International Harvester produced a CB&Q model planter to take
advantage of the agricultural programs the Q was pushing at the time.
Various planter mfgs. had special models and people who collect
planter lids have literally hundreds of them although the Q is the
only RR who I have seen with a implement company using their name.
There was undoubtedly cooperation @ corporate level as both companys
were hdq. in Chicago at the time. You will also find CB&Q cigars
(some licensed, some not) and Zephyr Flour. Gerald Edgar
--- In BRHSlist@y..., jje corporation <zephyr03@xxxxxx.xxxx wrote:
> empire.builder@j... wrote:
> >
> > From: empire.builder@j...
> >
> > OK ALL,
> >
> > I have a corn planter, from around 1912. The top (lid) has on it
the
> > following:
> > centered is IHC interwoven (should be Internation Harvester
Corp), around
> > the IHC(below it) is the word 'PLANTER', and above the IHC is
CB&Q in
> > what appears to be normal CB&Q type lettering.
> >
> > Does anybody have any ideas, info ?
>
> For many decades, the CB&Q had a very active "Agricultural
Extension"
> program serving farmers throught their route area. Special cars, or
> entire trains, would be dispatched to educate and assist farmers in
> methods for increasing their efficiency, production and income.
>
> While the most spectacular and best-known of these programs was
probably
> the 1920s swap program in which the Q traded hybrid beef cattle for
> scrub stock, one for one (!). However, other types of livestock and
> crops were also part of the program at various times. (I cannot
confirm
> this off-hand, but have been told that Q programs started the sugar
beet
> industry in Colorado.)
>
> In that light, a corn planter stamped with CB&Q was probably a
giveaway
> or discount item from one of these programs.
>
> Bear in mind that there was nothing altruistic in these programs.
> Increasing farm efficiency would increase the production to be
shipped
> on the Q; successful farming in an area would increase the number of
> farmers attracted to settle; the supporting towns would expand;
higher
> profits left more money to be spent on consumer items shipped on
the Q .
> . . To a historian's view, a case can be made that the plains states
> were actually civilized and stabilized by RR ag programs and Sears,
> Roebuck <g> . . .
>
> The CB&Q programs eventually faded from the horizon in
the 'thirties as
> the government spread the County Extension Program, rendering the
> railroad's efforts redundant -
>
> This general history is the best I can do for you . . . . I don't
have
> any specific archival stuff to positively identify your corn
planter,
> but I'll make big bets that this is its background -
>
> Marshall
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