LIMESTONE 181 



forming the sides of the slot serve to reduce the friction, and a 

 lever is arranged to throw this mechanism out of gear. One of the 

 pieces of sheet steel is provided with an adjustment by means of 

 which a crack is opened of any desired width, the entire length of 

 the bottom. Thus the stone falls, not through holes or in streaks, 

 but in a perfect broadcast. Several of these home-made machines 

 are in use. The draft is more than with the reel alone, but they 

 are undoubtedly more satisfactory than anything on the market. 

 The cash expense for such a machine, aside from the mower 

 wheels with axle and ratchets, has varied from less than $10 to 

 more than $20, depending on cost of material and labor. Farmers 

 with some mechanical skill hire only the necessary blacksmithing. 



HINTS ON SPREADING LIMESTONE (AND PHOSPHATE) 



In hauling and spreading limestone it is of first importance to 

 save time and labor. As a rule, it is more economical to purchase 

 both limestone and raw phosphate in bulk, and have it shipped 

 in paper-lined box cars. Wetting will do no harm except to give 

 trouble in spreading. Bags are expensive and easily damaged, 

 and with tight wagon boxes the use of bags is wholly unnecessary. 

 As a rule, the plan should be to haul the limestone direct from 

 the car to the field, and spread it at once. Only two days are 

 allowed to unload a car, although an extra day's car service costs 

 only one dollar. 



With a haul of two miles or less, and with two men, one boy, and 

 two teams, with three wagons and one spreader, 30 tons of ground 

 limestone can be taken from the car and spread over 10 to 15 acres 

 of land in two or three days, provided the roads and other condi- 

 tions are favorable. 



One man is kept in the car loading the limestone into a wagon. 

 The boy with one team hauls the loaded wagon to the field, leaves 

 it there, and takes an empty wagon back to the car, hitching at 

 once to the loaded wagon and leaving the empty wagon to be loaded. 

 The other man and team remain in the field with the spreader, 

 spreading one load while the boy is gone for the next. If an extra 

 team is at hand, the man at the car may drive to meet the empty 

 wagon and thus save some time. 



