The Harrison times., 1917-08-04
MUST TAKE CARE OF
FARM IMPLEMENTS
There Can Be Too Much Farm Ma
ehinery Just as Well as Too Little
Either Must Be Avoided.
BY V. II. Kern, Specialist in Farm I'm
plements, Extension Division,
University OF Arkansas.

because of the necessity Of 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-
/ ton. He should realize that the pur-
chase of farm machinery is as much
/ of a business proposition as he pur-
/ chasing of a pure bred bull or pure
bred Duroc-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
sible 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 to the farm in Arkansas If farm
ing conditions are such that two-horse
implements cannot be used, those con-
dtions should be changed.
Implements an Index to Advancement
Of Community
The kind Of farm implements Is an
index to the advancement of a COM
munity. From the pony plow solid
sweep, middle buster community with
inadequate schools and churches we
pass to a 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 to accomplish this.
Points to Observe in Purchasing
implements.
To most farm implements the fol
lowing purchasing points should be
applied, bearing in mind that we are
making an investment from which we
expect a dividend.
Efficiency of the machine Is to be
considered first of all. What is the
quality of the work that It 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. VIII 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
a 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 it is not he allows the
farmer to suffer the loss, and in the
long run both are the losers.
The farmer is justified in not grab
bing the untried and newest machine
put on the market, If it is an expert
ment he can afford to wait a short
while until it is tried out, If It
proves a success as 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 most readily be obtained.
Time worth hundreds Of dolalrs can
easily be lost because of inaccessible
ity to repairs. Purchase implements
made by reliable manufacturers
Keeping machine In proper repair
will materially lessen It's final expense
and give the owner greater satsfac-
ton Baling wire may serve as re-
pair part to finish the days work In
some instances, trt do not try tomake
It take the place Of the part broken
You may run the cost of upkeep OF
the machine into dollars instead Of
cents. Keeping in proper repair in
cludos tightening loose nuts, oilng to
lessen wear and produce less draft.
Proper Care Means Money Saved.
Even with our inadequate supply Of
farm implements there are some S25,.
| 100000 invested in this state, Annu.
ally the farmers lose $2,00O,0OO, as
nearly as it can be estimated with the
present data Were the farmer com
PEELED to pay Is to 90 per cent interest
on borrowed money he would Feel un.
Justly treated, but farm implements,
from the cheapest pillow to the thresh.
er, are in most instances left in the
weather the year around, Instead Of
lasting 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 a shed Is ac-
i