The Dermott news., 1917-08-16
MU5I TAKE CARE IF
 FARM IMPLEMENTS
There Can Be Too Much Farm Ma chinery Just as We'll as Too Little
 -Either Must Be Avoided.
By " H. Kern, Specialist in Farm lm- plements, Extension Division,
 University of Arkansas.

because Of the necessity 0f increased food and feed production. the buying. caring for and using farm machinery are subjects to which the average farmer should pay more real atten- lion. He should realize that the pur- chase of farm machinery is as much of business proposition as (he pur- chasing of pure bred bull or pure bred Duroe-Jersey hog. The farmer does not buy the pig merely for the sake Of having the pig. but he makes an investment from which he intends to realize the greatest profit. The better the farmer cares for the pig, the more net gain he realizes from his in vestment. Farm machinery is also an indispensable means of profit. and the more care taken in selecting. using and caring for farm implements. the more will be the net earnings and the most economic agriculture is not pos sble until the right kind of efficient labor and time-saving implements as the farm warrants is used.
 Too Little Machinery to the Farm.
 There can be too much farm ma chinery just as well as too little. Either is to be avoided and the sys. tenn of crop rotation and the labor problem will largely determine the amount of machinery necessary As a general rule we find too little machin- cry 10 the farm in Arkansas. If farm conditions n G1Th thot " hnrsp implements cannot be used those con- ditions should be changed.
 implements an Index to Advancement
 of Community.
 The kind Of farm implements is an index 10 the advancement of com munity From the pony blow. solid sweep middle buster community with inadequate schools and churches we pass to more highly developed coun- try with adequate schools, efficient teachers and churches of which the community is proud The proper types. use and care of farm imple. ments helped 10 accomplish this
 Points to Observe in Purchasing
 implements.
 To most farm implements the fol lowing purhasing points should be applied. hearing in mind that we are making an investment from which we expect dividend.
 Efficiency of the machine Is to be considered first of all. What is the quality Of the work tha, 1t will do. How much can be accomplished The machine should be selected with this in view. that the greatest possible amount of efficient work may be squeezed from the implement.
 Construction of the machine should be noted Will the implement stand up under the strain for at least eight years. which should be the average life with reasonable care and housing. The implement manufacturer puts out new machine and finds some parts are of weak construction. When this Is called to his attention he reinforces these parts if his aim is to help the farmer. If if is not he allows the farmer to suffer the loss. and in the - i'AA@ iitAA AN'AA aA' tAA'
 The farmer is justified in not grab hing the untried and newest machine put on the market If it Is an experi. ment he can afford to wait short while until il is tried out. If it proves a success as a time and labor saver he should not be the last to lay aside old methods and adopt new Of two equally desirable imple- ments select the one for which re. pairs can mosf readily be obtained Time worth hundreds of dolalrs can .asily be lost because of inaccessihil. ity to repairs. Purchase implements made by reliable manufacturers.
 Keeping a machine In proper revair vill materially lessen its final expense end give the owner greater satisfac- lion. Ealing wire may serve as re- pair part 10 finish the days work in some instances, but do no; try to make lt take the place of the part broken You may run the cost of upkeep of lhe machine into dollars instead Of cents. Keeping in proper repair in- eludes tightening loose nuts. oiling to lessen wear and produce less draft
 Pepper Care Means Money Saved.
 Even with our inadequate supply of farm implements there are some $25. 100000 invested in this state Annu slly the farmers lose e 900 .0O0, as nearly as it can be estimated with the present data. Were the farmer com. pelled to pay l5 10 20 per cent interest on borrowed money he would feel un- justly treated. but farm implements from the cheapest blow to the thresh- CT. are in most instances left in the weather the year around. Instead of tasting eight years or more, very often two or three years is the life of those implements. If shed room can not be provided, the implements should be painted and oiled at the end of the season. Even though shed Is ac.