The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1886-12-02
FARM PAINTING.


Five Questions aud Answers Of Practical
and Everyday Value.
1. How shall farmer paint a buggyf
how wagonp
/ do not think, as rule, that it will
be wise for farmers to paint their car
riages themselves. Such work re-
quires special materials and more skill
in the manipulation Of tools than the
farmer possesses or could protitably de-
velop, and it occurs 80 infrequently
that the farmer can easily afford to pay
the carriage maker few dollars for
this purpose. Moreover, spirit Of
helpfulness and consideration for other
industries which the farmer. in COM
mon with other men. should always en-
tertain, will incline him to do this.
Wagons are in more common use,
and should be kept well painted. The
paints used are made of white lead,
linseed oil, japan and turpentine. with
the addition of such coloring pigments
as may be selected. Indian red makes
a good durable color for running gear.
Bright reds are sometimes used, though
do not much admire them. Straw or
buff color is good. 1t may be made of
lead and ochre. For coloring lead, I
think the oil c1lors of standard makes
will be found more satisfactory than
dry color. as the latter has to be
ground thoroughly before it can be
applied with brush. Brown Is
good color for boxes. Green has
been used to great extent, and Is not
a bud color. Blue sometimes looks
we'll. Yellow and English vermillion,
or blue and green will make good
colors for stripping boxes, if the farmer
is disposed to add ths s finish. Tho in
side OF the boxes should be painted with
| Venetian red and linseed oil, one or
two coats. A coat of good coach var
nish is desirable for the better grades
of work. 1t can. perhaps, be omitted
on old wagons, if necessary to save ex-
pense.
Good linseed oil paints are the best
for this work, with enough turpentine
| or japan mixed in to make 1t dry read
lily. For printing coats no dryer should
be used, and very little in either of the
finishing coats. There is a tendency
to the use of bright colors on buildings.
which do not think wise for farm
buildings especially, and am inclined
to think their popularity will be of
short duration. Drabs and stone
colors are the best and most enduring.
in my opinion, and always look we'll
on farm houses, with their surround.
ings of meadows and trees. like to
see the trimming color lighter than the
/ I,
toned the reverse of this. The trim
mings usually project beyond the
sid ng. and stand out more prominently
in the light. To give them a higher
color is therefore more in conformity
with nature.
2. How paint house and barnp
Paint for rough barns may be of .
much cheaper variety than that used
for dwellings. What are known as iron
ore paints are cheap and very durable.
An article called ''creosote paint and
'creosote stain" is good. and also
cheap. have known of ochreous
carths which are to be found in some
localities being mixed with skinned
milk and applied to barns. and it would
last for years. Milk is one of the best
of the very cheap vehicles for mixing
paint. ,
s. How is paint mixed? IU.
The mixing OF paint is a simple pro.
cess, but it requires great care and skill
to get the proportions of materials
right and thoroughly incorporated.
For the painting of buildings oil paint
with base of white lead is the best, with
the addition of little turpentine and
the oil color for tinting to the desired
shade. There are a few brands of
paint prepared for the brush which the
farmer can use more economically.
perhaps. than he can mix them himself.
For fine painting on wagons, etc., he
may require japan colOrs, which are
also to be had ready to use, after thin
ming with little turpentine.
4. Should paint be applied thick or
thin. and at what intervals should the
coats follow each other?
Paint is best applied thin for ordi-
nary painting, with greater number
of coats II necessary, as the common.
propensity to peel and blister is less
fikely to manifest itself in paint so ap-
piled. No paint should be applied to
damp surface, for the water con-
tanned In the wood will in time escape.
and in SO doing will blister the paint
which inprisons it. When one coat
of paint Is thoroughly dry, another
may be applied.
8. How can brushes be kept from be-
coming hard?
TO Keep paint brushes, suspend them
in water, a water tight box or pail
allowing the water to come just ovel
. the lower part of the binding. II
winter throw handful OF salt in tn,
water to keep it from freezing. Brushe
, which are seldom used may be thorough
ly cleaned with turpentine or benzin,
and put away dry. Before being uset
they should bc soaked in water shor
/ time, 80 as to tighten the bristles an,
prevent their pulling out.-Cor. Obi
. Farmer.
Warm Gingerbread: One cup each Q
|. sugar, molasses. butter and ''loppered'
: milk or cream, four and half cups o
flour. one teaspoonfpl of soda, site
I twice with the Hour, one tablespoonful
s of ginger, one teaspoouful Of mike
}. mace and cinnamon, three eggs; bes
together nolasses, sugar, butter an
!. spices until they arc very light; put I
: the milk. beaten eggs and finally doul