The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1885-10-17
FARM MACHINERY.
Complicated Agricultural Implements
Positive Damage to the Farmer.

COmpi1Cat0u lHlpAehhohNS
Positive Damage to the Farmer.
1t was Cicero who remarked, in refer
ence to the requisites for success in his
profession, that all knowledge was i'm
portant to one who would be an orator.
This observation may now be made of
the farmer. There is no information on
any subject that can come amiss to him,
and in these days of improved labor
saying machinery, mechanical in
genuity is essential to the highest sue
cess.
Ibelieve that many complicated agri'
cultural implements have been posi-
tive damage to their purchasers. Occa-
sionally farmers with natural genius
for mechanics get hold of some compl-
Gated machine and make a success oft.
For every one who does this there are
two who fail 1t is probable that much
more machinery fails to pay its first
cost in farming than in any other voca-
ton. The growing scarcity and dear
ness of labor forces farmers to buy labor
saving inventions. especially those
necessary TO the harvesting of crops.
The farmer who sees a self binder doing
good work under skillful management
does not recognize how largely this sue
cess is due TO the man in charge OF it.
His own grain is suffering, and he buys
some machinery which he does not conf
prehend and cannot manage.
For many farmers it is safer to hire
the use of intricate machines, when it's
necessary, than to purchase them. 1t
may seem expensive to pay some man
$3.50, or even more, an acre to harvest
and bind grain, yet it may be less costly
than to purchase the machinery, unless
the farmer have special ability for this
work. We shall find the division OF
labor in this respect as advantageous in
! farming as it has been in other kinds OF
business. A young man with some
genius for using machinery may profit
ably work few acres, and employ his
time in harvest in running self-binding
reapers, and after in threshing grain.
His time at other seasons can be en-
ployed in managing. tile draining ma
chimes, or in removing Stumps and
stones from rough land.
When we come to implements COM
plicated enough to tie knots and bind
bundles, it should be understood that
nobody without natural genius for me-
chanics or an especial apprenticeship in
the business can manage them. Yet,
they are purchased by thousands who
do not understand the first principles Of
mechanics. 1t is to the credit of wo-
mans mechanical skill that so many
and various kinds of sewing machines
are successfully run. With coarser i'm
| plements for farm use it is very differ
ent. / am certain that number of i'm
proved harvesters which have been cast
aside could be made successful in the
hands of men with the skill to use them.
At the same time we must take farm
ers as they are. Machinery should be
as simple as possible for the average.
And yet it is the duty of young farmers
to give more attention to mechanical de,
vices, with the certainty that all the
knowledge thus gained will be increas.
ingly useful Us the years roll by. More
attention should be given the laws Of
mechanics in country schools. If this
leads young men away from the farm il
will be no loss, though the opportunities
for working machinery are now so great
on farm that young man having 8
liking for this business may well regard
himself as especially adapted to farm
er's life. 1t is certain that for those
possessing skill enough to manage farm
labor-saving implements, the drudgery
of farming Is far less than it used to bt
when all grain was harvested with sickle
or cradle. Yet, it is quite often re
marked by fa3mers that harvesting is a.
expensive as it ever was. In otheI
words, the larger part of the benef
from labor-saving machinery has thu
far Injured to the benefit of those WHIT
do the work rather than of the capita
which employs them. This is curious
commentary OH the ignorant prejudice
of workmen, who, a few years ago
threatened the destruction of harvesting
implements designed to relieve then
from much Of their severest labor.
When Il working man can be foun,
who has the skill to manage any kin
of implement he is entitled, to an
should receive higher wages than on
, 'qually able physically, but whose abb
, ity consists in brute strength Real
the skillful man is nearly always tn
most powerful physically, His muscle
may not be stronger, but he better know
the use of them and makes fewer falls
; motions. philadelphia Record.