The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1898-06-04
FARMER AND PLANTER.
Many a Dollar and Many Hours of Time
Might be Saved by More Care OF
Farm Implements.

There is no more economical way Tor
a farmer to employ his leisure winter
time than by the overhauling and re-
pairing of his implements. This is a
point to which most of cur southern
farmers seem to give very little atten-
ton. 1t is not an uncommon occur
renee to find plows, harrows, hoes and
even harness, in the spring, lying
where they were last used the previous
iall. AS a consequence of this expo
sure, the harness is unfit for use the
next spring and the farmer is at the
expense of having to buy new set.
The woodwork of the tools is cracked
and warped, bolts loose and rusty, and
iron all badly corroded and roughened
with rust. Under these con ditions the
woodwork is greatly weakened and apt
to break much quicker than if 1T had
had the proper care. Even if this
should not happen, the general eff :
cheney of the tool is very much less
ened. A large part of the work of
pulling pillow is taken up in overcoln-
ing the friction of the mold-board and
landslide against the earth. This fric-
ton varies greatly, being at the mini
mum over hard, smooth surface, and
greatest over a rough surface-the con-
dition of a rusty pillow. All else being
equal, the majority of our implements
do better painted, but the increased
draught resulting from a rusty tool,
lessons the momentum of the animal
pulling; hence, we not only have de-
crease in the amount of work, but also
of an inferior quality. 1t is false econ.
omy not to have, on all farms, place
for the protection of tools and to keep
them in that place when not in
use. The time saved in getting an
implement when wanted would go
far toward paying for such shelter.
This may consist simply of an
open shed, with the ground for a
floor, or, better still, a floor raised some
six inches from the ground. 1t is best
to have it raised SO as to prevent water
running in, SO arranged that the team
can drive through, thus avoiding the
necessity of having to pull the tools in
and out by hand. Near this shed fol-
large tools should be room devoted tc
|
partment should be provided with rack
for holding shovels, hoes, rakes, etc.
and pegs on which to hang harness.
The contents of this room should bt
under lock and key. During cultiva
ton each man who uses a tool should
be compelled, when the days work j.
done, to clean it and wipe it dry, ant
lay it in it's proper place. When too
is put away for the season, this SHOULD
be especially looked after. As soon a.
fall leisure comes, one of the first du
ties of the farmer should be to over
haul his implements. They should al
be gone over carefully, all necessar,
repairs made. and all nuts frightened
The bright or working parts should re
ceive coating of tallow, or grease O
some kind, to prevent rusting. Th
woodwork is best preserved by giyinI
it coat of good white lead, and tn
tools look better when the lead is tone
J down to gray or slate color wit
; lampbaek- All iron parts, not used il
friction or cutting work, can receiv
similar treatment, or substitution c
asphaltum may be made. 1t is safe t
, say that vefy few plows go throug
more than two seasons on the averag
farm without needing extensive RI
, pairs. With the systematic treatmen
: outlined above we have known them
j last IL years.
Farmers, while economizing to NEE
the low price of cotton, do not over
. look the necessity of caring for the in
! plements.-Cor. n. o. Picayune.