FARM IMPLEMENTS. 133 



horizontal position, neither pointed up or down. This secures 

 a smooth, even stubble. 



4. See that all the nuts are turned tight. The manufacturers 

 are often obliged to finish a part of their machines some months 

 before the time for using them, and all wood is liable to shrink 

 a little. 



5. Buy the verj best sperm oil, if possible. Poor oil will be 

 sure to gum up. If you cannot get sperm oil, kerosene and 

 castor oil mixed, one third of the former and two thirds of the 

 latter, will answer a good purpose. 



6. Keep the bearings well oiled, also the buttons which hold 

 the knives down to the plates in the fingers. 



7. Keep the knives sharp all the time. Take both scythes 

 into the field sharp, and once an hour or so rub the edges with 

 a sharp gritted whetstone; this saves sweating your horses, and 

 the wear upon the machine, and leaves the field looking as if 

 you understood your business. Use the scythes about equally, 

 aa they fit and work the better for it. 



8. Keep the buttons down as close to the cutter as possible, 

 and have the scythes play easily. They are made of malleable 

 iron, and will bear pounding, but in long use they are apt to 

 wear loose. Examine them frequently, and as they wear, rap 

 them down with a hammer so as to keep the edge of the cutters 

 in close contact with the edge of the steel plates in the fingers. 

 You might as well expect to cut wet paper with a dull, loose 

 jointed pair of scissors, as to cut grass with dull scythes, not in 

 their proper position. 



9. When the cutters become worn to a point, and begin to 

 grow shorter, have new ones put on ; it is the poorest economy 

 tD use them so ; like using a worn out plough point. 



10. Examine your machine carefully as soon as haying or 

 reaping is over, and if it needs any repairs, send it at once to 



