The Columbus journal., 1882-05-31

Some agricultural papers are insiulg-
ing in wholesale TRADES against farmers
generally owning expensive farm ma
chinery, and dolefnl pictures are drawn
of the waste and extravaganza caused
by the propensity of our agricultural
class to own the best and most improved
implements. There is no doubt that
very many farmers show exceedingly
poor judgment in the purchase of tools;
that they discard many useful ones for
new kinds of doubtful superiority; and
that they yield to the smooth talk of
agents and buy more than their farm
work requires. 1t is the old story of
lack of judgment to be told of men in
every pursuit-mOre often, perhaps, of
farmers because of their numbers and
their comparative youth in matters of
business calculation. But it is unsafe
to say, as some writers do, that the ma
jority of farmers are losing annually on
their farm machinery, that nearly all
the farms are strewn with broken-dOwn
tools as q testimony 10 the owner folly.
Conclusions founded on such statements
are sure to be erroneous; for such state
ments are manifestly absurd. A gloomy
Uy Out WIltcT OH SuUICCl
sighs for the good old times when there
was "muscle in farming" when the
tools on Al average farm cost only thir-
ty dollars. We think that the writer of
that article never had much experience
with farming i'm the days when there
was muscle in it. In those days the
boys who amounted to much were driv-
en- by disgust from the farm to an en-
ployment with "brains in it," and az
riculture thus lost many from its ranks
who would have been its leaders. To
keep the brightest and best boys on the
farms, the work must be relieved of
most of its drudgery, and this can be
done only by the best of farm ma
chinery. The difference between the
agriculture of the present and that of the
past is mostly the result of our improved
machinery, and we attribute the supe-
riority of our general farming and farm
ing ,.sOple over those of other countries
parts to the same cause. We could not
do. W thOut these implements ut the pres
ent time. They have been of untold
value to us. 1t is possible that this very
extravaganza and waste on the part of a
portion of Our farmers has been bene-
fit to the agricultural class rs whole
although detrimental to the individuals
b. causing great demand for inn
pro, ID tools and thus stimulating the
inventors to renewed eXertiOn.
But it is unnecessary to enter into a
long defense OF the late improved ma
chirery; for all admit its value. The
Onlf question seems to be with the
roforrnl tn hDu H.
each farmer own? And they entertain
all sorts of schemes for combination by
which the work of many farms may be
done with the same implements. A
member of farmers are to club together
in their purchase of the costly tools and
use them in common, or a rich man is
to own them and rent them to his neigh
hors or contract for doing their work.
In Switzerland some such plan is in
practice simply because it is a necessity;
but here it is not necessity. Our aver
Age farm of eighty acres will cover many
of the average Swiss farms, and there is
the difference. A farmer with one hun
dred acres of land must be independent
of all others; he must have his land
plOwed. seed sown and crops harvested
within certain time, prescribed by our
seasons, and where number are depend
ing upon the same implements, trouble
is sure to follow. Such a system is i'm
practicable for our agriculture. 1t wOult.
be the cause of great loss in crops, and
the disputes arising from it would bring
endless lawsuits.
The care of farm machinery is sub
ject which it is well to often bring to
the farmers attention. Even many
farmers who show good judgment in the
purchase of their machinery know little
of how to get the most value from them.
They leave these costly machines in the
fields or in the barn-yard many night
and often all winter, exposed to the rain
and snow. Few have shed devoted to
the purpose of their protection, and a
great many provide no protection what
ever. One writer claims that the loss of
machinery from exposure is greater than
from its use. Alternate wetting and
drying decays the woodwork, and rust
soon does its work with the steel. A
little care in putting the implements un-
der a water-tight shed at the close of the
days work, and in wiping them dry,
would more than repay itself.-Lansing
(Mich- } Republican.