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LIGHT VANS INVALL i•BLE N AGRICULTURE

4th October 1935, Page 38
4th October 1935
Page 38
Page 39
Page 38, 4th October 1935 — LIGHT VANS INVALL i•BLE N AGRICULTURE
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By Our Agricultural Correspondent

ALTHOUGH the larger lorries, ranging from 1-tonners upwards, are employed in farming in greater numbers than are light vans, the latter play quite an important part in farm transport and are daily being more extensively used. The advantages of the light van to the farmer are fairly obvious.

In the first place, the small van provides a means for transport for the small man whose holding does not warrant capital expenditure on a larger vehicle, or whose steady output of produce is not sufficient to make ownership of a larger machine profitable. In fact, the light van makes it possible for even the smallholder to be master of his own transport arrangements.

Even if the smallest four-wheeled vehicles—the 5-8-cwt. models—be too expensive for him, there are the threewheelers, all of which are reasonably priced and inexpensive to operate. For those who require bigger vans of under 1-ton capacity, there are the 12-cwt. and 15-cwt. machines.

Another function which the light van performs is that of relieving the heavier vehicles on larger farms. There is always much light transport work on every farm, which,the small van will do quickly, efficienW and cheaply. The greater utility of the light van, however, is to be found in the expeditious and inexpensive way in which it can be used, and is used, for special jobs.

The Light Van in Dairying.

One of the first of these tasks is dairying. In this department, the light van is used by the farmer who produces milk for the wholesale market; it is valuable for conveying the full churns to the point on the road where the larger lorry of the wholesale merchant or the contractor passes to gather them up, or to the railway station, and it returns with the empties. In the retail milk trade, of course, the light van is indispensable.

Among farmers m this country there are many hundreds who have come to be known as producer-retailers. They have been in existence ever since milk retailing first started and are recognized 1324 under the Milk Marketing Boarkl's schemes and are registered as such The light van is as necessary to them as to the dairyman proper. Their usual vehicles have, in the past, been—and still are in far too many cases—horsed milk floats. Many producer-retailers have come to use the motor, but the majority outside London and the larger cities still employs the horse-drawn float.

With better means at one's disposal, I have no hesitation in saying that this is a most clumsy and inefficient way of doing the work. In some country towns there are 10 horse-drawn vehicles to two motra-vans engaged in delivering milk. My attitude is not one of prejudice against the horse. It is the case of a better way. Those who adopt the better way will, in a short time, oust the man who persistently clings to the old methods.

The public demands quality, freshness and cleanliness in milk, and efficient service. The retailer-producer of milk who uses horses cannot give efficiency or punctuality of service, even if he can supply clean milk of good quality, It is however, very difficult to keep milk clean when it is delivered " loose " by horse and float.

With all the pressure that is being brought to bear upon the matter of a pure milk supply, the man who does not change his methods—transport among them—may as well number his days in the business. There is official pressure on the one hand and pressure from the public on the other. The motor has caused people dwelling in towns to form a taste for quality and freshness in all farm produce. It might be argued that, if the milk float be so unsatisfactory, what about the handcarts? That is true, but the handcarts are used for delivering bottled milk and only over short distances.

Importance of Cleanliness.

The producer-retailer has, as a rule, to deliver, not only over a fairly wide area, but the milk has, in the first place, to be conveyed from his farm in the country. All-round efficiency is required. It is a waste of effort to produce good, clean milk if it cannot be delivered efficiently and punctually to the customer, neither is it much use t6 produce clean milk and then to a/low it to become contaminated during delivery.

The light van is useful to the farmer for dealing with all kinds of dairy produce, other than milk. By its means, some farmers have been able to open up successfully in the ice-cream trade.

The light vanis extremely useful in the poultry industry, too. This business is carried on differently from dairying, much of the produce being collected by buyers at markets. Even so, the light van is an acquisition and for retailers it is essential.

Another branch of agriculture in which the light van is being extensively used is in the fruit and vegetable industry. Many growers. retail their own produce and the light van enables them to conduct this business efficiently and profitably.

There will be a good outlet for a large number of these vans when more farmers become convinced of their worth. In the past, old „cars have largely been used for light transport, but the man who would be up to date and who desires to keep his trade together must have the racist efficient and modern transport vehicles. Remember that there is much in advertisement, and what is better for this purpose than a well-kept delivery van?

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Locations: London

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