The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1871-04-07
Farming Implements.

The profit of farm is often due to
the excellence of the implements with
which it is worked. 1t is the height of
folly TO employ first-class laborer and
put i'm his hands tools that will require
two blows TO perform what one ought
to do. We see no difference, as far as
the quantity of work is concerned, from
hiring man who will do half work,
and put good tool in his hand, and
hiring a Iirst-class hand and putting
him to work with mean tool. Plow,
axe, hoe or mattock, whatever he is
required to work with, should be of the
best make, and when not i'm use should
he kept under shelter. Every farmer
knows how much time is consumed in
keeping rusty, bad-running plow
clean in grassy or, weedy land, while
for smooth, bright, clean-running
pillow no stJppages are necessary. In
deed, day by day, the plow that runs
well will do a third more work, and do
it better, to say nothing of the lightness
of draft of such pillow and the saving
of muscle to the team. An old axe or
hoe that will go i'm only one half as far
as good one, and then with a great
expenditure of muscular force, Isl great
discouragement to the most persistent
industry. Enough is lost every week
by working with such tools to buy new
ones.
Speaking of hoes, we think there is
greater room for improven ent in this
implement than any at present used on
the farm. The hoes manufactured
North are too thin and too light, with
not steel enough on them to suit our
Middle Tennessee soil, where there are
so many rocks and SO much clay. A
hoe for this State should be made uf
the very best metal, with weight and
thickness sufficient to cut roots and
bushes an inch in diameter. The plate
from which most hoes ere made is
barely one-eighth of an inch i'm thick
ness. We should say that three-siX
teenths of an inch would not be too
thick. Indeed, We should prefer. one
made from plate one-fourth of an inch
in thickness, to oBe-eighth. Our eXpe-
rience with Northern-made hoes has
led Us to believe that they are dear at
any price. They have to he replaced
every year. A good shop-madel hoe
will last, and do good work, for six or
eight years. We have known them to
iaot tWClfC IlOCS iIOl Ut NIGcI
than seven inches, but they should
measure nine inches from the top of the
eye to the edge when first made. The
steel on the edge should be two and a
half or three inches in width and of the
very best quality used for farming i'm
plements. Such a hoe would probably
cost double as much as the ordinary
kinds, but would really be worth ten
times as much, both on account of its
durabilitS and the ease with which
work is Sormed by its use. We hope
some o hr enterprisiDg Nashville
smiths VIVA engage in this business.
We know they would be literally pa
tronized and heartily thanked by every
thinking man in the State Union and
dmCyicoa.
EFf kFKIf $780,
Judge NJ. j. Turnkey, one of the most
esteemed citizens of Jacksonville, came
very near losing his life at the hands of
young man named Marshall in Cen
ter, Alabama, some days ago The
Judge had had a successful lawsuit
with the father of young Marshal, a
fact that SO eXasperated the young man
that he determined on the assassination
CT the Judge. He took his position,
armed, at the court house door to carry
his threat into execution; but Judge
Turnkey not happening to pass that
way, the young rufiian approached him
while sitting at supper in the hotel,
within six inches of Judge Us face,
and endeavored to IRE. The pistol was
knocked from his hand, and the bloody
intent frustrated. Marshall made his
escape in the confusion.