The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1898-05-28
FARMER PLANTER.
CARE OF FARM IMPLEMENTS.
Many a Dollar and Many Hours of Time
Might be Saved by More Care Of
Farm Implements.


There is no more economical way for
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 our 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
fall. As 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 plow is taken up in overcom-
ing the friction of the mold board and
landslide against the earth. This fric-
ton varies greatly, being at the mini
mum over a hard, smooth surface, and
greatest over a rough surface-the con-
dition of rusty plow. All else being
equal, the majority of our implements
do better painted, but the increased
draught resulting from rusty tool,
lessons the momentum of the animal
pulling; hence, we not only have a de-
crease in the amount of work, but also
of an inferior quality. 1t is false econ
omy not to have. on all farms, a 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
foDr, or, better still, floor raised some
SIX inches from the ground. 1t is best
10 have 1t 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 for
large tools should be a room devoted to
hand tools and harness. This COM
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 be
under lock and key. During cultiva-
ton each man who uses tool should
be compelled, when the days work is
done, to clean it and wipe it dry, and
lay it in its proper place When tool
is put away for the season, this should
be especially looked after. As soon as
fall leisure comes, one of the first du
ties of the farmer should be to over
haul his implements. They should all
be gone over carefully, all necessary
repairs made, and all nuts frightened
The bright or working parts should re-
ceive coating of tallow, or grease of
some kind, to prevent rusting. The
woodwork is best preserved by giving
it coat of good white lead, and the
tools look better when the lead is toned
down to gray or slate color with
lampback. All iron parts, not used in
friction or cutting work, can receive
similar treatment, or substitution of
asphaltum may be made. 1t is safe to
say that very few plows go through
more than two seasons on the average
farm without needing extensive re-
pairs. With the systematic treatment
outlined above we have known them to
last ~ years.
Farmers, while economizing to meet
the low price of cotton, do not over
look the necessity of caring for the i'm
plenents Cor N. o. Picayune.