The Springdale news., 1917-07-20
MUST TAKE CARE OF
FARM PIGMENTS
There Can Be Too Much Farm Ma
chinery Just as Well as Too Little
Either Must Be Avoided
BY v H. Kern, Specialist in Farm I'm
Elements, Extension Division,
University of Arkansas.

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 thatfh pur-
chase of farm machinery is as much
of a business proposition as the pur-
chasing Of 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-saying implements as
the farm warrants is used.
Too Little Machinery to the Farm.
There can be too much farm ma
ehfnery just as we'll 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
general rule We find too little machfn-
cry TO the farm in Arkansas IF farm
Ing conditions are such that two=horse
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 to the advancement of a com.
munity. From the pony pillow, 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 nipple
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
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 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 ma. 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 manufacturN outs 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 HELM the +
farmer. If it is not, he allows the I
farmer to suffer the loss. and in the T
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 7
ment he can afford to wait short |
while until it is tried out. IF il
proves a success as a time and labor +
saver he should not be the last to Law
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
ty to repairs. Purchase implements
made by reliable manufacturers.
Keeping machine in proper repair
will materially lessen its final expense +
and give the owner greater satisfac- T
ton. Baling wire may serve as a re-
pair part to finish the days work in +
some instances. but do not try to make T
It take the place Of the part broken. F
You may run the cost of upkeep OF F
The machine into dollars instead of F
cents. Keeping in proper repair in
eludes tightening loose nuts. oiling to
essen wear and produce less draft.
Proper Care Means Money Saved.
Even with our inadequate supply of
arm implements there are some $685.
100000 invested in this state Annu-
Ally the farmers lose $4,000 600. as
nearly as it can be estimated with the
present data. Were the farmer COM
oelled to pay Is to 20 per cent interest
IN borrowed money he would feel I'M
Justly treated. but farm implements,
rom the cheapest pillow to the thresh-
er, are in most instances left in the
weather. the year around Instead of
asting eight years or more, very often
wo 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 &C
sessible, all wearing surfaces should
.,.Na.