Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-07-01
agricultural.
Agricultural Implements.

We comment the following excellent sug-
gestions respecting agricultural implements
from the Transactions of the Essex Agricul-
tural Society, to the consideration of every
farmer
No subject should receive more attention
from those interested in progressive agricul
ture, than farm implements. 1t lies at the
very foundation of all improvement We
may have new fertilizers, new modes of APP
plying them, and increased products, but the
cost of tilling and harvesting must be kept
down by the use of labor saving machines, or
there will be little or no profit. So with the
hay crop for example, every implement that
facilitates cutting, curing and gathering tends
to make the crop more remuneratIve.
The greatest outlay on a farm nowadays
is for wages. To a great extent these must
correspond to wages in other occupations, or
our farms will be deserted. And vet every
farmer-we do not include market gardeners
well knows that he cannot pay extravagant
or even comparatively high wages, and make
both ends of the year meet Hence he is
greatly interested in the substitution Of horse
power and steam power tor man power, and
where this can be effected the farm, it is
no detriment to the latter, as there are al
ways other avenues i'll this country for its
profitable employment.
In the West, where farming is carried on
on so grand a scale, horse and steam power
and improved implements and machinery are
used to an extent to which we in New Eng
land are unaccustOmed. With them it is a
necessity, or their work could not be accom-
plished. Our farms and crops are so small
we do not so generally feel this necessity.
We can " rub and go with the same tools
that our fathers used, but then we make no
Roadway either in filling our barns or pockets
Thus 1t Is that so many complain of farming
as poor business, and they always will
complain till they set their brains al
work to devise the means to help theiI
hands
But we are not obliged to invent new
implements ourselves; We have only to select
from those already invented, or which are
constantly invented to meet the wants of the
farm. True, it costs considerable money to
get these implements. but the first cost is
not the question. The question is whether
it will be good investment. Again, you
fear to buy lest better implement will
shortly be introduced, and you Will wait for
that. But by the same rule, when that
comes, you will wait for its successor, and
so on, till you miss your opportunity. So
fares it with some farmers, end you can
easily tell whether they among the most
thrifty. Others run to the opposite extreme,
buy every new implement that comes along,
and have good deal of useless machinery
to fill their sheds. OF course there is discre-
ton to be exercised here, as in other things,
and by it you must direct your path.
Of implements of acknowledged utility,
We say in the words affixed to the advertise
ments of Webster's Dictionary IS Get the
best" Depend upon it, the best is in the
long run the cheapest. Only be sure to use
and house your tools carefully. As general
thing, you will be more likely to do this, if
you buy the best, than if you buy the cheap
L j.
claiming that high cost is an infallible guar
antee of the best quality. There may be fix
lures about tools, as well as tools themselves,
that are more ornamental than useful. A
farmer needs to have his eyes open when
shown a churn. for example. that has vari-
ETY. of arrangements by which it is asserted
that butter can be churned by small child,
and that too in FIVE or ten minutes. He may
be wheedled into purchase, but after few
trials he will be no more proud OF 1T than
Franklin was of his whist e.
A farmer, of all men, needs to have a wise
caution in purchasing things that promise
large results. He must look into them for
himself, or must rely upon the judgement or
experience of others who have tested them.
If he takes only the word of the vender, or
the certificates of persons unknown to him
he will be liable to be swindled, as some in
our country have been this very season.
With reference to new implements. it may
truly be said that one trial will not fully test
them. "One swallow does not make sum-
mer," is a good adage for farmers. Many
new agricultural tools, like new broom
sweepe well at first, but before long one defect
and another comes out when you little sus-
pect it. and unless it be remedied, they must
be abandoned. Pope's very conservative
rule with regard to fashion, might perhaps
be recommended in the use of farm imple-
ments.
Nor yet the last to lay the old aside;,