The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1875-06-18
rnr USE OF Fam mAoHIrnRv
Why Hand Work Woa't % in Kansas
How TO Buy Cheapest.
EMPORIA,aJune >, ISL

Why Hand Work wea,s % in Kansas
-Iisw To Buy Cheapest.
EMPoRfA,~June ,, 1876.
EDIToRs NKwss- If you viii
allow us space IN your valuable paper
We will say our sspGece's in regard to
the use of agricultural implements and
machinery used by our brother farm
ers. We have often heard il stated by
the day laborers 1.-THE non-bond hold
ers], that the universal use OF maciiin-
is a damage to the interests of the
whole country; that the same amount
of work could be done cheaper by hand
than by the present use of machinery.
We are inclined to think that in some
instances, perhaps, this might. be the
case. In the eastern states we believe
to-day that grain can be harry, sted as
cheaplY by the use of the grain cradle
as with the harvester, for this reason,
unless there has been great change
in the last twenty or twenty-five years.
We can remember the time when we
could hive a hand to swing the grain
cradle for 81 per day, and he would cut
from three to four acres of wheat in q
day, and a boy and a good binder
would take it up and put it in the
shock. The straw of our wheat In the
eastern states-say ia Ohio-was soft
and easily cut. Now, We will say that
two and One-half acres would be an
average days work. We have cost OF
cutting 40 cents per acre, and counting
the boy as a halt band and the binder
we have the cost of cutting, binding
and putting in shock, 81 per acre.
Now. you see it costs US to-day 20 cts.
per acre to get our wheat cut, saying
nothing about binding and shocking,
You can readily see that if our grain
was as easily cut as that of the eastern
states, and help could be had at the
same rate, that we would not be iusti-
fed in using the grain harvesters.
But times have changed. Grain in
the west is harder to cut with the era
die than that of Ohio. The straw Is
harder-more like halle shrub. We
have known farmers who emigrated
from Ohio to Illinois, that were sold
boss cradlers," as they called them
who would bet any sum that they
could cut six and seven acres of oats
between sun rise and sun doWn-to
bring the old cradle with them. 1sThey
were not going to pay from rs cents to
81 per acre for cutting grain; they
would cradle 1t, that they would" But,
alas! in nine cases out of ten one-haIf
days cutting, sweating and whetting
would do them, and the old cradle
would be hung where the colored gem
tleman hung the moving scythe-in
an apple tree.
We believe that there is a great deal
of worthless machinery bought by the
farmers, that is worse than money
thrown away. But, we further believe
that there is a great deal OF good ma
chinery, that, if properly used, is a
great advantage to the agriculturist,
such as the harvester, mower, sulkey
rake, double corn pillow. We offer these
| suggestions TO our brother farmers
for what they are worth, as
they will cost you nothing, aud per-
haps may be of some benefit to some
who may read them. Never buy any
thing but the best machinery. Keep it
housed, and when in use give it little
oil occasionally. If repairs are need
ed, take 1t to our home mechanics and
get it repaired. Do not run it as long
as a bolt will hold it together, and then
throw it away and buy a new one on
time, trusting the next crop to pay for
it. Better borrow the money and pay
reasonable interest than go in debt
tor your farm implements, pay a large
profit to the dealer, and give your note
at II per cent. interest. Pay day will
come around, and you can as well pay
the money TO the banker as to pay the
dealer. Deposit your note in the bank
and draw money to pay the manufact-
urer's bills. Remember the cash buy
er always has advantage of the time
buyer. He buys On an average from
10 to % per cent. cheaper than the per-
son who buys everything on time.
The credit system Is the greatest curse
that Kansas is infested with to-day.
GrasshOppers and chinch bugs are not
exceptions.
Let us endeavor, as soon as we can
get our heads above water, to pay as
we go. This is the only true road to
success. Show us thriving and thrift
ty farmer, and we will show you, as
general thing, man who never pays
heavy interest; but, on the other
hand, is getting interest on his saw
ings. We know of but few that are
always going iRto debt and doing bu-
siness on borrowed capital, that ever
prosper. Pay as we go is the true
road to success, and the sooner we all |
come to this, the better for all concern