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Kansas State Board of Agriculture. 



MAINTAINING SOIL FERTILITY. 



Manure Spreaders. 



Several features of the manure spreader are important. Endless 

 aprons are found on more spreaders to-day than either the return or 

 web types, although it is more easily fouled and it is difficult to unload 

 evenly at the last. It is preferred on account of its simplicity as com- 

 pared with the web apron. 



As little as possible of the mechanism should be in motion when the 

 beater or cylinder is thrown out of gear. 



Apron drives are of two kinds ratchet and worm. Both have ad- 

 vantages and disadvantages. The ratchet drive gives a great range of 

 speeds, but is more complicated and the motion is intermittent, thus in- 

 creasing the chance of breakage. Racing when ascending a hill with a 

 load is prevented on a few machines by either a brake or some other 

 device. The power is also taken from the cylinders. 



FIG. 242. The lime and fertilizer sower. 



The worm drive, on the other hand, gives constant motion, and the 

 power is taken direct from one of the rear wheels, but the apron has only 

 three or four speeds, and the gears are apt to wear out quickly. To 

 prevent this rapid wearing a few companies enclose their worm gear 

 in an oil-tight case. Both styles of drives are very common. 



The low-down feature of the construction makes loading much easier. 

 On many farms obstructions of one kind or another make it almost im- 

 possible to use machines of the lowest type, for the clearance is not suffi- 

 cient. 



Wide-spread attachments of widely different design have been brought 

 out within the past two years. The object is to spread wider than the 

 box, so one trip across the field will cover more ground. No reports as 

 yet have come in, so a comparison can not be made. 



