Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1905-10-24
Equipping the Farm.
THE FARMERS SUCCESS DEPENDENT
LARGELY ON FACILITIES FOR EFFECT
I'VE WORK.

The equipment Of the farm will de-
termine to very large extent its profit
ableness. Numerous farms are to-day of
doubtful value as investments because
of the very poor equipments found upon
them. The most essential part of the
farm equipment consists of the barns
and outhouses. Inferior structures de-
voted to the work of the farm mean poor
results in performing the work. The
barns and outbuildings should be re-
garded as part of the workshop of the
farm, and he should 80 arrange them
that the work required may be perform
ed with the least possible loss of time.
As go about the country am forced to
notice the conditions of the barns to be
found on even some of our best lands.
A month ago was visiting an old barn
that had been in existence at least fifty
years. 1t may have served its purpose
fifty years ago, but it has been serving
it poorly ever since. 1t must be windy
old affair in winter, and as entered it 1
could not help plying the men that
have to milk cows in it in cold weather.
A man can do other work in barn with
his mittens on, but the hands cannot be
so protected when the cow is being
MIXED. This is a hard condition of
affairs for the cattle as we'll as for the
men who take care of them. This old
barn could have been repaired with
comparatively little trouble, so far as
keeping out the winter winds is concern
ed, but it could not have been made
really desirable without making changes
that would have cost great deal of
money.
The same day, which was hot, l visit
ed barn not far from the first one. 1t
was close and stuffy, and the cows that
had been tied up for milking purposes
did not look comfortable. There was no
light in this barn, except what glimmer-
ed through very small window far up
in one of the gables, and light that came
from the open door. 1t will take the
farmers a long time to get profit out of
such structures. l noticed also that
both barns were poorly arranged for the
holding of hay and other feed, and that
much of the rough forage for the cattle
and horses had to be stored out of doors.
The loss from "weathering" alone must
be large One-enough in twenty years
to go long way toward building very
good barn.
Another very important part of the
farm equipment is the windmill, which
believe every farmer should have un-
less he can obtain water from spring
on higher ground or prefers to have
some pumping power driven by gasoline
or some like force. could name many
farms where water is still carried in
pals to the stock. On the same farms,
too, the people are, of course, drawing
water from the we'll to supply all the
needs, yet it would cost only
a few hundred dollars to give water
service to the dwelling, the barns and
the carriage house. An important item
in the equipment of the farm is modern
machinery of the most labor saving kind.
When farmer selects his machinery he
should consider first how much labor it |
will save and second its cost. 1t will be |
a losing operation for him to save $40 or
SIS on the purchase of machine that
will lose him a great deal of time in
running it. If man will figure the |
interest he pays on farm machinery and
add to the deterioration of the machines,
he will see that this does not 60 very far |
in paying for the time of the hired man |
to operate them. A farmer can, by pay |
ing $50 more on a machine, frequently
save twice that on labor connected with |
that machine in few years.-M. G.
Thurston in Tribune Farmer.