MOTOR VEHICLES AND FRUIT TRANSPORT.
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The Need to Devise Methods to Prevent Damage by Shaking.
NINE or ten years ago I was interested in an idea which would have provided the means for transporting fruit by road motor vehicles direct from the farm to the large city market—in this case Birmingham.
The idea arose owing-to complaints by farmers and fruit growers that the fruit sent by rail arrived at the city market in a more or less deteriorated condition. Growers in the particular neighbourhood where I resided at the time said that they were quite prepared to find the necessary capital to inaugurate a road transport system, if it meant that ,their goods could be got. to the market in better condition than by rail. However, before proceeding any further with the idea., it was decided to obtain an account of the experiences of a few growers, who themselves owned commercial motors for this very same purpose. Endeed, the matter 'went farther than the mere 'collecting of information. Experiments were carried out by these vehicles, and a fact telling against the commercial motor was proved to us in connection with the carrying of soft fruit. The road vibration was so great that soft fruits would often run into a pulp before 'reaching the market. In other cases the fruit became bruised and discoloured. When it was found that road transport (at. that time) was not satisfactory for the transport of such soft fruits as strawberries, the project was not proceeded with.
I have often thought about that little flutter, and, thcugh the improvement that has taken place in road making and in the making of commercial vehicles since that time has; to it large extent, over-' come the difficulty in regard, to other fruit, the trouble has not been altogether removed.
It has been found, however, that with the provision Of a rack or some other device that can be put over the top of the load to keep it steady, the damage of soft fruits can be avoided. Here are two illustrations of such 'a device designed and constructed by Messrs. George Heath, Ltd., for Mr. F. 0. Bomford, who is a large fruit grower near Worcester.
The idea of this special fruit-carrying. body is to have what one might call open-work sides, admitting a current of air which tends to keep the fruit in condition, with an open-work lid or rack for the top that presses the load gently, keeping it firm, and thus minimizing the shaking. The top shelves or racks are hinged, and are also removable. The idea of these racks is to preserve the top fruit in pots or halfspots and sieves.
The contrivance forms a great asset in the delivery of fresh fruit to market.
The Modern Agrimotor and its Equipment.
It has been stated that the most desirable features in a tractor are that it shall be as simple, as strong, and as reliable as. possible, and that these qualities arc of more importance than the mere question of price, which is quite true.
Many improvements in mechanical details have been made in agrimotors since the Royal Show at Darlington last year, many having been made since the trials of agricultural motors at Lincoln last year. All these improvements have been effected in order to make-the appliance as nearly perfectly reliable in the hands of the farmer as is possible to make it.
A good knowledge of motor engines and of mechanics is always an advantage on a farm where machinery is used, but manufacturers, in making agrimotors, have carried out their designs with the object of their being workable in the hands of the novice. To the trained man and to the mechanic, the agrimotor is simplicity itself, but to most farmers and fan/I.-workers it is a. new thing, and must therefore be made to withstand the rough usages resultant upon. ignorance orslittle knowledge. 'Whilst details of all mechanical improvements are of the profoundest interest to a man with a knowledge of the subject, it is, however, not absolutely necessary; therefore, the man who has no knowledge of mechas
nics, if he can learn to handle the machine according to instructions given, will be perfectly safe, because it has been made for men with little or no knowledge or experience ot rnecha.nics. For that reason, then, the latest improvements in agrimotors have been on the lines of simplicity ; in fact, the degree of development reached is almost simplicity itself. The modern agrimotors are made strong, because, as every agriculturist knows, a weak machine on the farm is of little use, and is dear at any price. Therefore, it is better to have a simple and, strong machine and to pay a reasonable price for it than it is to buy a cheap one that is not so simple or so strong. There is a peculiarity, however, in the management of the agrimotor that is unlike the management of other machinery, such as factory machinery and road motors. It is this: The work a tractor has to do is quite different from factory work or road work. Ploughing, for instance, is a work little understood by the general mechanic, who would, in the ordinary way, be a good motor man and a firstclass individual to drive the tractor. But here the farmer scores. He understands more about ploughing than does the mechanic. He also understands more about cultivating, the use of drills for sowing, binders for harvest, and mowers for mowing _grass. Then, combining his knowledge of the farming side of farming and his knowledge of the use of farm
implements. with the simplicity and strength of manufacture of the agrimeter, he has something that is not going to let him own .in a hurry.
Just one word in regard to implements. It has been said, and it is quite true, that neither the agrimotor nor the agrunotor implement has, as yet,. reached perfection. To my mind, it is rather doubtful whetherianything ever can reach absolute perfection, but the agrimotor has arrived at an advanced degree of perfection, and so have the implements. If the farmer will take the trouble to inquire, he will find that, whatever his farm is, bearing even the heaviest soil in England, a suitable agrimotuf can be found and suitable implements, too ; implements that will do anything and everything. As examples of the high degree of perfection reached in the manufacture of agrimotor implements I could mention many new ploughs which were shown by certain of the lead,ing makers at the Royal Show at Derby. The improvement and adaptation of the implements is as important as the simplicity and perfection of the tractor itself. These improvements, even the recent ones, are too numerous to mentionin the space of one article, but any farmer who knows his requirements can, I am convinced, get fitted up without very much risk of being taken in,.ear otherwise disappointed in the results. AGRIMOT.