The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1886-02-26
NUMBER 36
FARM ECONOMIES.

The small economies of the farm are
by no meansinsigniiicant. The small eco.
Monies saving either of labor or ma.
terial-are often what make the profits
in every department of business, and
perhaps in no less degree in that of the
farmer. There is Il right and wrong
way TO do everything. and the right
way is the easy way, because the best
and most economical. Take the prcpa-
ration of fuel. Is it wood? Sawed. split,
and piled green, with ar-passages
through it, especially near the bottom,
and seasoned under cover, is worth &c
per cent more than if burned green OF
from the log living out of doors. and for
the reason that, seasoned. 30 pc cent OF
water Is dried out of il. Ii seasoned in
the fire during combustion the heat re.
quircd To cyaporaic This moisture is alb.
soluieiy wasted. 20 far a> any practical
purpose Is concerned. 10 say nothing OF
the misery entailrd upon the housewife
over simmcring or smoky fire. II this
fuel is To be- hauled lon~ distances. the
evil is still further enhanced. In this
ease the wood should he cut into four
foot lengths. carefully piled. and covered
tO shed rain for at least one summer.
You thus save half the cost of hauling.
Suppose the fuel is bilumous coal. II
exposed To the weather for six months it
wcakens and slack> down. and is often
practically ruined. If dumped down
out of doors and saturated with water,
although fresh. il is practically in the
same condition as green wood. The
wafer must be cvaporalrd by the heat of
the fire. Coal should be- kept under
cover until dried out. for IL taken fresh
from the mine it il often fully saturated
with wafer. True economy in all fuel.
whether peat, coke. anthracite or btu
nous coal. or wood. consist. in the fact
that il Is cheaper to season il by means
ot air than by The burning of Il part OF
the fuel.
Have YOU II workshop on the farm? II
not. why not? Many job, can he done
on the farm in less time than il would
take TO order them of some person. per-
haps miles away. and then wait for
them. or perhaps make another journey
after them, Every farmer is moi handy
with tools. but he may soon become so
by their handling. at least Ia such Il de-
gree as to perform jobs sufficiently well
to compass the end Nowadays any re-
pair about the farm may be had already
shaped and only needing fitting. If you
are distant from where such things may
be bought. when in the woods look out
for crooks that will make u plow-handle.
or timber that will split into plow
beams. harrow frames, wagon tongues,
cross pieces for q hay rigging, a log for
roller, OF any other material needed.
The broken implement will serve as a
pattern To hew or otherwise work
by. When found. prepare roughly and
pile in loft. where the wood may be-
come thoroughly seasoned against II
time of want. Many II job may be nice
~ done in the workshop in Indictment
weather. especially in winter Provide
few necessary tools and Il stove to keep
the shop warm Al odd times make dll-
plicates of articles or parts of nipple
ments likely To break. Many minor inn
plements are now more chcaply bought
new than repaired or made on the farm.
Handles to amy Of the implements,
rakcs. etc. are among the number. and
when they may he bought ready shaped
| they are cheaper than to hew them
| down from timber. Ii takes little labor
to fit these properly to their places.
In the workshop broken harness may
be mcnded by means of rivctS or stitch
ing. Many implements of use or con-
venencc i'm the family may be easily
made. Here the children will make
play in learning TO become handy with
tools. The hired men will also take
kindly TO this work. since il is sure to
keep them out of the storm.
With good stock of timber poles
may be prepared tor making sheds
Lumber may he fitted for pig-pens
Posts may be prepared by boring or
hewing. Rails may be >harpened. man
gers may he fitted. feed-boxes prepared.
stanchions made ready for fitting to-
gethcr, and tools and implements may
be sharpened. These are few of the
uses to which the workshop may be
put and the ingenuity of the master and
man exercised If they prevent visit
to the village grocery for drink and
.card-playing when time drags heavily,
the small economics will carry JOY 10
the household, honor to the head OF the
family, and money into the purse
against rainy day.