The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1898-02-16
Work shop on the Farm.

A work shop on the farm is a great
convenience; every progressive farmer
has one, and those who want to keep
up with the advancement of agricul-
tural interests will follow suit. To
build work shop is an easy Job; it
doesn't take long aud costs but little,
if constructed as that dear old cabin
in which l used to work. Ny work
shop was about eight by ten feet and
SIX feet from the floor to the loft,
covered with oak boards and having
no floor save the ground. 1t was
sided up with one-inch oak boards,
which were sawed from timber cut in
the woods, the space between the
planks being covered with thin oak
strips, The shop was provided with
an anvil, two strong hammers, wise,
planes, saws, screw drivers, chisels, a
shaving horse, brace aud set of tif-
teen bits, ranging from an eighth of
an inch to an inch, spoke shaves, a
square and rule, etc, all of which
may be bought new for about S12. 1
also had a harness makers outfit in
the shop, so when harness needed re-
pairing l did not have to go eight or
ten miles to have it done. Whenever
any of the machinery got ont of order
1t could generally be repaired at home,
and thus save money and time. For
instance, when wheat is dead ripe and
ought to be cut as soon as possible,
the binder breaks, a rod or some
minor part gets out of order; then to
the blacksmith shop, unless you are
pretty well skilled in the work of re-
pairing iron and have a shop and
tools of your own, in which case much
valuable time is saved.
A workshop is, in my Judgment, as
essential to the farm as a spring or
cistern, and | am ardently in favor of
the latter. When there is work to be
done in the shop in the winter, small
stove is easily put up. Thus com
Portable quarters are prepared for the
workmen. Oftentimes the farm har-
ness break, sometimes when the farm er
is in the midst of very busy season.
Now comes the chance to use the
shop; or when there is no particular
need for the broken harness, a rainy
day will come about when the farmer
may go to tue shop and do his work in
the dry, having the necessary tools al
hand
Farm implements, no difference
how strong they may be or how sub
stantially they may be constructed,
will frequently get out of order, thus
occasioning the use of a blacksmith on
wood workman. Now, all such work
can be and ought to be done by the
farmers themselves, and if they would
equip themselves with the tools, etc,
which can be obtained for a small out.
lay, they could do it. Let every
farmer be his own blacksmith, wood.
worker, carpenter and saw sharpener.
if you please. During rainy days on
the farm there should be work to do,
aud there is. The cross-cut saw needs
sharpening, the harness require mend
ing and the axes ought to be ground,
and dozen other things of this
character might be attended to. The
farmer needs to become an enthusiast
on the subject of agriculture and all
the branches connected Herewith; he
must be dominated by that spirit OF
Onwardness which knows no limit; he
must keep abreast of the times and
take all the near sh oots possible to the
goal of success. Let us be alert and
wide awake; farming will surely re-
ward all who in fact farm, The Yoea