The Elk Mountain pilot., 1919-11-20

rvr- The Broad Road
prepared by the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture)
Probably you d" not believe that
''the sins of the 'athers are visited
upon the sons. even to the third and
fourth generations"
You wouldn't believe. perhaps, that
leaving your plows and harrows In
fence corners this winter without even
greasing them may be sign that
spells poverty instead of prosperity
for your grandson. 1t may not, but
well. listen to story.
Two young men. brOthers-ln-law,
took their wives. cows. horses, and
plows into new land in 1910. As
pioneer farmers. they began with
equal opportunities. Sixty-seven years
later the writer had occasion to go
over the two farms. The grandsons Of
the pioneers were operating them. One
farm was u good one and the men who
operated II, while not rich, were COM
Portable and contented. The other was
q rundown, poor farm and its owners
were constantly hard rut to make ends
meet.
The original owner of the rundown
farm had been dead a great many years.
hut the man who pioneered on the
prosperous farm was alive. 90 years
old. physically active, mentally sharp
as briar. The writer. unable to zee
why there should be 10 much differ
ence between two farms that were
equally fertile to begin with, asked
the old man how 1t came about.
Jimmie Was Careless.
, 81 don't know-well, 1 reckon I do
hoo" he began. "Jimmie was a good
man. hut he> was mighty careiess
When he finished laying by his corn,
he left his plow in the furrOw and
hung his gear on the bean. or leaned
them against q stump. When he start
ed plowfng the next spring. he had to
dig his collar and names out Of the
dirt. all muddy and rotten. and his
pl0w was rusty and wouldn't scOur."
Now, of course. this old gentleman
was wrong in thinking that lack Of
shelter for his implements was the
cause Of his brothers failure. hut he
had pointed out an effect that was
Indicative of the cause. just as his
own well-kept Implement sheds were
indicative of the cause Of his own
success. The brothers rust-pitted mold
board merely went to show that he
was n poor farmer all around.
The United States department Of
agriculture corrObOrates the testimony
OF the old gentleman In its general
application. Good farmers, says the
department. take care of their imple-
ments. They may not always find 1t
convenient or profitable to build ex-
pensive sheds for their tools. but they
will manage to protect them from
moisture in one way or another.
Plow 10 Neglected.
In this day of complicated machin-
cry most farmers probably give little
thought to the care of so simple an
implement as plow. But, says the
department. more effort has been ex-:
pended In the slow process OF develop
ing this seemingly simple tool than
in that of any other implement on the
farm. 1t is the basic ,tillage tool. the
fundamental farm Implement, 1t is
richly entitled to be properly cared
for when not in use.
When laid by. say the implement
experts. the plOw should. II possible.
he stored in dry place. away from
contact with the ground. In any case
the bright parts should always be
coated with grease to prevent rust.
Once the mold board and share have
became pitted with rust. an efficient
job of psowing cannot be done until
the corroded parts again have &C,
quired polish by use.
The department Of agriculture. OF
course. does not stop with the plow
in it's ndmonition in this regard. sHar-
rows. also relatively, simple but tre-
mendously important implements. are,
next to plows. most. generally neglect.
ed. Many farmers who would not neg
}, lect an expensive harvesting machine.
say the experts. are careless as to
harrows and other implements Of this
type. But these, also. represent capital
Invested and larger return is pos
sible. II they are properly cared for
ut the end of the season. e--r -"
Support Harrow's Teeth.
II harrows are stored under a shed
the teeth should be supported by
blockf AID boards 70 that they will