Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1877-11-21
Buying Things Cheap

kind we intend to speak. Cheapness
is one of those convertible phases
which are as often used to mislead the
purchaser as to guide him Alright. But
there are persons who are ever on the
alert to get bargains or buy things
cheap and while few may succeed
and escape being cheated, the majority
get what they buy and no more, and
frequently much less than they expect
Farmers ale no wiser than other per-
sons in this respect, and those who
are on the lookout Tor cheapness gen
orally find it accompanied too often
by disappointment, il not serious los
SeS.
Not long ago we read of a farmer
who, in order to practice economy,
purchased refuse salt from old pork
and beet barrels for his cattle. The
results were, Il loss of q dozen head or
more before he discovered that some
noXious chemicals had been used in
making the brine for the beef Now,
the purest salt in market is not SO ex-
pensve an article that a man should
begrudge his stock an abundant sup.
ply; but there ere neil who practice
such doubtful economy as to give
their beasts little or none.
In purchasing grain Or feed Of any
kind, for beasts, it is poor policy to
select inferior grades because they can
be had at less price than the very best.
Cheap ground feed, composed of what
no one but the miller knows, is per-
haps the most dangerous OF anything
the owner Of the beasts can we'll find.
Still, the competition is 80 great, and
a variation OF a few cents a bushsl so
attractive to those who are after bar
gains, that it is no wonder that oat.
hulls, corn-chatf and cobs are used in
its composition. Nlusty hay, corn
stalks and other kinds Of fodder are
dangerous, although generally to be
obtained at low prices, Or what some
persons may think cheap,
Cheap farm implements, such as
reapers, mowers, plows, rakcs, hoes
and shoyels, made OF malleable iron
Instead Of steel, and the poorest kind
oftimber, can always be had by those
who want them but they are much
the dearest in the end, and we fail to
see where there is any economy in the
purchase OF such articles. Ten years
ago Il manufacturer Of farm imple-
ments conceived the idea that really
superior articles would perhaps find
purchasers, even at q considerable ad-
vance in prices and, among other
things, he made square-tlned manure
fork, which could not be manufactured
and sold at profit for less than $50 a
dozen, OF about So 80 each ut retail.
We secured one Of these forks, and
ten years OF almost constant use has
failed to break a tine or wear one away
to any appreciable extent. Such a
fork is worth twenty of the ordinary
ones seen in the market but the man
ufacterer soon discovered that ma
jorlty ofpersons wanted lower-priccd
article, and ne, like others, sought to
supply the demand. II farm nipple.
ments are poor IN quality, and soon
break, or wear out, it is not so much
the fault OF the manufacturer as that
OF the purchaser for he can obtain as
good an article as he is ready to pay
for; but he should not expect to get
a thing for less than cost or actual
worth, no matter how many times the
seller may assure him to the contrary.
If we desire honesty and fair deal
ing, we must be willing 20 allow a fair
profit, and cease to demand more than
our moneys worth but at the same
time, insist on receiving its full equiv
alent in whatever is purchased IN.
Y. Sun.