CARE OF FARM IMPLEMENTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1582, 18 March 1882, Page 6

CARE OF FARM IMPLEMENTS.

(Donald Reid and Co.'s Farm Circular.)

The capital required to manage a farm in the present age is very much larger than in the past. To higher rents and taxes and dearer labour must be added the expense of purchasing modern agricultural implements. It would be as absurd to attempt to farm without them as it would be to return to make textile fabrics with the rude appliances in use before the time of Arkwright. Rapidity and efficiency of work by the use of machinery is as essential to the business of the farm as to that of the factory or mine. Whatever has to be done must be done quickly. Tho flail must be abandoned for the threshing-machine, and the scythe for the reaper and mower. In the cultivation of land the old fashioned implements were tediously inefficient whenever the soil presented any difficulty in reducing it to a fine tilth, and days were wasted over what may now be accomplished in a few hours— especially when steam machinery is used. Strong iron cultivators, heavy Crosskill rollers, improved drag and chain harrows, quickly pulverise the stubborn soil in a fashion that would have surprised our grandfathers, who would be still l more astonished to see the wonderful effects of < steam cultivation., But all these ■ new'imple: ments and machines cost a great deal of money —about as much as in olden times would well • stock a farm with cattle, horses, and sheep. Many yoars ago, when a farmer was about to enter upon a holding, ho thought little of the , cost of the former, compared with what he would have to pay for the latter. Now, the outlay necessary in procuring agricultural im : plements and machinery is a matter of serious moment, and forms an important item in calculating the amount of capital required to take an arable farm. Formerly it was practically ignored, but the agriculturist who would do so in the present day would soon find his position inextricable, and that he had committed a fatal mistake.

As agricultural implements are so costly to purchase and so valuable for use, it behoves the farmer to exercise tho most careful economy in their preservation. They should be used fairly, and not abused whilst at work, and be well kept when the work of the season^ is over. A great deal of injury is done by straining machines iinnoceestu'ily. Groat neglect is alho common in not lubricating with sufficient frequency working joints, axles,, and other parts requiring oil or grease. As soon as a bolt or joint pegins to loosen it should be

ttmedi»tely attended to. The implement ahould aot be worked day after day whilst there is any loosening of its parts, as is too often done, or it will soon wear out or # break down. Attention in time to any slight irregularity will save much trouble and expense. When special portions of a machine break down and have to be renewed, it is often necessary to call in the aid of the original maker. Implement-makers^ however, prefer not to have the work of repairing, or of supplying material to mend machines of their own manufacture. They desire that farmers shall take great care of the implements bearing their name, so as not to bring discredit on the construction of the article, or on the quality of the material with which it is made. With regard to the care of implements also, as soon as the season in which they have been used is over, they should be thoroughly cleaned and placed under cover. They are too often left exposed in the fields long after their work is done,, where they are liable to accidents from animals or from malicious men. The woodwork cracks in the sun, or rots in tho rain.' The iron or Bteel puts on a thick coat of rust,' gradually destroying the material, and increasing the friction of the machine. Nothing looks so slovenly as to see farm implements and machines lying about the fields and the farmyard long after the farmer has ceased using them for the year. On the other hand, it is a pleasure to see a shed containing a lot of clean implements in good repair, ready for action at a moment's notice, when the time arrives for them to enter once more upon their round of work. The farmer who neglects his implements is always subject to annoyance as well as Joss. ' , So much capital is now invested in them that it becomes a duty and necessity to study the greatest economy in their management and preservation.