The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1917-19??, 1917-08-30

tennessee r aTHl---1GS VOC VIZ "SNS
More Crops Grow.
(By ]. c. McAmis, Division of Exten-
sion, University OF Tennessee, Knox
ville)
One may well think now about the
farm equipment for the next year.
Lime distributors should be made
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-horsa 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 sc very expensive.
Where only a small part of lime is
to be put out, the Onehorse distrlh-
utOr. which does the work about half
as fast as the two-hOrse spreader, is
very satisfactory. This model costs
about SIS retail
you Gan wake Ohe'
II one has a knack for making
things, it is quite possible to construct
a eoo6 gpreader out of material which
may be found on almost airy farm.
Make hopper similar to that of
any ordinary grain drill, except that
it should be feet long, with sides
and top 10 to "A inches wide. Let the
bottom be inches wide i'll the clear
and cut in it row OF oval holes, one
inch wide, two inches long and eight
inches apart. Make a 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 upor
supports made by leaving space for
It 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. seyen-eighths of an
inch thick and well oiled or painted.
To the lower strip rivet a 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
lever may move freely back and forth
The object Of this lever is to regulate
he size of the openings by moving the
bottom plate. Make a frame for the
hopper with a tongue to it, similar to
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 anC
frame and into the ends of the hop
per. where they are welded to bar Of
iron IL 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 a reel to work inside of thu
hopper by securing eight short arms
of one-quarter inch by three-quarteI
inch iron to the axle, fastening tC
these four heaters 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
| kdjdsted that the wings will alnos
scrape the bottom of the hopper, bu
will revolve freely between the sides
| These arms should be made Of tive
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 fS helt
! between them. The diameter of th'
complete reel is about five inches ant
its length an inch or 50 less than tina
! OF the inside of the hopper. This rec
serves as force feed.
Tack two pieces of oilclOth to thu
bottom of the hopper, one in front ant
! one behind, Of sufficient width tt
reach the ground. These are to re
duce the annoyance to man and team
! of the flying lime dust.