The Columbus journal., 1879-05-28
E.ougi0oi< EiHb-

m3cHlucft WAS Wcil fpcclFcU Dt luc
club, and many of his remarks
should be becded by a far larger au-
dicnce. lie began by remarking
iha: as spring blowing was over. it
would be well enough TO begin with
the plows. Those that will no
longer be used for the season, should
be well cleaned, oiled and put in
shelter from the sun, wind and rain.
Tallow and white lead, equal parts,
and also tallow and resin were spo-
ken OF as good for oiling. The corn
pillow, as coming next, should now
be looked after; see that ii is in
good working order, and especially
that the shOvcls are made clean and
bright, if need be, by emory paper
or some other substance. After
done using follow same directions
as for stirring plow.
Reapcrs and scIf-bindcrs should
be ovcrhauled at least ten days pre-
yious 10 the beginning of harvest,
and put mp for use. Ii any part is
out of repair or likely 10 become so,
you have ample time TO put il in
shape so that any hour your harvest
is ready, you can go into the field
and keep straight at work. When
harvest is over, don't let your ma
chine, in whole or i'm part, stand
where the last swath was cut, TO
rot, hut put il under shelter. Mr..
Ernst said his custom was generally
10 take his machine apart because in
that way it took less room. Oil
ing it well, and shcltcring it from
the wind, as well as sun and rain,
next year it will come out as bright
as new.
Mowers should be cared for in
the same general way. Hundreds
Of farmers were entirely too careless
in regard to pitman boxes, spelling
them by nOn-usc or bad use of oil.
The oil cup should be thoroughly
cleaned so that the oil would reach
the shafts. AS to the kind of oil, ,his
custom was lard Oil.
In answer TO queries from men,
bcrs Of the club:
Ii won't pay to run a dull plow.
Have il sharpcned by a blacksmith
who understands the business.
There are hundreds of farmers
who don't know that a grain sickle
can and ought 10 be sharpcned.
Grind il on the under side.
A good many say that farmers
buy too much machinery. 1t is not
TO bc denied that some were injudi-
cious, and bought more than they
had a present need for, and there
fore, unprofitably, but there was al
together too much of this cry
against machinery. The spirit of
the times, competition, everything
demands the use ofthc very best ma
chincry. The singlc-shovcl corn
plow has been laid aside; the self
rake, the harvester, the scll-binder
have taken the place of the sickle
and the cradle.
lie preferred the self-rake TO the
harvester, and the sclf-binder 10 ei-
thcr. With the last there is no in
crease of help-thc homework, eve
rything goes on as usual-nO trouble
TO hunt up ''hands," and the least
possible amount of grain is left on
the field.
A cheap, good paint for farm
tools is made of red ochcr, oil and
turpentine. Ii was delight 10
follow nicely-painted good ma
chine.
Every farmer should have a tink-
ering shop. The profit will over
balance the expense.
RAISING CoLTs.
Mr.. Gibson pleaded inexperience
but said he thought it was profita-
bic for all farmers, the cost being
small. Ills idea would be TO select
heavy built horses TO breed from.
lie wouldn't hitch up a colt at all
until il was three years old and not
put il TO work until four.
Mr.. Reagan said that he would
choose mares of strong constitution,
and would hardly ever harness a
colt until it was five years old. lie
thought that putting horses to hard
work al an earlier age stunted them.
No man can do good days work
without a good team and TO have
this he must give them care and at
tention-carc in feeding, currying,
etc. Ii We were more careful there !
would be less disease, fewer deaths,
and better horses.-As to the feed |
of young colts, it was a good plan
TO let them have all they will eat all !
the time. 1t wouldn't do 10 starvc |
them a while, aud then give them
access to bin, because being afraid |
of being starved again they would |
take too much.
Mr.. Reed said there was one fea-
ture of the subject which he desired |
10 call attention to. Following ad-
yicc,he had undertaken to raj C colts /
from mares that at the same time |
were doing the main work of the
farm. The result was that he near
ly lost his mares. inexperienced |
farmers were persuaded by dealers
10 purchase mares, the inducemcnt