Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-06-20

A DROP OF OM.-In short time the
having season with all its hustle and
hurry will be upon US. The farmer will
soon begin TO overhaul his mower, rake,
etc., and get them ready for their work.
| have noticed that the average life OF
mower is from five to ten years. Some
last longer and others do not last so long
A good machine properly taken care of
ought to stand the constant wear of at
least fifteen seasons. An examination OF
three fourths of the machines during the
hurry of the haying season would reveal
the cause Of their so early giving out. !
think Won would find the main cause the
neglect to keep the nuts properly tightened
and the want of a few drops OF oil.
first glance would probably satisfy you
that an abundance of oil had been used,
as the machine would be found nearly
covered with it, but closer examination
would show you minute specks OF iron
dust among the machinery. and that some
parts had been neglected and were so
worn as to cause lost motion. One OF the
older machines, think the Hubbard, had
this motto painted on the seat. keep the
nuts tight and the bearings well oiled;
and from observation | think it should be
painted on every machine.
A few years ago neighbor called on
me to see if l could tell what was the
trouble with his machine. He had used it
but one season, and in the midst of the
season it had broken down and he could
not make it work. AS was using
similar machine he thought perhaps l
could tell him what the trouble was. An
examination showed the inside covered
with iron dust and the Pitman rod broken.
asked him if he had oiled the head OF
the Pitman, and he replied he did not
suppose it needed oil there. He had seen
the iron dust and applied oil TO every part
of the m achine but that. A new Pitman
costing four dollars was the price of that
few drops of oil not properly applied.
Last season l happened at blacksmi'h's
shop, when one of our careful farmers
was getting "Buckeye" repaired. He
said the machine worked WE'LL but when
he threw it out of gear the knives would
keep in motion until the team stopped,
and it bothered him very much. 1t worked
all right the first year, but since then it
had troubled him. l attempted to throw
it out of gear and it took nearly my
whole strength to do so. l took the oil
can and applied few drops of oil to the
rod which runs through the lever and
worked it until it worked readily, and
told him guessed it would not bother
him now. "Why." he said, II oiled it
everywhere the agent told me to, but he
did not tell me to oil it there" and he
would not believe it would work all right
until he started the machine several
times. You have got to mix little
common sense with the oil before it works
all right. Many will say he must have
been fool. but he was not, and do not
begin to throw stones until you have
looked TO sec if there is not small glass
house somewhere in your own mower.
Do not buy the cheap blue machine oil,
1t takes but very little oil if properly
used, and the best sperm or castor oil is
none too good.
These same remarks will apply to the
horse rakes. wagons, carts, ETC., which so
often curse the top bucket" or rather
the driver, and keeps the farmers work
stock so poor. There are few persons
who place proper estimate upon drop
of oil. The creaking of door hinges,
pump handles and thousand other
things that are tolerated for a lifetime
might be removed by the application of a
few drops of oil. II.