330 Kansas State Board of Agriculture. 



Oil is cheaper than repairs. 



Special oil and grease for special conditions. 



Always use lubricant recommended by the manufacturer, or a 



better grade. 



Oil little at a time and frequently. 

 When through for season tag parts needing repair. 

 Order repairs early. 

 Have machine ready for season's work before the spring rush 



is on. 



Paint acts as a preservative to both wood and steel. 

 Rust is as destructive as wear. 



Grease polished surfaces when implement is not in use. 

 Life of machine and the quality of work is lessened by lack of 



care. 



Machine sheds are good investments. But if a shed can not be had, 

 it is still possible to give the machine good care by 



(1) Painting. 



(2) Removing polished parts, such as sickles and cultivator shovels, 

 and placing them in a dry room over winter. 



A workshop is very important. Slight repairs can be made at home 

 on rainy days, thus saving a trip to town. Buy a few carpenter and 

 blacksmith tools. 



SUMMARY. 



With few exceptions, the machines discussed are very common and are 

 used for other crops besides alfalfa. A few points should be emphasized : 



First. Utilize every machine on hand to the fullest extent before buy- 

 ing a new implement. 



Second. Consider well all items of expense with or without a machine. 



Third. Select new machines carefully. 



Fourth. Understand fully the methods of operation. 



Fifth. All machines deserve good care. 



Approximately one-fifth of the alfalfa seed used in the United States 

 is imported, and practically all of this imported seed now comes from 

 Russian Turkestan. Commercial Turkestan is the cheapest alfalfa seed 

 in the European market, and its wholesale price in this country is less 

 than that of domestic-grown seed, while the retail price of Turkestan 

 alfalfa seed in this country is usually higher than that of domestic seed ; 

 consequently the seedsman's profit on it is greater than on domestic seed. 

 Commercial Turkestan alfalfa is particularly unsuited to the humid 

 eastern portion of the United States, while it is not as hardy as other 

 strains in the North, and everywhere it recovers slowly after cutting, 

 thus reducing the hay yield. It is relatively short-lived and is a poor 

 seed producer. Russian knapweed, a weed similar in manner of growth 

 to quack grass, Johnson grass and Canada thistle, is constantly being 

 introduced in Turkestan alfalfa seed, and by the presence of this weed 

 seed commercial Turkestan seed may be easily identified. Department 

 Bulletin No. 1&8, U. S. Department of Agriculture. 



