90 FARM MECHANICS 



bors for electric lighting and for power purposes. 

 Standard machinery is manufactured for just such 

 plants. 



The question of harnessing a stream on your own 

 land when you control both banks is a simple business 

 proposition. If anyone else can set up a plausible plea 

 of riparian rights, flood damage, interstate complica- 

 tions or interference with navigation, it then becomes 

 a question of litigation to be decided by some succeed- 

 ing generation. 



STEAM BOILER AND ENGINE 



Farm engines usually are of two different types, 

 steam engines and gasoline or oil engines. Steam sta- 

 tionary engines are used on dairy farms because steam 

 is the best known means of keeping a dairy clean and 

 sanitary. The boiler that furnishes power to run the 

 engine also supplies steam to heat water and steam for 

 sterilizing bottles, cans and other utensils. 



For some unaccountable reason steam engines are 

 more reliable than gasoline engines. At the same time 

 they require more attention, that is, the boilers do. 

 Steam engines have been known to perform their tasks 

 year after year without balking and without repairs 

 or attention of any kind except to feed steam and oil 

 into the necessary parts, and occasionally repack the 

 stuffing boxes. 



On the other hand, boilers require superintendence 

 to feed them with both fuel and water. The amount 

 of time varies greatly. If the boiler is very much 

 larger than the engine, that is, if the boiler is big 

 enough to furnish steam for two such engines, it will 

 furnish steam for one engine and only half try. This 

 means that the fireman can raise 40 or 60 pounds of 



