WHAT CAR DOES THE FARMER WANT?
Page 18
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Two Suggestions for the Provision of a Vehicle to Replace the Farmer's Gig.
OUR contributor "Vim," himself an agent holding a prominent position in the industry and a writer for this journal on all matters of interest to the agent and'deider, was recently writing on the subject of the farmer's.; car; giving his opinion of the extent of the demand for such a vehicle end showing the purposes to which it waS likely tube put by;its owner. A Leicester correspondent is good ..enough to write giving his opinion of the type of car and the design of body useful for a farmer, and we have' ransfated his rough sketches to the best*of our power. Be goes rather 'beyond "
Vim's" idea, because he is willing,to accept the Forrhone-ton chassia;or its equivalent. For the body he advocates a double compartment for passengers, seat: ing the driver and three passengers on the driver's seat and. four 'passengers on the seat to the rear thereof, their backs being towards the driver. Each compartment is to be well-protected by a cab having glass screens and side. doors and being suitably upholstered. Behind the second passengers' compartment islo be a cupboard extending the whole width of the vehicle, covered in, and having doors both on thetnear and off sides. The top • of the cupboard is to be .erscircled by a rail to restrain packages that can conveniently be,carried ,insuch a position. This cupboard would be used for packages of shopping.
Behind the cupboard.. the .body would be left open for the conveyance of poultry, milk, plants, sacks, pigs, etc.,, with a screen of netting. (preferably on a folding•frame.that could be stowed at the forward end when not required) for use as a head cover to poultry or pigs.
The suggestion is extremely interesting, and we should like to hear the criticisms of our farmer readers and of agents upon it.
Another correspondent, Mr. R. J. Nightingale, of 5, Park Mansions, Chapel Park Road, St. Leonardo-on-Sea,
writes to say that he is in agreement with " Vim " when he says that the average touring car, whilst useful to farmers for making tours of inspection round their farms, taking their families a-driving, etc., is certainly not a good
substitute for the farmer's gig. A touring car can, however, so easily be converted by the use of the "Car-van"
patent adapter that it becomes in feet far' more handy than the old gig. Mr. Nightingale goes on to say that he encloses an illustration (which we re produce) of a Maxwell, which has been in use with a " Car-van" by' a market gardener for the past. 12 months for carrying his produce to and .front the market and railway station, in addition to the many general purposes of farm carting. The " Car-van" adapter drops like a shell into the rear of the car after removal of the seat cushion, remains per fectly rigid and can be instantly removed when the car is required for pleasure only. In the illustration it is shown loaded with 80 baskets of tomatoes, weighing 14 lb. each, 26 baskets being inside the box container and 54 on top.
Fowls, pigs„ sheep, or any produce can be carried in the container, with or without the top, and there is no risk of damage to the upholstery in any way The price of the " Car-van " patent adapter is 225, or 218 15s, for a smaller
type, permitting free -use of hood, and Mr. Nightingale adds that if any traders or farmers are interested, Messrs. Cann and Co., of 11, Pratt Street, Camden Town, N.W., the manufacturers for the " Car-van " Co., will gladly furnish further particulars of this useful and eminently practical device.