Highways and Highway TransportationChatburn, George R.
History
Highways and Highway Transportation
Chatburn, George R.
Roads; Transportation
=Shrinkage.=--The argument that there is less shrinkage in motor-hauled
hogs than in rail-hauled may be as a general rule true, but, according
to the Firestone Bulletin, will not net the farmer much, because buyers
base the price they are willing to pay on the dressed weight and not
the live weight. It is stated that the buyer from long experience is
able to estimate with considerable accuracy the weight at which a
hog will dress, and that he makes his price offer accordingly. The
percentage loss of weight in dressing is, of course, greater for thin
than for fat hogs. By grading the hogs into classes the buyer is
enabled to discount the price paid enough to take care of the “fill,”
which is said to range from 3 to 5 pounds per hundred weight. But
notwithstanding this the fact that the animals are fresher and livelier
must have some effect on the mind of the buyer. This may be the reason
for the rapid increase of hogs received by truck at the packing houses,
being as many as 6800 in a single day at Indianapolis.
=Dairying.=--The use to which the motor truck has been put in other
industries is fully as important. Many industries use several hundred
trucks in their work. Creameries have already been mentioned. The very
fact that trucks make regular trips along designated routes is an
invitation to the farmers to do more dairying. If John Jones can draw
from $50 to $75 a month from the creamery for a few hours’ work each
day, Henry Smith living on the next farm is anxious to do likewise.
Many good farmers find it to their advantage in the long run to allow
the women folks to have all the poultry and creamery money while the
men content themselves with the returns from grain, livestock, woodlot,
and hay land. Thus is created a division of labor which if carried out
to the limit will interest every member of the rural family in some
particular part of the farm work.
Without going into detail it may be said that from raising beef on the
natural grass of the plains region to the raising of stock for butter,
milk and cheese may seem a far cry, but with adequate markets and
dependable transportation this is rapidly coming to pass. Dairying has
already reached enormous proportions, and since it is estimated that
dairy products should constitute for the sake of health and economy
about one-fifth the average diet, it can easily be seen that dairying
always will be of great importance. Over $18,000,000 a year is now
received for milk and cream by Nebraska farmers, and Nebraska is not a
leader in this line. No doubt with better roads and better marketing
facilities that will be doubled or trebled in a few years.
=Poultry.=--We have just mentioned the Nebraska income from milk and
cream sold by the farmers. It may be surprising that the sum received
from the humble hen is nearly twice as much (given by state authorities
as $35,000,000 from the fowls and eggs produced each year).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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