288 MISSOURI AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



In the past fifteen years we have never been obhged to go to town 

 for double tree, single tree, neck yoke, hoe, mattock or axe handle, or 

 even for wagon or implement tongue. Six sleds, one sold for eighteen 

 dollars and one for $io, three hay ladders, one sold for $9, wagon beds, 

 gates, farm ladders, a sleigh, a cupboard, a wardrobe and many other 

 things for home use have passed over that work bench in that shop. 



The neighbors should be made welcome to use the shop and tools, 

 and if they are like my neighbors they will not abuse the privilege ac- 

 corded them. Your speaker was not brought up to the use of tools as 

 our old "kit" consisted of saw, hatchet, square, plane and drawknife, 

 but since coming to manhood has made a fine workman. Two or three 

 years ago one of my boys saw a lawn swing for sale $7.50 and asked 

 me to buy it. I proposed to buy him the lumber and let him make 

 one and he consented although it was his first complex job. The lum- 

 ber cost ninety cents and in four afternoons he had made. a better swing 

 than his model. 



The lumber for an ordinary farm gate costs $1.25, the bolts 20 and 

 the paint 15 cents. I can make and paint four of these gates in a day, 

 and they cost four dollars each at the wagonmakers in town. The 

 lumber for a farm hay rack costs about .$1.50, the bolts fifty cents and 

 the paint 20 cent3. I have made one in a day and sold it for $9. It 

 is not the saving in money and time as much as the real satisfaction in 

 being able to do these things yourself that makes the workshop so de- 

 sirable. 



I have been very glad to note that many ^lissouri farmers have 

 such a shop and make good use of it, and I urge those who have not 

 to install one upon their farms. 



FARMERS AS BEEKEEPERS. 

 (By Geo. W. \Mlliams, Humansville, ]\Io.) 



In talking on bee culture from a farmer's standpoint, let us say 

 that it is not expected that every farmer should or would become an 

 expert in the handling of bees, nor is it necessary that he should be an 

 exp"ert to produce all the honey he needs for home consumption. 



But in this day of improvement in all lines of farming, so much 

 has been said about new methods of doing everything, that the farmer 

 who is not an expert in a certain line leaves it alone or turns it over 

 to the fellow who is making a specialty of that line, and the fellow 

 who is making a specialty of the industry docs all he can to discourage 

 and dishearten the man who is following old methods and old ways 



