Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-07-30
Farm Tools and Machines.

Tools are required on every farm, and on
most farms of any size machines are also used.
Consequently every farmer is interested in the
subject of this article; he is probably aware
that his success or his failure in business will
in part depend upon the kind of tools aud
machines which he employs. With poor
tools and inferior machines he cannot success
fully compete with his neighbor who uses the
very best Yet it is probable that he has
never carefully considered how much differ
ence it makes with farmers work whether
he has poor tools or good Ones Take, for
example, a common shovel: set hired man
at work with one that is thick, heavy, dull
and rusty, and, it he is faithful at his work,
he will get tired out long before night, and
will not have accomplished as much, by at
least fifth, as he would if he had been pro.
vided with a nice, bright sharp shovel If
he is not good man to work, he will take
advantage Of the old shovel to shirk as much
Of his labor as possible. In either case,
man viii do enough more work in very few
days with good shovel, to pay for it. and
not be nearly as tired as he was with the old
one. With. machines, the difference is still
more striking. A man with two horses aud
sceond-class harrow, cas-, in time, fit ten
acre field for sowing TO wheat. But the same
man and team with first-rate pulverizer will
tit the land much sooner, and do it so much
better, that it will produce from five to ten
bushels more grain than if fitted with the old
harrow. BY using the very, best styles of
reapers and tbreshers, the time and labor of
one or two men eau be saved, as they do not
require as much help and attention as the older
aud poorer patterns. These facts would seem
to make it an object for farmers to use some
care in selection of their tools and machines
too often they buy what the agent brings,with-
out making any special inquiry concerning its
merits, aud find, when it is o'late, that they
have made serious mistake. 1t is far, bdtier
way to examine the different styles Of machines
before buying. In selecting machine, e,the buy
or should try to get one with as many merits
aud as few defects as possible. 1t should be as
light as possible, yet possess the requisite
strength, and should run easily. a heavy,
clumsy machine is hard to move or to use.
Light running machines are generally made
on better principles than those which run
extremely hard. 1t should also be durable.
Some machines will last as long again as
others which cost as much, or more, And
prices are SO high that it is an object to get
those which will last long time. But it
is not only important to have good tools and
machines, but it is also necessary to take
care of them, otherwise they will remain
good but short time. The best shovels,
hoes and rakes, the finest reapers and now
ers, the incest threshers in the world, if bad
ly used, and constantly exposed to the
weather, will soon become very poor. LII
usage and exposure spoils more tools and
machines than are ever worn out by use.
| A good shed in which to keep all the farm
implements, is building which ought to be
found on every farm. The farmer who has
none, will 6nd the money expended in build
ing one invested better than it would bo in
government securities. 1t would save him
from constant and heavy losses, and pre-
vent great deal Of scolding about old ma
chimes which constantly fail when wanted
for service but for which failures the owner
alone is to blame. Machines are often in-
jured by not being properly oiled. A reap.
er or thresher will run very much easier II
frequently oiled, and will last for a long
time. But if the oiling is neglected, it will
run hard and wear very fast. Oil costs but
little, aud should be freely used. Let no
one imagine that favor throwing away all
the old tools and machines, and buying new
ones to take their places. Far from it.
The farmer who has good tools, even If they
are old, can much better use them than to
buy new ones. The same is true Of ma
chimes. If they are in good order, do not
run very hard, aud do the work well, they
should be kept while longer. II, however,
thoy are badly worked, run extremely hard,
and are in danger of breaking every time
they are used, it will be economy on the part
of the owner to lay them aside and obtain
better ones to fill their places. And when
huying a machine, claim it is economy to
"get the best" even though it costs a little
more than one which is not as good. What
| have said about the care Of machines, ap.
plies alike to the new aud old. No tool OF
machine which is lit to use, is to poor to be
taken care Of, and if proper care were taken
of them, there would be much less trouble
with all kinds of farm implements.
live Stock Journal.
BLIND SrAdGERs IN Pros. - Prof Law
gives the following directions for the treat
: ment Of blind staggers IN pigs When tn,
hogs are attacked, dash bucketiuls of cold
| water over the body, throw purgative injec
! tions into the rectum, composed Of sixouncei
: Of sulphate of soda, and one or two teaspoon
fuls of spirits of turpentne in ten ounces o
$ water. Setons saturated with turpentin'
{ may be inserted under the skin behind th'
D ears, or the back of the mock may be blister
ed by rubbing in the following mixture :
1 Spirits of turpentne and liquid ammonia, on
a onnca each noWdered cantharides two drains