Nevada County picayune., 1885-11-05
Agricultural Column.
Look Alter the Implements.

Many farmers seem to have an idea that if farm implements are only put away under shelter be- fore winter, they have done their duty in the matter of care and that nothing more in that line could be expected.
 It does look very slack indeed to see tools left out in the fields and yards over winter. The iron work rusts and the woodwork decays and starts from its place so that the whole structure becomes rick etv and insecure. But bad as it is to leave tools out over winter 1t is worse to leave them out in the summer season. The process of decaying goes on more rapidly in summer than in winter, the scorching hot sun will scale the best varnish and paint. It will open the pores of the wood aud start the joints so that the next rain will readily penetrate. Wood that is alternately dry and wet is i'll the condition most favorable to decay. Implements had much better be buried under a snow drift than to be thus exposed.
 It takes but little time to house any implement when a job of work is finished. In driving to the barn the team may just as well draw it after them, and if the tool house is roomy and convenient as 1t should be, it may be run under cover with no trouble at all. The room in which tools are stored is often so scant that implements to be stored away must be taken apart. This involves a great deal of useless trouble and often causes the implement to be left out espec- ially where 1t is to be used again during the season. The mower that will be needed again soon, is lett to save the trouble of taking apart and putting together again. The cultivator, reaper and horse rake probably fare the same, and for the same reason.
 Now if the store house were sim ply long shed into which these and similar tools could be packed with no trouble of taking apart they would be much more likely to be kept under cover at all tines when not in actual use. X long shed open on one side and wide enough so that the implement can be packed well under out of all reach of storm, answers the pur- pose very well. Ifprovided with sliding doors so that it can be con- pletely shut and locked, it is still better.
 A building of this kind need not be extensive. The prime requisite is that it be storm tight or nearly so. The frame may be light, or it may be formed of posts set in the ground. If good durable timber can be had, the latter plan is the cheapest and best. Seven or eight feet is high enough at the caves, running up to ten feet at the front a single shed roof is much less eX- pensive than q double one. and ex cepting for looks answers all pur- poses equally well. The roof should be well shiugled in any case. Common lumber will do for the sides and doors.
 Itis an ex cellent plan to have small room partitioned of from one end of this shed to be used as a sort of repair shop. This may be made tight and furnished with windows and a heater so that it will be a comfortable place to work in winter. At this time of leisure all the tools can be overhauled and put in good shape for another sea son s campaign. A small forge l with a few common blacksmith 1 tools will be needed, and will pay ! for themselves in a short time. Wood working tools the farmer usually has. A very complete set of those can be had at small cost ! now.-W. D. Boynton, ill Racine 1 Agriculturalist.