The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-05-26

iict oHly Trying out practical
things n putting the boys Of the
State in touch with new ideas and
new methods but il is acquainting
them with implements and practices.
IL Is an exposition as Well as an edu-
cation IL is training as well as in
struction. 1t is an institution which
ciassifes h boys qualifications by
and enables him TO measure up his
own powers by f~amiliarizing him with
the powers of human kind.
Buchan came home with a certain
assurance that things could be done.
He came home with the notion that
most things can be done two or three
ways. The experience of college
practice and training breaks down the
tendency to play hide bound favorites
IN any line. 1t also sets up a lot
OF new idols n skaters some of
them while shattering the old one.
More than that, the college experience
shows how to shatter idols, and that
IS a good accomplishment.
The older Buchan was a progress
siVe man. Years ago a salesman in
duced him to buy a tWo-horse Oliver
pillow. The farmer doubted whether
such a big and cumbersome imple-
ment had anything TO commend it.
Buchan tried one. He bought q few
from time to time and encouraged the
W use tAtIt. II tIleu 1t
Weeder- He bought a riding cultiva-
! tor. He was one Of the first to bring
a disk harrow into the n~eighborhood.
He paid for these things, and ven
blind on the wisdom of getting them.
The boy at Raleigh grew familiar
with them without buying any of
them. The boy learned the strong
points end the weak points. He knew
one implement has some virtues and
some vices. that another differs in
some respects and resembles in some
respects, that everything has its uses
and its shortcomings. and he had a
lot OF experiences and Information
that the old man had been digging
put in a blind way and at considerable
cost.
Some of the implements the father
bought are standing in the tool shed
Some the father did not buy the boy
has bought. The DC man was suspi-
cious of all new things. yet anxious &c
find better things. The young mar
is familiar with the most of them
and their shortcomings are apparen'
to his eye almost as soon as a new
machine is shown.
\ Country Of Experimentation.
The father had cleared some land
Some was done with grub hoes. Some
was done with stump pullers. Som
stumps were burned out. The truth
is that if any man will take tn,
trouble to follow the valley Of Drown
ing Creek from its head in Randolph
county to the State line where i
escapes in to South Carolina dow
t in Columbus county, he will diScOve
that he has journeyed through
5 country tina has done an enormou
lot of experimenting in the last ha
: dozen years with almost every con
] ceivable thing made to sell to
! farmer.
. And in that territory he will fin
S more plumber tried out and dumpe
e on the junk pile than Woul hav
r been necessary to develop one of tn
new Western States twenty years agt
e Man Who Sizes Up Things.
Y Young Buchan, Of Drowning Creel
had seen a lot of new things as A. an
s NJ. and at Alabama Polytechnic. an
e he did not get excited when som
S agent came along with a cOntraptio
guaranteed to clear ground, milk tn
cows. saw wood. wash the dishes. pla
the pianOla, carry you to church Sun
days and rock the cradle. He simpl
e shut one eye and sized up the thin
with the eye that stayed open.
l. Life is an evolution. We make or
r thing and try it. 1t proves SOmethln
of a success. So we proceed to mai
o something to improve on it. Then Y
e improve on that. So it goes. and w
r go forever. The improvement throw
. away the cruder instrument. Thus
s. comes that half the world is maxim
improvements and the other half
h determining what to use, and Wheth'
n the Improvement is as good as II
" old weapon Some of the new thin,
e are impractical, and some are essel
y tial after we come to know them.
f The college boy at Drowning Cree
does not go wild over a lot of high
q naw things He 81
lie down and figures. So many new IN
ID Elements cost so many dollars.
at nav they must do certain work for
certain cost. They must have VOL
right along or they eat up interest al
lie depreciation charge. There is a de;
lie line tive equipment and expen
er account. That is another thing Il
Id young fellow brings home from A. al
a M. When he has figured you m
It. be sure he has a reason for adoptil
d. the plan he p%ursues. He is not shoe
es ing in the dark like the rest of US w