Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1917-03-22

(By ]. C. McAmis, Division of Exten
sion, University of Tennessee, Knox
ville.)
One may we'll think now about the
farm equipment for the next year
Lime distributors should be made a
part of this equipment, and if you de
eide to buy or make one you will want
to do so early.
The best distributor is the regular
two-horse machine, which is eight feet
wide, holds ten bushels of limestone
and costs $45 retail. Where four or
five or more men club together and
buy one Of these machines, they are
not so very expensive.
Where only a small part OF lime is
to be put out, the one-horse distrib.
utor, which does the work about half
as fast as the two-horse spreader, is
very satisfactory. This model costs
about SIS retail
You Can Make One.
II one has a knack for making
things, it is quite possible to construct
a good spreader out of material which
may be found on almost any farm.
Make a hopper similar to that of
any ordinary grain drill, except that
it should be s feet long. with sides
and taR Is to "A inches wide. Let the
bottom be 5 inches wide in the clear
and cut in it q row Of oval holes, one
inch wide, two inches long and eight
inches apart. Make false bottom
with holes in it of the same size
and shape as those of the main bot.
tom and so spaced that they will regis
ter. Let this false bottom slide loose
/ ly under the hopper, moving upon
supports made by leaving a space fol-
1T above bands Of strap iron, which
should be carried around the hopper
every two feet to strengthen it. Both
bottom pieces should be of smooth
seasoned wood, seven-eighths of an
inch thick and we'll oiled or painted
To the lower strip rivet V-shaped
arm, extending an inch in front of the
hopper, with half inch hole In the
point of the V, in which drop the end
of strong lever, boiling the lever
loosely but securely to the side of the
hopper, three or four inches above the
bottom. Let the lever extend six OF
eight inches above the top of the hop.
per, and fasten to the side of the hop.
per a guide of strap iron, in which the
Inuar frno1xy hoply nd forth
The object of this lever is to regulate
the size of the openings by moving the
bottom plate. Make frame for the
hopper with a tongue TO it, similar tc
the frame of an ordinary grain drill.
Old Material Can Be used.
Get a pair of old moving machine
wheels with ratchets on the hubs, and
two pieces of round axle of sufficient
length to pass through the wheels ano
frame and into the ends Of the hop
per, where they are welded to bar OF
iron IN inches in diameter and the
length of the inside OF the hopper. The
axles should be fitted with journals
bolted to the underside OF the frame
Make q reel to work inside of the
hopper by securing eight short arms
of one-quarter inch by three-quartel
inch iron to the axle, fastening &c
these four beaters or wings of three
Fights inch by five-eights inch iron
and about an inch shorter than the
inside of the hopper, the reel being SC
adjusted that the wings will almost
scrape the bottom Of the hopper, but
will revolve freely between the sides
These arms should be made Of two
pieces, bent so as to fit around the
axle on opposite sides and secured by
small bolts passing through the ends
and through the beater which is hello
between them. The diameter of the
complete reel is about five inches and
its length an inch or 90 less than thai
of the inside CT the hopper. This rec
serves as a force feed.
Tack two pieces Of oilcloth to the
bottom Of the hopper, one in front and
one behind, of sufficient width tc
reach the ground. These are to re
duce the annoyance to man and team