FARM MOTOR TRUCK OPERATION. 
9 
Nearly 44 per cent of the truck owners who stated what they con- 
sidered were the greatest disadvantages of these machines for farm 
use gave poor roads the first place; this disadvantage was followed 
by cost of operation, listed by 18 per cent; and first cost of trucks 
by 6 per cent. In 1920 these same disadvantages were mentioned 
by 38, 13, and 5 per cent, respectively, of the truck owners answer- 
ing the question. 
A small percentage in both years mentioned the difficulty or im- 
possibility of using their trucks in soft ground, mechanical trouble, 
and the difficulty of securing competent drivers for their machines, 
while 34 per cent of the men reporting in 1920, and 23 per cent of 
those reporting in 1922, stated that in their experience they had 
found no disadvantage connected with the use of their trucks. 
Fig. 4.— Long hauls to market are hard on horse* 
THE BEST SIZE OF TRUCK. 
The fact that such a large percentage of the truck owners stated 
they believed their machines were proving profitable investments 
does not necessarily mean they are altogether satisfied with the par- 
ticular trucks owned by them. The hauling which it is planned to 
do with a truck should be a large factor in determining the size to 
be purchased. If there is a large amount of hauling to be done and 
the truck proves too small for a considerable part of it, thus necessi- 
tating a much greater number of trips than would be required if 
larger loads could be carried, it is possible the cost of making the 
extra trips will offset the difference between the first cost of the 
truck purchased and one large enough to do the hauling more effi- 
ciently. However, if the truck is too large, and in consequence is 
operated a large part of the time with only a partial load, the possi- 
bility of carrying the larger loads on the rare occasions when it is 
used to full capacity, would probably not justify the extra expense 
in the cost and operation of the larger size. 
90337°— 24 2 
