LECTURES AND ESSAYS READ AT INSTITUTES. 311 



misconceived tiie design of this honorable organization, and may hope in some 

 humble degree to further its work. 



When the merchant is about to enter into trade, he takes time to carefully 

 prepare a list of articles that he wishes to deal in, and then go to some large 

 city and carefully select them, first looking well for the place where he can 

 purchase them most cheaply, and being careful not to purchase any article on 

 which he does not think he can make at least a reasonable profit. 



When the manufacturer is about to enter upon the manufacture of a certain 

 article or articles, he considers well the kind, amount, and cost of the 

 machinery that will be needed to successfully and profitably manufacture 

 those articles. 



Now, if it is all important for the merchant to look well to the articles that 

 he purchases, simply that he may make his profits, and for the manufacturer 

 to study well the machinery needed to successfully perform his work, of how 

 much more importance is it that the farmer bestow time, labor, and care upon 

 the purchase of his implements, both in kind and quality. And especially is 

 this true in the day and age in which we live, when so much of our farm labor 

 is performed with machinery; and then there are so many implements upon 

 the market that are an infringement upon somebody's patent, or upon which 

 some one besides the manufacturer or seller holds the exclusive right, and in 

 time will come around and assert his right, or pretended right, and demand a 

 royalty, many times equal to or exceeding the actual cost of manufacturing 

 the article. 



In preparing a paper upon ''Farm Implements and their Care," my first 

 thought was, What constitutes such implements? In looking around the aver- 

 age farm we find many implements used to carry on the work of the farm 

 successfully. Let us suppose, Mr. President, that you was just about to enter 

 upon the avocation of farming for the first time, and was obliged to purchase 

 an entire new outfit. As a judicious man (for such I know you to be), I 

 think that you would first look around and count the cost; for a wise man, 

 when he is about to build, " first sitteth down and counteth the cost, whether 

 he hath suflficient to finish it." So I know of no better way than to make out 

 a bill of items, with cost of each ; and in making this bill I shall endeavor 

 not to be lavish, only enough to furnish a medium sized farm : 



One wagon $60 00 



One sleigh 25 00 



Two plows at $14 each 28 00 



Two harrows at §12 each 24 00 



One wheel cultivator 30 00 



One gang plow.. 25 00 



One grain drill SO 00 



One mower 75 00 



One harvester and binder 350 00 



One wheel-rake 25 00 



One fanuing-mill. , 25 00 



Shovels, hoes, forks, etc 13 00 



In this bill you readily see that I have made no provisions for luxuries, such 

 as covered carriages, trotting sulkies, swell-box cutters, etc., etc., and yet the 

 total reaches the sum of $7G0. 



I have not recommended any particular make or pattern of implements, for 

 there are many that are good — yes, excellent; in fact, there are but few tools 

 or implements found in the market at the present time that are of an inferior 

 quality. 



