Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1883-04-12
Farm Implements.

For long ages the cultivation of the
soil was the rude work of servants and
slaves. 1t is interesting to trace the his
tory of farm implements from the time
the pillow was only a crooked stick to the
present Many men of skill in mechanics
were among the first settlers of America;
and although compelled at the outset to
look alone to the soil for subsistence, they
soon began to make for themselves the
useful articles of clothing and furniture
needed in their plain homes, and to build
ships for bringing comforts and luXuries
from the old country and carrying agri-
cultural products with which to pay for
the imported goods. One of the earliest
patents of husbandry was one for making
scythes by welding a back of iron to the
cutting edge of steel, form which is
practically unchanged. The Ames
shovel was also an early invention which
has retained its form and general charac-
ter The pillow began to be improved
early in the present century. Jethro
Wood, in 1919, invented an iron pillow in
parts. which drove all the older patterns
out of use; but Thomas Jefferson was the
maker of the first pillow that was ever
constructed on mechanical principles, a
combination of ten wedges acting in diff
ferent directions. The next introduction
may be steam and electricity for motive
power in tillage, and this would necessi-
tate still further improvements for lifting
and pulverizing the soil freely for seed at
one operation. The disc harrows are q
useful invention and have proved a great
blessing to the farmer. The reaper and
mower was invented in 1928, but
was slow coming into use till improved.
At first it was a heavy, cumber-
some thing, differing from the
present machine as much as the present
pillow differs from the Old wooden mold
board, but the invention was destined to
lay the scythe, the sickle and the cradle
in the shade forever. There were 10000
reapers made last year. OF all agricultu-
raj implements yet invented, and the one
that is destined to do the most good, in
our opinion, is the twine-binding reaper
and it is certainly 2 perfect agricultural
implement, and with it the straw can all
be saved; by its use harvesting has been
rendered q mere pastime for the farmer
What we now wish to see is a One-horse
machine that will be cheap and suitable
for the small farmer. The cotton-gin has
worked a revolution in the culture and
manufacture of cotton, changing the
amount of days work for man from
- 1ON GCOOAANAo W q IAAOOoSlA4O HOOA4Oos 4LC
Improvements in dairy implements have
also kept pace with the Improvements Of
other branches of farm industry. The
corn huskers have also proved a great
help to agriculturists in the corn belt;
5000 of them were made last year
Another valuable invention is the ma
nure spreader. The sowing machine is
an invention of Importance, and has
saved the husbandman from one of the
most labOriOus of his tasks. Let us con-
trast the farm operations of to-day with
those of but twenty years ago, and note
the wide difference. Then blowing, SOW
ing, reaping, moving and harvesting
were all done by hand and with great ex-
ertion. Now the farmer sits upon an
easy seat and plows, harrows sows, reaps
and cultivates, and in one day with his
machine and team he accomplishes more
than many hands could have accom-
plished a few years ago. If the manual
labor could be performed years ago with
out machinery, why cannot the farmer
of to-day do his work with his improved
machinery and find time for recreation,
study and self-improvement? The use of
modern agricultural machinery and i'm
plements has given us the opportunity to
accomplish that which has put a nation
in the front ranks of ciyilization.-,SGn
francisco Chronicle,