New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-01-26

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jron-Hs Uses aud Abuses.-SoLos RoBIssoF-
Those who present ut our last meeting will re-
member that Promised TO say something upon SUD-
tect which they then probably thought as barren as
they did that of the RrbdstoDe, which once named az
f subject for discussion In Farmers Club. That
sa,d something interesting about the grindstone is
proved by the fact that the papers have not yet done
reproducing it; and that may say something about
iron that will be bearabie you will only know after
You have listened to what have to say. only intend
to ray just enough 10 prove that might talk upon
the use ard abuse of non for month without exhaust
| ing the subject.
The great importance ofiron civilization ia not prop
erly app eciated by whose eyes are blurred WIN
gold. the mai nhis cradle To the screw III MS col
fD civilized man is ID constant need ofron ls nse arc
almost inDumerable-its abuses altogether too numer-
GUS Ia uses in agriculture az well az It's abuses, ore
worthy of something more than mere passing thought
or careless word. It's upon the farm are 80 great
that no farm can be cultivated without II; and the
abuse of iron BY the farmer is in using j, in shapes
entirely unadaped TO the purpose 10 which it IL sp
Piled And, IT Il further, in not using il much more
Than he does for purposes where II is much more ~
than wood which many persons seem 10 be constantly
trying to get along with" 30 as to avoid the use
Of non. For instance: have seen in this country
within the present quarter century cart doing the
work OF farm, in which there was not single ounce
of rop and 10 his the horse wss harnessed without
iron or leather. j have also seen many au ox-cart
built without iron and the fastened 10 by raw
hde leather thongs, carefully avoiding the use OF
iron about the yoke. have seen oxen also fastened
as destitute Of iron the cart and yoke. And some
wooden. headed farmers eti to be found IN the
midst OF civilization dragging their fields wood
eD-tooibed harrow The class ignore the use OF
iron axle their wagons, of ron-shod seds winch
glide 30 smoothly the Winter SHOWS, that horse
forgets he is carrying load. But these are the men
who abuse instead of use IRON Iron a metal more
precious than gold for that metal is only obtained In
the minutest quantities without the d OF iron
Passing by the gold digger, 30 far as the producuon
of food is concerned of but little more use In the
world than the digger INDIAN let us look little more
minutely at the uses of iron In agriculture.
The pioneer of the forest, who goes INFO the woods
to buo log -cabn the very Nucleus around which all
the comforts of nome 10 cluster can do nothing
without iron. He must have an ak Win whee 70
strike the first blow toward civilized mans habita-
ton In fact, until within few years, he could not
start bis fret fire in the woods without iron. Bot now,
de friction mach has superseded the mint ana steel
But iron he must have What could ne 40 without IL
rbe wagon or cart that carried MIN TO HIS new home
would DC poor affair without iron-though such are
s 10 be found in parts Of the United States or
rather in the Territories lately acquired from Mex 20
But with Us, our carts, wagons, slelghs siedS are
partly composed OF IRON we ha'eiearheu i1e Naue ~
these implements.
Now. after the occupant Of his forest home has
arrv ed upon the spot, where wood Is I'D suPerioun-
dance he can do nothing without lroo' he may nave
waoon-oad of gold, and find ii useless IL with II, he
could not purchase axes wedges, mattocks
chains blows harrows, shovels, spades, FORKS, hoes
ct cetera with bis gold. Re-,
And then after all his iron wants are supphed just
look a, the utes Of iron inside the house. IL ID true
that fireplace can be made Of sticks aud clay ana the
pot that cooks his dinner may be OF copper suspended
from wooden hook. And 80 may be many or all tne
culinary utensils, Of come other metal OUT no" Soe
ooor mans gold would melt away IN the purchase oil
such things as we're actually necessary OF "copper" ENC,
or brass Let every woman take look at well-tur-
pisbed kitchen and think Of the uses OF ron FROM
the convenient cooking stove, tha articles .i various
form and use down the iron skewer that holds her
Joint VIII lie il roasts "too numerous 70 MENTION
Without iron we could not KILL aud dress and COOK,
and eat our meat and the stones that grind our gram
Tor bread are kept in order by the use oil ron'
The household oonvenencies of iron are already 20
great as to be almost inconcevabe, except when we
take careful retrospect. And wood ls being super
seeded with something OF iron, In the way OF house
furnishing every day. ask those who have never
rehected much upon this subject TO STOP IN some OF
their " alks along Broadway, little above the City
Hall Park at Hutchinson q Wickershams store, or
sample rooms Of iron furniture, iron fencing and iron
railing and they will learn usefnl lesson OF the uses
ofon They will bedse ads entirely OF IRON, even
10 the sats that support the bed which are not only
good strong, and durable, but light ana convenient
and truly elegant They will also ind tables, OF var
ous sizes and patterns the most appropriate ever soc
for the farmhouse Caairs, too-not heavy, cumoer-
srme tbjpys but light and tastythey will I'd made
entirely OF iron. And-what every farmhouse should
bavt-tbey will also fnd at moderate cos screens i9r
the milk-Ioom cellar, and pantry windo ~s-sutaDie
TO any purpose, whether to exclude purgiarS' cato'
70 what manifold purposes you will see iron is
adap,ed. That stove Is great IRON museum, Wen
worth visit from eountryman or citizen. -, -,
All the fence. Don't forget, slnce you wil ouiio
fences TO look how beautiful, or how PLAIN ana
cheap, 1t can be made OF iron. 49,;
There il one more use of iron on the farm that
entirely too much neglected. No farmer who owns
well or cstern possibly afford 70 be without an
iron pump. he cannot use wood as substitute,
because the mere lifting of the water IRON the bottom
of the well il but half the of the pump II should
be at once suction and forcepump-a perfect httle
ire-engine-such the one known as west lu
proyed Pump" which i do not think costs over Y -,
and which will draw water from well - OF w Iee
deem and throw il through hose TO the house. and
into any room that might be in flames. speak OF tns
pump merely becsuse happen 10 know II better man
apy other and know it 10 be very simple, duraoie,
po1 erul and cheap and II don't freeze up nor gee
nt of order once a year. There may be others win
eoually good qualities that L don't know. kho"
tbis and think ] may be doing the farmers goou "
speaking OF 1t. i know that 10 farmer can possibly
sf,ord 10 do without this some other equally Vau
| able iron pump / urge them 10 think OF II. a boy
| len wears old can work il, and throw CONTINUOUS
ncb.and-a.quarter stream. Think how quickly lot
of cattle could be waiered; Ihnk 700 o, 1e sorus in
| during drouth. The children would take turns M
oumpIpp and holding the bose, to throw sno" ,
every evening over their favorlte no"ers anu e'o
parched vegetables Upon many farms, sucn pump
/ should be attached 10 windmill and water eieNaIeu
for all purposes as il be made 10 WORK III ueeP
! wells as well SIS shallow ones
In short. il should be impressed upon the mind OF
every farmer in America and III fact upon lhe o"ne
of eyeIy onse and well or cisern In the country that
liz .stest safeguard against fire il good iron pump
Ii is better than a policy OF insurance. and Will not
1 cost half as much. uL
have said n.thng of the OF iron in all mechan;
zeal operatone nor of its use In Dundng snlps auu
honss1 hecans. it, PURPOSES are innumerable. My OBJ
ect has been TO induce farmers 10 think little about
The uses of iron in agriculture and that there are many
| purposes TO which they may apply IT, that some OF
| Them have never taken into consideration.
The NE Of iron agricultural implements is increasing
| almost beyond belief. Fifty years ago an iron pillow
| Was unknown Now we have them without Paru-