The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1915-10-14
THE STITCH IN TINE
Plan to Repair buildings, Machinery. and
Equipment During the Winter Months.

So long as good weather continues in
the fall most farmers are so busy with
threshing, corn and potato harvest. fall
seeding. hauling, etc.. that less import
ant work is usually postponed until win
ter. However, the exercise OF a II tie
thought and the expenditure of very
| few minutes at this season will often
save not only hours but days later on
wher the weather and roads get bad and
outdoor work is impossible.
Then the odd jobs of overhaullng the
farm equipment, repairing, painting, etc. Z,
which have been put off until slack
season, will require attention; but all too
often the necessary materials will not be
on hand, and the work will be delayed I'M
til it is possible to make trip to town,
and not infrequently it remains undone
until the busy season the following year,
when necessity demands it.
A list should be made of the things
that will be wanted for this work. 1t
will only take few minutes to jot them
down as they are brought to mind, and
then on the next trip to town they may
be bought and set aside so they will be
ready when wanted. The condition of
the different machines which will, or
should be, overhauled should be noted,
and the parts which will need to be re-
placed purchased. Then there are the
odd jobs of repairing buildings, fences,
gates, etc., which will require lumber
and nails. There is no need to make an
extra trip for them when wanted; they
may be brought home the next time
load is taken to town. Likewise the lum-
Der ard hardware for the small jobs of
construction which should be done before
fh0 tnfc oil md
brushes which will be required in paint
inside woodW ork, furniture, ETC., and,
above all, the necessary materials for
the improvements planned for the house
should be obtained, so that they can be
completed this winter and not have to
wait another year.
Everyone knows how much more salts
factory it is to have the necessary equip
ment ready to perform a piece OF work
when an opportunity presents than to
get started on it and then find that it
will have to be postponed until trip
can be made to town, which, even it the
roads are good and the trip can be made
at once, means loss of time and added
expense.
1t is astonishing how much can be ac-
complished on rainy days or during slack
times, when the tools and materials are
at hand. and there should be no difficulty
in overhauling practically every imple-
ment on the farm during the winter sea-
son and have them ready for next sea-
sons work. The value of these STITCHES
in time" is frequently out of all proper
ton to the small amount of time they
require. Aside from the satisfaction of
having each implement in frst-class
shape when it is needed, there is the
actual saving accomplished by avoiding
having horses and hired help standing
idle while repairs are being made, which,
in turn, frequently means loss of part
of crop.
1t is useless to go into detail concern
ing the many jobs which can be accom-
plished with profit during the winter
months; there are plenty of them which
will occur to the farmer who will spend
a few minutes in considering the matter.