Apr. 1. 1912 



213 



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Solid vs. Pneumatic Tires ; Friction Transmission 



I should be pleased to know the respective ad- 

 vantages o£ solid tires and pneumatic tires, taking 

 into consideration the qvu'stion of cost. Is there 

 any particular advantage in the friction transmis- 

 sion? Kor utility, would something like the Inter- 

 national auto wagon be better than an ordinary 

 car witli trailer? 



Wesley, Ont. Gkorgk Wood. 



[On practically all of the motor trucks and wag- 

 ons used and manufactured in this country, solid 

 tires have been found to give the best satisfaction. 

 They are not adapted, however, to speeds above fif- 

 teen miles an hour; but since this is plenty fast 

 enough for a machine carrying a load, it is evident 

 that the high wheels and solid tires are much to be 

 preferred to the pneumatics for the light trucks 

 and wagons used by beekeepers. The hard tires 

 will ordinarily wear about two years, although the 

 character of the road has a great deal to do with 

 the question, since rough stony roads grind away 

 the rublier much faster than clay, sand, or even 

 gravel roads. Pneumatic tires, if used on a truck, 

 would not last as long as this. They would cost 

 much more in the first place ; they would require 

 expensive repairs continually, and there would be 

 many delays when time is worth money. As the 

 commercial vehicles are used more and more by 

 all classes of business men instead of horse-drawn 

 delivery-wagons, etc.. blacksmiths over the coun- 

 try will gradually put in a machine for re-tiring 

 the wheels. A great many l)lacksmiths (in the 

 larger towns at least) are already equipped lor put- 

 ting rubber tires on buggy-wheels. 



Of all the different kinds of transmission or de- 

 vices for changing speed, the friction transmission 

 is the simplest, the cheapest to maintain, the most 

 trouble-proof, and th-e easiest to oijerate. Among 

 the disadvantages may be mentioned the fact that 

 the friction transmission, if properly designed, 

 costs more than a sliding gear, for instance, and it 

 is slightly less efficient on low speeds especially. 

 However, this loss of efficiency is far less than 

 many imagine, which fact is shown by the increas- 

 ing popularity of this form of drive for light trucks 

 and commercial vehicles of all kinds. Personally 

 we are quite in favor of the friction transmission. 



Regarding the use of a trailer, we will say that, 

 for some reason or other, this has not proven very 

 practical. We noticed an account not long ago of 

 a piano dealer, however, who was moving pianos 

 very successfully on a trailer, which may possibly 

 Indicate that one reason why trailers are not used 

 more is that there has been so little experimenting 

 done along this line. Mr. F. B. Cavanagh, of He- 

 bron, Ind., uses a two-wheel trailer, as illustrated 

 on p. 5(10 of the August l.'ith issue, 1911. His trailer, 

 however, is pretty hard on the rear tires of the au- 

 to; for. In addition to standing the wear and tear 

 of attraction, they have to hold the weight of a 

 good share of the load. It may be. moreover, that 

 the bearings, which are not designed for such a 

 heavy load, will give out. A four-wheel trailer 

 would overcome this objection; but at the same 

 time such an arrangement is rather hard to man- 

 age in turning corners, etc. We presume that the 

 most economical way is to use a commercial vehi- 

 cle designed for carrying a load, in order to avoid 

 these complications.— Ed.] 



500 lbs. of Comb Honey Carried in a Ford 



I did not purchase my automobile for tlie express 

 purpose of using it in connection with the apiary, 

 but more as a pleasure vehicle lor the family; but 

 I find there are many uses to which it can be prof- 

 itably applied in connection with the apiary, espe- 

 cially in marketing the crop, if sold to consumers 

 or grocers. 



My raochine is a five-passenger Ford; and, al- 

 though designed especially for a pleasure car, I 

 have marketed all my honey the past two seasons 

 with the best of satisfaction to myself and to my 

 customers. 



I can carry four or five hundred pounds of comb 

 honey each trip, and the honey is delivered in the 

 best condition, crates .all clean and fresh, and not a 

 broken section at any time to mar the appearance 

 and sale. The beekeeper docs all the handling 

 himself, and handles It .is it should be. thus insur- 



ing fir.st-class delivery. Besides, it is cheaper than 

 freight or express, all things considered. I have 

 also transported bees, hives, queens, and supplies 

 to .some extent; and I find that an automobile 

 adapted to the purpose can be made a u.seful and 

 profitable adjunct to all kinds of apiarian transiior- 

 tation, and a great source of enjoyment in making 

 business and pleasure trips. 

 Alliens, O. J. C. Atkin.son. 



Moving Bees in Record Time with a Buick Truck 



on a November morning, with the mercury at 40 

 degrees Fahrenheit, with twenty handy screens to 

 close hives, and twines ready cut to wrap each end 

 of a hive, a .start was made at 6 : 30 from the city for 

 bee-moving four miles in the country. The neces- 

 sary work of closing hives and tying was carefully 

 done. 20 hives loaded, and moved three miles to a 

 purchaser's location, and the return made to the 

 city, ready for our delivery work at the grocery, at 

 8 : 4.5. What about this for a good record with a 

 two-ton Buick truck ? 



Thirty-four hives of bees at a load were hauled 

 one July night a distance of six miles in this same 

 auto truck from one side of our city to new pas- 

 tures. These bees were all prepared at sundown ; 

 loaded, moved, and placed, and the return home 

 was made by 12 : 30 p.m. We have solid tires. The 

 pneumatic are easier. 



I have a 1912 Cole car; one brother has a Reo; an- 

 other brother an E. M. F., and my father wants a 

 Cadillac. 



Evansville, Ind. W. W. Vickery. 



Is the Friction Transmission Reliable? 



I am thinking of buying an automobile the com- 

 ing season, and I should like to get your opinion of 

 the Cartercar. Do you think the friction transmis- 

 sion and chain drive are what the manufacturers 

 claim? I want a machine that I can depend upon 

 to go through sand and mud, and over the hills. I 

 should like the best there is in a medium-priced 

 car. There are no Cartercars around here, and I 

 have never seen one : but I have their literature, 

 and am very favorably impressed byit; but I should 

 like to learn from good good authority whether 

 tliey are thoroughly reliable. 



Scottville, Mich. L. D. Allen. 



[We have driven a Cartercar lor nearly three 

 years, and so have had a good opportunity to judge 

 of the merits of this particular car. It is not as low 

 in price as some of the other machines of the same 

 size, but we do not believe there is another car on 

 the market so economical in upkeep. It is almost 

 impossible to abuse the machine; and it will stand 

 hard continuous pulling with the friction-wheel 

 .set close to the eenter of the disk — low-speed posi- 

 tion—without wearing out any thing nor doing 

 any damage whatever. Furthermore, the changes 

 in speed may be made at random, from low to high 

 or high to low. regardless of engine speed, and 

 while the car is running in either direction. We 

 have no hesitation in recommending it as the easi- 

 est car to drive of any that have come to our no- 

 tice.— Ed.] 



The Ford Contemplated 



I want an automobile that I can run every day to 

 my outyards. and one on which the upkeep cost is 

 not too high. Do you think that the Ford could be 

 run a good deal cheaper than the 30 h. p. class. E. 

 M. F.. Buick, or Overland? Do you think the Flan- 

 ders is a better car than the Ford ? The Ford was 

 used here last summer; but it has not been here 

 long enough for me to judge much about it. 1 run 

 five outyards, and want a car that will be the least 

 trouble to look after, and the cheapest to keep up. 

 It must also be rather small to be handled around 

 the yards easily. ^ ^ 



Spanish Fork, Utah. Thomas .1. St.a.nton. 



[There are several Ford automobiles in this vi- 

 cinity; and our opinion is that, for a light pleasure 

 car this is the best proposition on the market, for 

 the money. The K. M. F.. Buick. Overland, etc., 

 are all much heavier cars, and consequently larger 

 and more expensive tires are needed. Some have 

 thought the Ford too light for strength: but those 

 around here seem to be giving very little trouble. 



