Yr Wythnos a'r Eryr

CONVEYANCE OF AGRICULTURAL. FARM AND DAIRY PRODUCE. Special Facilities offerediby the Great Western Railway Company. The Board of Directors of the Great Western Railway Company have recently issued to the pufblic, in a concise and handy ferm, a revised pamphlet embodying particulars of Scales of low Rates adopted by the Company for Agricultural, Farm, and Dairy Produce carried by Passenger lid Goods Trains respectively, from which it is evident that the Company are making efforts of i practical character to meet the needs of agri- sulturist. The rates applicable by Passenger Trains have )een specially designed to meet small consign- nents of Farm and Dairy Produce, such as Eggs, Butter, Cream, Poultry, Game, Fruit and Vege- tables, with a view of enabling the Farmer to supply his products direct to the consumer. The faciliteis thus afforded will no doubt be much appreciated, and be made use of to a much larger extent than at present, when they become more widely known. It is noticed, for example, that a consignment of the articles named, weighing 241bs. (which would suffice to provide for a fair supply of the different kinds of produce,) is conveyed a distance of 50 miles for the small sum of 6d., which includes delivery to the residence of the consumer; while for the same amount a consignment weighing 48 lbs. is conveyed 30 miles by rail and also delivered. A uniform scale of rates is also provided for the conveyance of Milk; aud it will be recognised that the arrangements in this direction are of a liberal character when it is pointed out that a Can of Milk cantaiuing, say, 16 callous is con- veyed for a distance of 100 miles for the sum of Is. 4d or at the rate of Id. per gallon, the ca.rraige of the returned empty Can being in- cluded in this figure. Having regard therefore to the fact that the average retail price of Milk is Is. 4d. per gallon, it will be apparent that the Farmers ought to be in a position to obtain a profitable payment for the Milk they supply and if combination existed amongst them this be should easily accomplished. Consequent upon representations made to the Railway Companies by Fruit Growers for a scale of reduced rates below all those already provided by Passenger Train for lots not less than 5 cwt., with still lower figures for lots of not less than 10 cwt. The Scales of rates granted for traffic sent by Goods Trains embrace Fresh Meat, Dead Poul- try, Dead Rabbits, Eggs, Butter, Fruit, and Vegetables, and apply to quantities of 10 cwt., 1 ton, 2 ton, and 3 ton lots respectively. One important advantage in connection with these rates is that they will cover mixed consignments of any or all of the articles named, so that Farm- ers may combine to send away varying small quantities (exceeding 3 cwt.) amounting in the aggregate to 3 tons, 2 tons, 1 ton, or 10 cwt., and have the whole of the seperate lots charged at the rates applicable to those quantities, the only stipulation being that the traffic must be sent at one time from one Station to another Station and that the carriage must be paid by one Sender, or by one Consignee. In addition, rates for the same description of traffic have been specially arranged to London, in no case exceeding the Scales above referred to; and rates have also been given consignments of less than 10 cwt., by Goods Train, in order to supplement. the facilities offered by Passenger Train for small quantities going to the London markets. The Company have also given low rates for Cider and Perry from the producing districts of Devonshire, Somersetshire, Herefordshire, and Gloucestershire and for other articles of Agri- cultural Traffic, such as Potatoes, Turnips, Par- snips, Carrots. Mangel Wurzel, Feeding Stuffs and Manures. In order that articles may be placed upon the market in the best possible condition for sale, the Company are constructing a large number of Goods vehicles fitted with an improved appliance for supporting the waterproof covering and keep- ing it well above the contents of the trucks, thus permitting a current of air to pass through; and it is anticipated that these vehicles will be of considerale advantage in the conveyance of produce, especially during hot weather. It will be admitted that The Great Western Railway Company are evincing an earnest desire to assist the Farmers and Market Gardeners, but the success or failiure of the Company's efforts in this direction must naturally depend to a large extent upon the agriculturists themselves, who, as previously mentioned, can by a system of com- bination arrange for the various descriptions of produce to be lumped together or aggregated, and sent away as one lot, thereby obtaining the full benefit of the low rates in operation for large quantities. Moreover the Great Western Com- pany have announced that they will gladly send a representative to any district served by the railway to confer with the Farmers with the object of facilitating a combination of the charac- ter indicated; and it is to be hoped that there will be no hesitation in accepting this offer of co- operation on the part of the Company.