The Republican journal., 1907-08-29
ELECTRICITY on THE FARM.

tne future. Electricity to Solve the
Problem of Farm Help. Meadow-Brooks,
the Sun and Wind Harnessed.
The problem of progressive farming
has been solved by electricity and in
the future the present scarcity of farm
labor will have no terrors for the model
farmer. The back-breaking, nerve
racking hard work, which has done
more than anything else to drive the
boys from the farm, is no longer
necessity. as by the application of elec-
trlclty small motors do the threshing,
churning, separating, unload and press
the hay, even TO the milking of the cows
and the turning of the hateful grind
stone. Electricity has long been
faithful servant to be enjoyed by the
residents of the cities and larger towns,
and the farmer, isolated from central
stations and electric transmission lines.
had to do without. Happily this is no
longer true and the gladstone day has
arrived when the countryman can par.
take of the comforts of an electric light
on his reading table, an electrically
cooked luncheon, corn popped in the
electric pepper or toast his feet before
the luminous radiator, even as his CITY
relatlVes and at considerable less cost.
Ihere are many economical reasons,
wnlcn grow IN Importance each year,
why the farmer is interested in cleo
trlclty. Farm help is now very scarce
and but for the foreign emigrants the
future would be dark indeed. Power is
therefore an absolute necessity in
threshing, harvesting and in the daily
work about the buildings. The supply
OF natural fuel is becoming shorter
every year owing to the depletion of
the forests and the coal fields. The
WOOD lots, so common few years ago.
are now practically thing of the past.
Ihey nave been stripped of every stick
OF TIMBER, the firewood consumed and
the land turned over to grain fields or
orchards.
In constructing the individual electric
plant the initial cost ranges from 800
up, according to the amount of power
desired and the location of the build
lngs. VI course in establishing such
plant steam power is out of the ques-
ton as it demands too much time and
attention and the cost for fuel would
eat up the profits of the undertaking.
Some good source of power is necessary
and very naturally the countryman
looks to the elements for it. Water
power appeals to him first and if fortu-
nate enough to have a stream of any
size and fall on the premises the power
question resolves itself into the easiest
way to harness the water. If the fall
is great a Storage reservoir is required
with piping, or if the fall is only few
feet dam of the flow type will have to
be constructed. The building of a dam
is very simple now with the recent adj
vancements in the art of concrete con-
struction. The small turbine water
wheel, direct connected to small dy-
namo, and other fixtures are installed
in tiny power house. The current is
carried to the various buildings on in
sulated wires supported on high poles.
Such plant requires no attention, no
more than oiling once in a while, and
enough current can be generated to
light the home, do the cooking, wash
ing and ironing and to drive all the
farm machinery. E. B. Miner of Oris-
kany Falls, n. Y, has such plant and
with only about six feet of water fall
work about the farm and to light and
heat his house. Numbered among the
motor driven machines on the Miner
farm are the separator, churn, thresh-
er, tanning mill, silo cutter, grinders,
washing machine and wringer, feed
cutters, saws and tools in the repair
shop. IncubatOrS are now heated by
electricity, the current destroys animal
life harmful to trees, plant life is propa-
gated; horses are curried and clipped by
(, it, corn is shelled and water pumped.
! Throughout the eastern States there
are hundreds of farms with streams of
water of considerable size which could
be easily harnessed at small expense
| to do the greater portion of the work
about the farm. The cost of construc-
ting and maintaining such a plant
would be easily saved in the work per-
formed and the money that is paid out
every year for steam threshing would
almost install the electrical apparatus.
In the great west a large number of
farmers utilize their Windmills to gen
crate current for light and power. A
storage battery is provided to store
away enough electricity to last day or
two in case the wind fails. In Califor-
MIA even the sun is harnessed to devel-
Huge refiectors follow the course of the
sun and focus the rays on boiler. The
steam is conveyed to small engine
which whirls the generator At
Noblesville, Indiana, a man has con-
structed plant which is combination
of both wind and water power. The
14foot windmill drives plunger pump
which delivers water to cylindrical res
ervoir. The pressure in this reservoir is
automatically maintained at IS pounds
per square inch by means of weights
placed upon plunger in the cylinder
This water, under constant pressure, is
used to drive a ~ horsepower turbine
water wheel direct connected to IA
horsepower, 25 volt dynamo, arrang-
ed to charge storage battery of
II cells. This plant only develops
enough current for household purposes
In a number of communities where
there is abundant water power and the
farms are close together the farmers
have Joined issues and erected mutual
plant, dividing the cost of building and
the generated current in proportion to
the amount of electricity used. The
surplus is easily transmitted to more
distant neighbor and Sold
The flexibility of electric power makes
it ideal for the farm. The new Undue
ton motors are perfectly safe and the
little fellows drive the heaviest with
ease. With small plant the proprietor
does not have to be an electrician. If