The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-01-11
Cooperation in Farm Machinery.

In a recent issue of the Nebraska
Farmer. j. NJ. Rice of Oklahoma il
Illustrates the many advantages of CO.
operative farming among %neighbors,
showing up particularly the benefit
of Joint ownership of expensive tools
and machinery, a system that has been
adopted quite largely in his state, but
might be extended with very marked
advantage in every farming commu-
nifty.
For five years." says the writer" 1
have nae experience in the joint own
ership or use of all the farm machin-
cry of fOur farms with my three sons.
1t certainly has been a large saving to
us in the outset and has been almost
perfectly satisfactory, and while farm
ing has not been very profitable this
cooperation has certainly made it
more profitable than it otherwise would
have been.~
Our system of cooperative farming
has of course made it much easier to
adopt cooperation in ownership and
use of the machinery than if the farms
We're operated independently.
The work began on brand lev lands,
and as quickly as possible after the
tent was set up as a shelter for the
family. Now if it had been four in
dependent farms there would need to
have been four breaking plows with
the necessary appliances and W hand
planters, as these constituted aside
from wagon n harness about the
average outfit on a homestead.
Sui we saved One-half Z = outlay
by buying only we plOwS a. lanterS.
That this was ample has b-.n shCy n
by experience and after FIVE yea ;
with one-half the four farms N cult
walton. which is as much as we at
present contemplate putting into pillow
land, and these tools are still good for
considerable service.
Not much other machinery was need
ed until time for preparation for wheat,
then a disk harrow was necessary.
This was then quite an expensive i'm
plement and the farmer with but
two horses cannot use one without mir
ing an extra team or cooperating with
a neighbOr. One disk did for all of us
and we could put five horses on it
and do extra good work and still have
three or four horses to follow with
the common harrow, and there were
two hands TO be cutting corn or any
other work needed to be done.
Then a drill vas needed and for the
heavy draft runner press drills best for
this section four or more horses are
again needed and the division of ex-
penSe in buying is a very important
item among Door farmers just COM
mencing to make a home n farm.
A drill costing $50 is used by one
farmer only about two weeks in the
year and yet. taking our fall and spring
seeding, there are at least four months
of seeding time.
So with a number of other farm i'm
plements that are quite expensive and
yet are used but a few days in the year
and also some of the smaller tools, like
garden drills and c%ultivatOrs, that are
convenient; but few single farmers feel
able 10 own them; then there is the
marker. roller. drag, hay rack, etc.,
that generally belong TO the home
made implements. but one of each viii
well answer for several farmers.
OF course the every day implements
have to be had in large supply. There
are -four plows, for at times we want to
push things, and so all are in use, but
this is really but seldom, for we keep
u ground narrowed w closely, so
there is use for an extra team nearly
all the time at that or other work. The
often needed tools like these are kept
where needed most, III it is found in
actual practice that many of the seem
ing necessities are not needed. as often
as supposed, and it is known that at
Il central place the tool can be had
when wanted, that with just q little
f%orethOught it can be got, used and re-
turned with but little loss of time, and
there is a big bill of expense saved and
many more tools can be had for use
than would be otherwise possible. so
the disadvantage has a corresponding
greater advantage.
We find III this way it is possible for
US TO own some things that we could
not otherwise have. OF course the rich
farmer can have all these of his own,
but l DO not know but it is better for
several to own them and wear them
out, for where used but seldom hey
last until they become old style. The
binder, mower. rake and similar ma
chinery are just right for this kind of
use, for there either has to be hiring of
hands ard teams or neighbors work
together. In the care and management
of machinery so owned or used. there
must be a thoughtfulness for others.
the application of the golden rule, but
l think this has q good effect all round.
With everything mine" we get to he
selfish and are apt to forget that we
owe something to our fellows. Let us
not forget that it is not all of life to
live.
Keeping Apples.