2 BULLETIN 931, V. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Fifty-seven per cent of these men have not reduced the number of 

 their work stock since purchasing trucks. Twenty-five per cent 

 have disposed of one or two head, and 18 per cent of more than two 

 head. The average reduction for all farms is 1.2 head. It is ap- 

 parent, therefore, that to a large extent the motor truck supplements 

 rather than supplants the horse on the farm. 



The rated capacit}^ of these trucks varies from one-half to 2 tons. 

 Seventy-one per cent of them are rated at 1 ton, and only 9 per cent 

 of them at less than 1 ton. 



Experience with trucks has caused 57 per cent of these men to 

 decide that the 1-ton size is best for their conditions ; 25 per cent that 

 the l|-ton size is best; and 12 per cent that the 2-ton size is best. 

 Practically one man in four has decided that a truck larger than the 

 one he now owns is better suited to his conditions. 



Ninety-one per cent believe that their trucks will prove to be 

 profitable investments. 



In the opinions of these men the principal advantage of a motor 

 truck is in saving time, and the principal disadvantage is " poor 

 roads." 



As compared with horses and wagons, the trucks save about two- 

 thirds of the time required for hauling to and from these farms. 



On the average there are over eight weeks during the year when 

 the roads are in such condition on account of mud, snow, ice, and 

 frost that these trucks can not be used. The roads on which nearly 

 95 per cent of them usually travel are all or part dirt. 



The condition of the roads prevented the use of the trucks with 

 pneumatic tires a little less than seven weeks during the year covered 

 by the reports, and of those with solid tires a little over nine weeks. 



Twenty- four per cent of the trucks are equipped with pneumatic 

 tires, 27 per cent with solid tires, and 49 per cent with pneumatics in 

 front and solids in rear. However, experience has convinced 58 per 

 cent that pneumatics are best for their conditions, 35 per cent that 

 solids are best, and 7 per cent that pneumatics in front and solids in 

 rear are best. 



These men have return loads for their trucks about one-third of 

 the time. 



A majority of these men still use their horses for some hauling on 

 the road. 



On more than half of the farms all the hauling in the fields and 

 around the buildings is still done with horses and wagons. 



About 40 per cent of these men did some custom hauling with their 

 trucks during the year covered by the reports. The average amount 

 received by those who did such work was $132. 



Their owners estimate that on the average these trucks travel 2,777 

 miles and are used on 112 days per year. 



