Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 February 1911 — Winter Months on the Farm [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Winter Months on the Farm

How to Improve Them

Work for Farm Mechanics Impumy Duß D«r» With Haatiy

By PROF. C. A. OCOCK

Wisconsin CoOtf H jfgrladtar*

Every farm should be equipped with a farm shop in which the owner can repair broken parte of farm machines or make new ones and thereby save both time and mohey by making use of the winter dayß when other work Is slack. The shop may be either a small building by itself or simply corner of the barn or implement shed fitted up as a 'shop. One' rule however should be rigidly enforced; that the shop is a storehouse for the tools, and that every tool should be returned to its place in the shop after being used. The Farm Workshop. Among the essentials in the farm shop are a strong, durable work bench, an iron vise, an efficient forge, anvil, and a supply of carpenter’s tools corresponding to the needs of the individual farmer. A good forge suitable for general farm work con be purchased for $6 to sl2, or where an extra large one, is desired- it will cost

Plan of a good farm shop to be built On the end of a machine shed. about S3O. In some cases one can build his own forge and'the only expense will be for the bellows, which will cost about $4, second-hand. The best plan is to got a forge of No. 6 size, which will cost about $lO, and is both practical and efficient. The supply of carpenter's tools in the shop will vary with the individual, l>ut a few of the necessary tools include a cross-cut saw, rip saw, compass of keyhole saw, hammers, drawshave, hatchets, axes, saw set, saw file, 3 chisels (%, 1 and 2 inches), brace and set of bits, 3 planes, smoothing, finishing and block), a steel square, tri-square, bevel-square, and a spirit level. With such an equipment the average farmer can .do the greater part of his repairing on the home farm. Home Carpentry for Farmers. Among the various tasks which should occupy the farm mechanic during the slack winter period are building or repairing chicken houses, hay racks, wagon boxes, hog racks, portable panel hurdles, farm gates and various other implements, which the amateur carpenter can successfully construct or remodel. The matter of farm gates seems simple, yet on numbers of farms the makeshift gates in use are a disgrace. A serviceable and attractive gate can be easily built with double cleats at each end and the middle, and a double brace running diagonally from the top of each end cleat to the bottom of the middle cleat for re-enforcement. Repairing Tools. The farm mechanic can use his forge to excellent advantage in repairing machinery parts, broken tools, horseshoeing, and in numerous other odd Jobs which are oontlnually turning up around the farm. With a little practice he can soon acquire ability to weld together broken parts. He can also use his forge in repairing or tempering shovels, pickaxes, grubaxes, broken log chains, and other articles

of this nature. Practice Is the only essential necessary to make the fanner proficient in both welding and tempering. Concrete Work. The farm shop, or a portion of one of the barns where it la warm enough to keep concrete from freesing, la an excellent place in which to make concrete feeding troughs, fence poets or other devices during the winter. The feeding troughs are made either Vshaped or half-round like a hollowed out tree trunk. The concrete poets may oe either hollow or solid, and are re-enforced with steel or iron rods. For the feeding troughs the forms are made of green lumber, in the form of two boxes, one about four inches larger than the other. Turn the smaller one upside down on a smooth floor and put the second, which has no bottom, around the first. Fill the space with concrete and cover the bottom of the smaller box four or six Inches deep to form the bottom of tbe trough. After the concrete Is thoroughly hardened these, forma can be knocked off. In case of tbe V-shgped trough there are two triangular end boards, and the twe aide boards united al tbe bottom of the trough.

The mixture used in feeding troughs is a 1-3-6 combination; that is, 1 part cement, 3 parts sand and 6 parts clean broken stone or gravel. The stone or gravel should not be larger than onehalf inch in diameter. The sand should be free from sticks, straw or dirt, and the cement * good grade of Portland. Place the cement in the center of the pile of sand at one corner of the mixing box and mix dry until the mixture has the same color throughout. In the opposite corner place the stone and wet thoroughly; after this mix stone, sand, and cement, adding water until the whole miss has a medium consistency. Use a mason’s brick trowel' to. work out all air bubbles; leaving a smooth surface. When desired a finishing coat of 1 part cement and 2 parts sand can be used. , _ The re-enforcement can be either 3-16 inch steel or ’iron rods or double twisted barb wire. Place the re-en-forcement the same distance from the surface as its own diameter. The reenforcements should run lengthwise of the trough, with a strand at each end and one in the middle running crosswise. Making-Concrete Fence Posts. _ln making solid concrete posts a mixture of one put cement, 2% parts sand, and 6 parts clean broken stone or gravel is used. The preparation of the concrete is the same as for the troughs. The post forms should be made of a fair grade of rather green lumber, should have the inner surface Bmooth, and all joints tight, to prevent the cement from leaking away with the water. The forms permit of the post being made 7 feet long and 4x4 Inches square at the ends. The bottom board has boles to correspond to the dowel pin in the side boards, the iron clamps used preventing the side boards from spreading. The same re-enforcement as for feed troughs can be used. When filling the form with concrete, place % to % inch in the bottom of the form, then lay in two rods one on each side; continue the filling until within %~lnch of the fop, when the remaining two rods should be properly laid in. Each rod should have a hook at

Forma and cores for molding solid and hollow concrete posts. At A Is shown the parts of a form for.a solid post. At B those parts are assembled ready for making the solid post. At C la shown the same forms with the core In it for a hoi* low post. At D a tapering metal core, and at E a solid wooden core In four parts, which are-separated at F to show details of construction. each end about I Inch long to prevent the steel from slipping in the concrete when a strain is put upon the post. To provide for fastening the wtra fence to the post use the longest galvanized iron staples that can be purchased, and while the cement is still soft set them the same as you would drive them Into a wooden post Hollow Concrete Post. For hollow concrete posts the operation is the same except that there la a hole left In ohe of the end gates of the form to receive the galvanized iron core. This core should taper from 2ft inches In diameter at the bottom to 1 inch at the top. In using the cors it should be covered with a coat of oil or grease end then It can be removed In from 3 to 6 hours after the post la molded. The wood core la made in tour pieces. The two sides are flat Inside and curved outside. The two central pieces are 1 Inch thick and taper from 1% Inches to 1 inch in width. This core is 2lk inches In diameter for its entire Whan using the wooden core It Ja mom desimhie to make the post square* Iran*, epp i» bottom. To successfully use this, core, wrap It with old t *ewa»a»ev nr* thin wrapping paper. Tht* -prevents the cement from coming in direct contact with the wood and permits of the removal of the core in 10 to 20 minutes after the poet la finished. Curing the Poets. The side boards of tbe forms should be removed In 24 to 48 hours after pouring, but thd” posts should not be moved for at least one week aad then very carefully. In the meantime they should be sprinkled with water several times dally and protected from sun and wind-and from frost if it be freezing weather. Posts should cure at least 60 days before being set la the ground. During this period they should, If possible, be placed upon % bed of mold sand and thoroughly wetted each day. of material* may vary in different localities, belt the average price Including tabor will range from 18 to 30 cents per post-

PLAN OF HAY KACK.