The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1868-09-03
uAan % rARnlna TOOLS.

It'll questionable Whether farming
toab are not, - : rule, injured moro BY
exposure and want Of care, than By real
ne. Many farmers Who are careful to
protect their stock aud crops Of every
kind, leave to ''pegleotfdl ruin" the
tools with which the crop Vas raised
and gathered. The hay is stored in
the barr, but the moving machine is
left in the meadow whore it was last
used. The grain is niosly put in stack,
but tho pitohfork is leaning up against
it, or stuck into tho ground BY it, aide,
Weeds, too. have well nigh hidden the
ealtivator from view, though none are
seen in the corn field that was worked
With it. The garden may be in nice
order, but tho hoo and rake are rusting
In the path.
Now al these are examples Of bad
husbandy. If = farmer cannot have
tool house and a barn, it is better to
havo tool house; though one build
ing will ordinarily answer for both pur-
poses. If the choice lies between pro-
tecting load Of hay or the machine
With which it is cut, give the latter the
preference. Farming tools cost quite
too much money to be left to the action
of rot and rust i; though in TOO many
instances tho winter is harder on them
than the summer. ~.
AL implements made-of iron will i'm
mediately commence to rust, if not in
use and are exposed to moisture and
it is very hard to stop the action Of
rust when it has once commenced, for
it spreads by sort of coutagiou. The
same is true Of rot in wood. The for
mer may be prevented BY having the
metal bright when it is put away, ald
by giving it slight coating Of oil or
fat; while the latter can be guarded
against by good coat of paint.
Not only is it true that implements
are destroyed BY exposure, but tho use.
fulness Of such - escape = complete
wreck is greatly impaired. Tho first
ev acres turned BY rusty plow in the
spring, will be badly done, and attend
cd BY great loss Of strength on tho
part Of tho team. Equally bad work
will be done BY the harrow, eultivator,
and shovel-plow; while : weeks work
viii be required 10 the garden, to get
the spade, hoe, and rake in good con-
dition to move easily through the
ground. All these h,nderanoes and an
noyanoes may be prevented by = little
care and labor when tho tools arc put
away; - they should be when no lon
ger required for use.
The h.yiug aud harvesting machines
should receive particular attention,
when the season of their use il over, as
they arc somewhat expensive Injuries;
convenient aud useful We all know, but
very liable to get out of order. Not
only should thoy be carefully housed,
the wood work painted, and oiled. but
the grease, which Is now soft, should
be removed from the journals, TO pre-
vent its hardening, - it would do be-
fore next summer. The teeth of the
hay rake should also be cleaned and OIL
cd; for if they become rusty, the hay
will stick to them, and will not drop
when tho lever is moved, and thus
crooked window Will be formed, and
much extra raking will be required.
A days work spent in putting away
tools, in the manner We have indicated,
viii not only save many dollars to the
farmer, but will forward his work many
days the following season.-Rta;,ie
Farmer.