THE QUESTION OF THE FARMER'S CAR.
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WERE I to expressoan opinion, I should say that the article entitled " Wanted—A Farmer's Car" which appeared in The Commercial Motor for July 12th is one of the least 'useful of the large number of very valuable articles which that familiar " Vim " has contributed to the columns of the paper. To my mind, the main purpose served by the i article s that of promoting some discussion or consideration of the question of a farmer's car. "Vim" evidently believes that a car built specially for farmers is necessary, that there would be a market for it. But there are others who 'would not agree with this view, and most humbly I beg to state that I am among them. It is rather a good thing that, at the outset of the article, " Vim " makes it clear that he is not familiar with " horsey " language. Probably that excuse :covers up a number of other unfamiliarities with subjects tackled in that article, First of all, about that farmer's gig Or dog-cart. I have been connected personally with agriculture all my life, and have never met with the kind of vehicle described under the term "farmer's gig or dog-cart." Some of the old farmers' traps could be used four up by letting down the " crateh " and using the seat at the rear as well as the front seat. But, at the time when these vehicles—including traps, gigs, and dog-carts—constituted the principal means of travelling, thc same vehicles were not used both for the hundred-and-one jobs, particularly the carting about of a roll of -wire netting and for private driving. " Vim " must be thinking of the carrier's cart. In all seriousness I do not believe there, is any demand for specially designed coach work for the farmer's car. I will give my reasons. In the days before motorcars became so common, the farmer in most cases had his own gig. This provided seating accommodation for two or three people, sometimes four, if the need arose,. But the vehicle was kept principally for the farmer's own convenience, so that he might get about, attend the market, the show, and dothat travelling Which is essentially part of a farmer's work. But the vehicle used -was not the, general ,purpose spring trapemployed on occasions when it was necessary to run to town for a light Idad. . For this purpose thespring trap was employed almostsolely, and on occasions to travel about and haul light loads across the ficlds.; i. e.•_ The Farmer ' Really Needs Two Vehicles,' Ic,• The point is that the farmer nearly always kept a smart -birri-ont for his own private 110 and a, heavier and stronger one for rougher work, which ..' was -generally used by the stable boy or the handy man about the farm.
Perhaps " Vim " has a longer memory than I have and can go back 30 or 40 years, when the average :British. farmer was a much cruder person than he is to-day, or has been for the, last 20 years at least.' ' No. What the farmer, wants in the motorcar line is a smart private car similar to that used by the business man in other spheres of activity. In driving to town, or driving anywhere else, he does not want to be labelled as a farmer who, cannot afford a nart turnout, which is really what occurs when you have your specially designed body coachwork. . As for the remarks on the paint, upholstering and gener-al coachwork, -that is, to say the lea,st of it, mere bunkum. A farmer and his family require as iomfortable a car to get about in as any -other > member -of the community, and it is aninsult to suggest either that his business is not stifficiently profitable to 'allow of a private car, or that he should be dubbed by everybody as Fanner John. " He can't afford a decent car." ." He must have one, and look what he's got—a cross between a perambulator and a muck-cart." You are not going to ,sell a thing like that. I wish it were possible-to obtain in round figures the number of private cars used by farmers. Whatever that number is I am sure that, Were it known, many of us would be surprised to find the nuntber employed by farmers. A farmer will tell. you that what is good enough for anybody . else . is good enough .for: hire. I do not saY. thatin,Many cases a farmer would' Want a Rolla-Royce or a Lanchester, but anything from a Ford to. a Stinloeam ivill do for ' him,. and he insists "upon having that kind ofvehicle. A Ford to begin -with, probably; then -a move upwards to something else. When-once he lias had an Englishcar he sticks totit. But-I know I ought not to be discussing private carmbere, and will proceed now to put "Vim " right in regard to the "wire netting, .bundles of' plants, and suchlike.. oddmentsthat are required on the farm."• On the one hand, the private • car .is .taking the -place of the gig and the dog-cart. On the other, the light van and light lorry is not only replacing the spring cart that the half-legged horse used to trot about with, but. the light van is also replacing to a very greatextent the farm cart and the spring trap. That development is taking place to-day at a very fist rate. At the present Moment farmers are among some of the best buyers of 1 and 14 formers. All the odd work will be done by means of these vehicles. They will run into market with a load of pigs or a load of potatoes and bring back anything required. Thus, the private car will not be scratched either with wire netting or ."heaven knows what." This, I think, is where the line of development lies. The light motor vehicle is going to do a great deal of the work. It will not be able to do it all ; some will be left for the heavy vehicle and for the tractor. The farmer idio cannot afford a private car, 'but who has a light van, will be content to ride on the front seat beside the driver if he wants to get to town quickly, but none of your convertibles in the private car line! As for the suggestam that the back of the body should be let down in the same manner as the tailboard on a trap—well, I cannot understand what " Vim" is thinking about, because he must know that, while it is quite possible to convert a commercial vehicle into a kind of bus for passenger-carrying purposes, the idea of converting a private car—the convertible private touring—into a commercial car has not yet been successful.
While, aa " Vim " says, motor agents in agricul tural district's will lose nothing by turning their thoughts in the direction of a farmer's car, they will be well advised, on my advice to .take no such work in hand unless to special order, because I am quite sure there will be no demand for a makeshift vehicle. The development of special bodywork for the motor lorry used for agricultural purposes is quite another matter, and I notice there are several very suitable ones on the market. I saw the one made by Garner at the Royal Show. It is an excellent attempt to provide agricultural bodywork for the heavier type of lorry. The same progress is being made in the construction of coachwork for light vans, used in the agricultural industry. Vim" strikes a very good note when he speaks of the good old sterling type of chassis with the lower power engines that were manufactured prior to the war. I am sure such chassis would meet with a demand not only for agricultural purposes, but ether purposes as well, including private and commercial work. But, even then, the farmer would not use his car for getting about the fields. If I had two or three hundred acres of land to travel over, I still prefer getting across a horse's back, because, as yet, farm road development hasheen very slow. It will, of eourse, improve as time goes on to meet the need for the rubber-tyred vehicle.
AGRIMOT.