Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1902-05-01
WHERE MAN POWER
is ENSIvE

ponds largely on the size of the farm
and the nature of its products. but one
OF experience ought to be able to give
some general advice on the subject
well worth attention. This the editor
OF the Massachusetts Ploughman at
tempts to do. There are, he says. some
small farms or gardens where man
power can be had cheaper than any
other because the amount of work to
De done is lot sufficient to warrant the
expense OF maintaining any other. but
on larger place it is the most ex
penSlVe, because the results cannot no
as much as can be ACCOMPLISHED In the
same time by other power, and man
power is only cheap because 1t can be
constantly employed. and even must be
kept up when other power is also
used,
Next to this comes the HORSEPOWER
and this alone, or with ox-power was
the reliance of the farmer in DAVIS
when we We're young. The horse. like
the man, was almost in constant use
and could be adapted to many MIR.
poses. He had to be fed whether used
or not, and efforts were made to utilize
his services in other ways than bv
straight draft. The circular horse
power as eXemplified in the turning of
the cider mill was followed by the
tread-mill. and that modified by the fly
wheel. which helped to retain power
when once in motion.
These methods both served useful
purposes in the threshing machine in
saving wood cutting fodder and roots
pumping. churning, and many other
ways, while there were a few SO
fortunately situated that they could
utilize the power of the water that ran
by or through their land The wind
mill was also much in favor. and II
proved an inexpensive power when one
had work that could be done as we'll
at one time as another. and could wait
for the wind to blow. To grind grain
pump water. or for other work of
which enough may be done in one day
to last through week of calm
weather. nothing will do the worl, AS
cheaply as the windmill. but if 4 Ger
tain labor needs to be done every day
the wind is too tickle to be dcDended
upon. The windmill has also a disad-
vantage in the necessity of ALWAYS re-
quiring the work to be brought to it
instead of being able to go to the local
ity where the work is to be found.
The portable steam engine seems to
answer all requirements better than
any other power. 1t can do all the
work that any OF the others we have
named. excepting that of the horse on
the road. 1t needs feeding only when
in use, and proper sheltering. It is as
ready to saw wood. cut fodder for siIo
churn, or do a day at threshing grain
as any other duty, and works 10 to IA
hours day as well as eight hours If
properly cared for, without going on a
strike
For all but the larger farms five or
SlX-h0rse-poWer engine is usually sui
hclent, though any one purchasing will
do better to get one a little larger than
he thinks he needs than to begin with
too small size. For cutting ensiIare
and elevating it 80 or 35 feet to the ton
OF the SilO, we think the manufacturers
OF the cutters and elevators usually
advise 10-hOTse power boiler ana
engine. Anything of a larger size Is
not easily moved from one place to
another. and one of the advantages of
the portable engine should be it's abiI-
lty to do the work upon more than one
small farm, or at either end of a large
ranch. 1t may thus have several own
ers or cooperative shareholders. or the
one who purchases It can receive an
income by renting it to neighbors.
There are many now who advocate
the gasoline engine. and claim that one
nominally OF the same power will do
more than the steam engine Of this
we know but little personally, but most
who have them are well satisfied. They
are easily handled, and the expense for
fuet is not great, yet we have been led
to believe that they are. or the earlier
makes We're a little more apt TO get
out OF order and require more frequent
repairs than the steam engine. Then
the fuel for the steam engine can often
be had on the farm almost without
expense, especially where wood is
abundant
Electricity has been used to some ex-
tent, and it may be the coming power
yet. On some of our market gardens it
IS made to serve other purposes beside
heating and lighting the larger green
houses, but its use as a farm power IS
as yet little studied, and we do not
KNOW TO what point it may be deveI-
Oped. We have read of automobile
market wagons, reapers and plows but
confess to being little skepticai as TT
their practical use on the farm. If we
had need of farm powers we would not
wait for them to be perfected, but
would prefer either of those we have
mentioned, or even to mt our trust in
oxen or donkeys for a few years
one thing we would say in regard TO
the steam engine or the gasoline en-
Slne. 1t used to be said that the first
period Of the use of carriage or
wagon was the cheapest. We believe
this TO be even more true of the engine
and boiler When new the manufact.
lrer guarantees it to q certain extent.
When second-handed no one will do
hat. We should want very intimate
of one, both how it had
been used, and how cared for when not
IN use, to induce us to get one at q
bargain counter, or an auction sale.
The cheaper the bargain seemed to be.
he more we should be afraid of il
Like some of the horses that are
col for -