St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1921-10-08

A knowledge OF Gasoline
prepared by the United States Depart
ment Of Agriculture.)
Thousands of farmers in all parts
Of the country use gasoline engines as
a source Of at least part OF their
power. The number In every branch
Of farming is increasing rapidly. From
the production Of crops to their har-.
vest and preparation TOR sale, ana
even their transportation to market,
the gasoline engine facilitates the
business of farming. Tractors, gas
engines to run belt machinery and mo-
tortrucks are enabling farmers to In
crease their operations. It is, there
fore, good business on the part OF the
farmer to use them whenever time, Ia
Dor and costs can be reduced.
W Though the gas engine, whether the
stationary type, tractor, truck OF ar-
tomobile, Is a great labor saver wher
operated efficiently, it is also at times
the cause OF a great labor waste. Often
large crews hired to help with thresh-
ing, hay baling, cutting ensilage, etc..
draw full wages for hours spent In
idleness owing to inefficient handling
Of the engine A man will sometimes
spend much more time and energy IN
starting a gas engine to pump water
for stock, run milking machine or
for some other similar purpose, than
would be required to do the work by
hand. Such lost time Is to great ex-
tent preventable. Gas engines are not
difficult to operate, and delays from
engine trouble are usually due to the
operators lack Of knowledge Of some
Of the details essential to proficient
operation, say specialists Of the United
States Department Of Agriculture.
Keep Engines In Repair.
The first essential In gasoline engine
operation Is to keep 1t in good repair,
say the specialists. All catalogues
and directions furnished by the manu-
facturer should be studied carefully.
Most manufacturers publish instruc-
tons on the care and operation OF the
engines they manufacture, and In or
der to get the most satisfactory re-
suits from an engine the owner should
study and put into practice these In
structions.
Every one who operates gas en-
CINE should learn first to stop and rea-
son as to the probable cause OF any
trouble which develops. In tracing
trouble a definite system should be
followed. When an engine refuses to
start the trouble will, with very few
exceptions, be due to some Interrupt
ton Of the supply or the proper mix
ture Of gas and air, or to the failure
Of the electrical system which fur-
nishes the spark to fire the COM
pressed mixture Every system to To-
cate trouble should take these two
points into consideration.
Testing the ignition System.
With all engines using spark plugs
1t Is comparatively easy to ascertain
| whether electrical or Ignition system
Ii working properly. Remove the plug
and by taking it apart see If the por-
celain is not broken. See that the
points are properly spaced and re.
move the deposit Of carbon. A space
Of about one thirty-second Of an inch
the thickness Of worn dime-is
the proper distance between the
points. -.
To test the spark connect the wire
with the plug and place the latter Sc
| that the metal base touches the en-
CINE casting, then crank the engine
and note whether a spark Jumps the
space between the points. This spark
should be heavy blue, bluish-whlte
or fiat" yellow one looking like 8
small fame. But If 1t Is thin and
| greenish, or showing red, the chances
| are it Is too weak to fire the charge
Of gasoline In such case, or If there
is no spark, trouble may be In the
| wire connections, or the magnetic, o.
II dry cells are used, they may be too
weak. See that all the wire Is prop
erly insulated and not soaked will
oil, and that all connections are tight
! and clean. If there Is no trouble II
the wiring and dry cells are used, the
latter may be tested by attaching tn.
wires direct to the points Of the cells
Though magnetos seldom give trouble
If there Is every reason to believe tina
It is not functioning properly, |
should be taken to an expert for re
pairs.
See That Fuel 10 Supplied.
When an examination shows that ,
good spark Is being obtained at tn
right time, the next step IS to se
whether the engine is receiving tn
proper mixture of fuel and air. Ex
mine the carburetor and make sur
hat the gasoline reaches 1t properly
'ometimes water gets into the car
| ,rotor and gives considerable trouble
ts,fs "enenn tre csrhnretOr an
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THE TICK MADE AN OUTLAW b
STATE OF OKLAHOMA