of these farms the truck has
not reduced expense to any great ex-
tent, and that it supplements rather
than replaces work-stock and other
equipment
On the average these trucks travel
2,777 miles per year, and the cost Of
| operation is between 1914 cents and II
cents per mile, making a total annual
cost from $3.50 to S470. Each truck
| displaces an average of IL head of
wOrk-stock With the cost of keep
! ing a horse q year in the corn belt
around $780, the reduction in expense
| for this item is in the neighborhoOd
| of $40 per farm. For all farms the
| average amount Of hired help saved
| by the trucks is S163. On most farms
| these are the only two items of direct
reduction In expense which can be
| credited to the truck, and on the av-
| erage they amount to $50 or $40 less
| than the total cost Of operating it.
To offset this. added cost, custom
| hauling done with the trucks amounts
! to about $50 per year for all farms,
| leaving only something like SO or $50
annual net expense which must be
more than balanced by the saving Of
| time of the owner and members of the
family, the ability to get crops and
live stock TO market in better condi-
ton or at better time, and other bene-
fits which are not directly measurable
| in dollars and cents, If the average
| truck is to be a profitable investment.
1t must be remembered that most
of these farms where trucks are owned
are larger than the average. and are
located at considerable distance from
market.
The investigation was made during
winter and spring Of 1920. Farmer
| truck owners in Indiana, Illinois. Mis-
souri,, Iowa, southern Wisconsin,
southern Minnesota. southeastern
South Dakota, eastern Nebraska and
eastern Kansas, who raise corn as one
of their principal crops, and who prac-
| tice the general grain and live stock
| farming characteristic of the corn belt
reported to the department the use
they make of their trucks. the cost of
operating them, the advantages and
disadvantages of trucks for farm use,
and other related information.
Study of Reports.
A study of the reports of S31 Of
these farmers has just been completed
by the division of rural engineering of
the bureau of public roads and the
Office of farm management and farm
economics.
Some of the important facts revealed
by the investigation are:
The average size Of the farms is 346
acres and their average distance from
market is eight miles.
Only Il per cent Of them are less
than five miles from market, and 20
per cent are Is miles or more from
market
little over one-fourth Of these
men have changed their markets, for
at least a part OF their produce, since
purchasing trucks. For those who
have changed market, the average dis
lance to the old market was seven
miles and to the new market Is ID
miles.
The rated capacity of these trucks
varies from one-half to two tons. Sew
enty per cent of them are rated at
one ton, and only per cent Of them
at less than one ton
Experience with trucks has caused
81 per cent Of these men to decide
that the one-tOn size is best suited for
their conditions. 25 per cent that the
11s-ton size is best, and II per cent
that the two-ton size is best Practical
IL one man in four has decided that
a truck larger than The one he now
owns would be better suited to his
conditions
Ninety-one per cent believe that
their tracks will prove 70 be profta-
BILE investment.
In the opinions Of these men the
principal advantage OF a motortruck
is in saving time. and the principal dis
advantage is poor roads"
AS compared with horses and wag-
ons, the trucks save about two-thirds
of the time required for hauling to
and from these farms.
nie=e4a1 IL I itceIv