Care of Implements. 243 



let a little light into the matter of affording tools. Let me give 

 another illustration : When I came onto the farm, a very good 

 land roller was being manufactured here, or had been for two or 

 three years. It was the best roller made and has never been 

 equaled since, as far as work done is concerned. But it was 

 costly and complicated. I bought one the year I came here. 

 Many were sold in this locality. For a time they could be seen 

 at work or standing around, on many farms. Gradually they 

 went to the fence corners or were sold for old iron, having given 

 out. I do not remember seeing more than one during the last ten 

 years. It would be safe to say that their average working life 

 was not more than ten years, and still they were made of white 

 oak and iron mostly. I used mine twenty-two years. Last year 

 it began to show old age decidedly and must be repaired or replaced. 

 Iron rollers are now so cheap I thought it as well to buy a new one, 

 and got a Superior. I don't want to brag, but this is the difference 

 between but I am not going to say anything against my neigh- 

 bors. But this I shall confess, that I was about as careless as they 

 at first. We were very short of barn room and my roller was 

 kept in the summer when not in use under a very thick, leafy tree, 

 which shaded it well. In the winter we managed to put it in 

 under cover usually. Yes, this is the truth. But I got to think- 

 ing and figuring after a time and that sort of work was stopped. 

 Had I cared for that roller from the first as well as I did the last 

 fifteen years it would be practically almost as good as new to-day. 

 I had learned common sense before the spreader came around, or 

 that might have gone to the fence corner or rubbish heap. 

 But I said we were very short of barn room at first and gave that 

 as an excuse for not caring for roller better. It was a poor ex- 

 cuse. When I saw the waste, and thought, I found a way to stop 

 it, as little barn room as we had. Instead of a four-foot door in* the 

 end of a stable only used winters, we put in a ten-foot one and run 

 our tools all in a stable that was about 10x40 feet. It was terribly 

 unhandy having the door in the end so, but best we could do. 

 What we wanted was always at the back end and numerous tools 

 must be run out to get it. But we took care of them. And it 

 was a very unhandy place to get them in. I often had to go and 

 get wife and children to help put things up or get them out. We 

 could not then afford anything better, nor could we afford to 

 leave things out doors. Still, under such circumstances, we 

 could not always put them up as soon as we were done using 

 them. They might have to stand out several hours until the 

 day's w r ork was over and I had help to put them up. The 

 plan was an improvement and the best a poor man could then 

 do, but not perfect. The endless bother we experienced was 

 made lighter by thoughts of something better to come, and we 

 studied and figured on the easiest and most perfect and cheap 

 plan of taking care of implements. What we wanted was to get 



