Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1855-09-21

ii happened they were put to work in weath-
er decidedly favorable 10 both, and vet. one
worked we'll, and gave entire satisfaction to-
the purchaser. while the other was pronounc-
ed worthless from the very word, 20, Why
this should be so, | could not for the life of me
understand at the time /; but subsequent infor-
nation revealed the truth and satisfied nv
mind uPou one point,at least, which s,,ha,
farmers are as frequently to blame for the
failure of their machines in durability and
working as the builders of them.
In the case above referred to, the owner of
the machine which worked well was a care
iul and observant man. His first 's,ep when
about To start his machine, was to examine
every nut connected with the working par, of
It and which by getting loose coald possibly
injure il. The knife had been previously ex-
amined, and whetted 10 a fine keen edge. Ey-
cry journal box was well oiled and every par.
Of the machine about which there was any
friction received like attention. The result of
this care was, that the machine worked as
well as could be desired.
The course pursued by his ueighbor,was al
most precisely opposite. Taking it for grant,
ed thar every machine came from the shop in
prime apple pie order, ready for work the idea
Of Olhng, examining the nuts, or seeing to the
condition Of the knives, never entered his
mind. His horses were hiiched TO the ma
chine, and with flourish of his whip, were
Started of in dashing style, only to be brought
to dead stand before they had advanced a
rod. The machine was choked. and more
than this, the application of the whip to the
horses made them give a sudden start, by
which an important workingpari was strained
badly. Without single inquiry as to the
cause Of the choking the machine was backed.
and fresh start taken. The whip was again
applied to the already res;ive horses, and the
mower with its dull knives, unoiled journals.
&e., was brought up against the heavy stand
ing grass with all the impetus which two pow
erlul horses could give to it. II is scarcely
necessary u state the result. The eve by
which the knife is connected with the pItnan
gave way. and farther operations were stopped
until 1t could be repaired. Now this was only
the first trial. A second and third succeeded
with the same preliminaries, and Of course
with the same results, and the finale of the
whole matter, that the mower was returned 10
the manufacturer, broken and worthless. with
the announcement from the purchaser that it
was not worth cent that the bolts were
good for nothing and that the whole machine
was humbng.
Is il to be wondered al, that in the hands Of
such men. machiRes fail, and manufacturers
lose reputation. have known instances in
which just such men have purchased moving
machines, started them in the same manner
and thrown them aside as worthless. At the
close of the season, they sold them for less
than one-lh'rd their original cost. And have
seen these same machines in the hands Of
their new purchasers, without any alterations
other than repairs of breakage, made to work
in the most satisfactory manner.
With such facts and many others of SINH
lar character before US, there is little need of
the inquiry which | proposed propoundinc.
The question is answered before it is asked,
and the moral Of the matter s,lhat farmers as
general thing arc not suiiisienily careful in
the use of their farm machinery. The manu.
iacturers are frequently to blame admit, bu,
II IS very apparent lhatmuch vexation trouble
and expense would be saved the purchaser if
in the first starting of machines, he would
see that every nut was well drawn ard every
working part well oiled, aad (where Knives
formed part of The machine) the edges were
well whetted. MILESTONE.