Apr. 1, 1912 



there was Prof. Blinn, the expert on canta- 

 loupes, sugar beets, and alfalfa, whom I was 

 to take on his way of spreading information 

 throughout our farmers' institutes and rural 

 schools. The ear had been running beauti- 

 fully the evening before; but in the morn- 

 ing it wouldn't go, and it continue<l not to 

 go until I had spent a couple of days of 

 strenuous toil on it. But such things are 

 painful to remember, and I will refrain. 



I have been unfortunate in my experi- 

 ences with having work done in the garages, 

 which I have found both expensive and un- 

 satisfactory. Doubtless this would not be 

 true in all cases. Of course not all have 

 either the training or the equipment needed 

 to do much automobile repairing; but every 

 car-owner should learn as soon as possible 

 to make at least all minor repairs and ad- 

 justments himself. A new car should give 

 little or no trouble for a year or tw^o, by 

 which time the owner should be familiar 

 enough with its mechanism to keep it in 

 order with very little assistance. 



This model Reo was so made that the ton- 

 neau, or back, was readily removed. To do 

 this easily I have two small "safety lifts," 

 or pulleys, with clutch, hanging from the 

 ceiling overhead. These hold the load au- 

 tomatically at any height. One of these on 

 each side is fastened to the ceiling over the 

 car, the hooks engaging in wire loops slip- 

 ped over the supports of the folded top. 

 AVith these one man can easily raise the 

 tonneau up out of the way. To put in place 

 of the tonneau I have two backs, one of 



203 



which transforms the touring car into a neat 

 runabout; the other into an express or de- 

 livery wagon. Without any help I have 

 taken off the touring body and replaced it 

 with the express body in nine minutes. 



In getting a car which one expects to use 

 in a commercial way the tonneau should be 

 made so as to be easily removed. With 

 many cars this can not be done. With 

 some, the whole body could be removed, 

 though this would require a much more ex- 

 pensive wagonbox to replace it. In some 

 cars the removal of the body is not practica- 

 ble. Unless there is some kind of box that will 

 carry at least a small load, one of the most 

 important advantages of the automobile 

 will be missed, as out-apiaries demand a 

 constant stream of supplies, and the greater 

 part of the honey can be hauled back on 

 the return trips, making special trips for 

 that purpose unnecessary. If the automo- 

 bile is wanted only for transportation, a mo- 

 tor cycle is much cheaper and even more 

 speedy. Of course the motor car can be used 

 also for the transportation of the family. 



Get a new car if you can afford it. If you 

 buy a second-hand one, be sure what you 

 are getting. Many second-hand cars are 

 better bargains, so far as actual use and 

 value are concerned, than new ones; but 

 usually they sell for about what they are 

 w^orth, and there is always some risk in buy- 

 ing an old car. If it were not for this it 

 might be advisable to get an old car for the 

 first season, disposing of it after you had 

 become familiar with motoring. 



D. C. Polhemus new huil<iine for a workshop, extrartiiiK-house, etc. 

 wagons which he uses to carry the combs to and from the apiaries. 



International auto 



