Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1898-06-10
FARMER AND PLANTER.
CARE OF FARM IMPLEMENTS.
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 n consequence of this expo
sure, the harness is unit for use the
next spring, and the farmer is Mt the
expense of having to buy new set.
The woodwork OF the tools is cracked
and warped, bolts loose and usty, and
iron all badly corro led 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 eli
cheney of the tool is very much less
cned, large part of the work of
pulling plow is taken up in overcon-
ing the friction OF the mold-board and
| landslide against the earth. This fric-
tion varies greatly, being at the mini
mum over 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 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 a
floor, or, better still, 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 for
large tools should be room devoted TO
hand tools and harness. This COM
partment should be provided with rack
for holding shovels, hoes, ralSes, 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 rses = 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 a 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 al
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 oi
some kind, to prevent rusting. The
woodwork k is best preserved by giving
it coat of good white lead, and the
tools look better when the lead is tone(
down to a gray or slate color will
lampback. All iron parts, not used il
friction or cutting work, can receive
similar treatment, or a substitution o
asphaltum may be made. 1t is safe t
, say that vefy few plows go through
more than two seasons on the averag,
farm without needing extensive re
pairs. With the systematic treatmen
| outlined above we have known them t,
; last i2 years.
Farmers, while cconomi4lng to NEE
the low price Of cotton, do not over
look the necessity of caring for the im
plemcnts. Cor. n. o. Picayune.