The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1907-09-04
The Care of Farm Machinery.

t1stics showing the cost of exposure,
or the saving from good care. The
following is from press bulletin writ
ten by Prof H. NJ Banner, of the
Colorado Agricultural College, It
has appeared in several Of Our ex-
changes, it. is quite valuable article
and we hope will convince those who
leave their tools exposed to the wealth
er, that it is profitable to make a
shelter for them.
There is perhaps no other source
of loss SO great to the average farmer
as that produced by lack Of the proper
care of farm machinery. AS a gen
era1 rule, the prosperity Of a farmer
may be estimated by the way he
cares for his machinery. Poor care
indicates shiftlessness, waste, lack Of
energy, and that the owner must nee
essari1y buy more tools and nipple
ments in a short time Good care, on
the other hand, indicates prosperity,
development, bank deposits and the
buying Of less machinery.
The American farmer buys annually
100000 worth of farm machinery.
According to statements made by
different manufacturing companies,
the farmer would not have to buy over
One-half this amount of machinery,
providing it received the proper care
A season without shelter detracts
more from the value Of farm machin-
cry than the wear caused by it's use
during the same season.
Every owner Of farm machinery
should be able to understand and prop
erly adjust it. Every implement
should be looked over carefully be-
fore it is used to see that all bolts
are tightened> and all moving parts
work freely
Mavlng parts on new machinery
frequently run hard on account of
paint in the bearings. This paint can
be easily removed by the use of ker-
Osene, or One-ha1f kerosene and one
cry should be carefully examined ev-
cry day, as bolts often work loose,
or boxes may fit too tightly, causing
them to heat When the work with
a certain machine has been finished,
it should be thoroughly cleaned and
all parts that are likely to rust should
be carefully wiped with an oiled rag
or waste. They should then be
stored in shed Of some kind, rather
than left in the corner Of field or
under tree where the chickens roost
on them.
With good care and housing, an
ordinary grain binder on the average
I6o-acre grain farm will last from II
to 10 years. In comparison with this,
a binder doing no more work, with
out extra care or housing, will last
but from five to eight years Records
shows that many farmers have kept
their tools in constant use by good
care for more than twice the average
life Of the machine.
We will assume that farmer starts
in farming with $1,000 invested in
new machinery, and that if sheltered
and we'll cared for, it will last ten
years, and if not sheltered, only five
years. If the implements stand out
in the weather, it will cost another
$1,000 to replace them at the end Of
five years. The compound interest on
this amount for five years at 5 per
cent, amounts to $27628, or the total
amount Of money paid out for machin-
cry with its interest amounts to ST.
$685.
A good tool shed large enough for
this machinery can be built for $500.
The compound interest on this amount
for ten years at S per cent, equals
$I25, or the shed may be considered to
have cost $325.6o at the end of the ten