124 FARM APPLIANCES. 



CARE OF MOWING MACHINES. 



Take up the wear of the boxes by removing the stuffing. 

 If the journals have too much play they cut fast. But if 

 the boxes fit too closely, they will heat. The thickness 

 of newspaper all around each is sufficient play. Examine 

 all the nuts and tighten any that are loose. A loose nut 

 will cause the machine to wear or break; and will lose 

 off in the field, causing a vexatious delay at the least. If 

 any nut is very loose, place a leather washer under it, 

 and sink the nut in. Make quite sure that there is no 

 weak place in the whiffletrees. They always break at tho 

 wrong time, and may allow the machine and the team 

 to mire down in a muddy spot. Mind the sickles. Every 

 mower should have three sickles, so that as soon as one 

 becomes dulled, another may be put in its place. A dull 

 sickle does " ragged" cutting, and will increase the wear 

 and draft of the machine one half. Observe if the sickle 

 bar is not warped; and if the points of the sections are in 

 a perfectly straight line. A section out of line will wear 

 fast and increase the draft. Try the sections and tighten 

 any that are loose. A loose section is apt to cause a 

 breakage. A loose guard will produce the same result. 

 See that the tool-box contains claw-hammer, pincers, 

 file, sections, rivets, bolts, wire and nails ; the lack of 

 these will often require a trip from the field to the tool- 

 house. If any journals have rusted, use coal oil, every 

 few minutes, for the first half hour, driving slowly ; and 

 it is well to use coal oil on the track of the sickle, to 

 clear off the gum that gathers from the grass. The 

 machine oil often sold is poor stuff ; it is frequently neces- 

 sary to add castor oil to give it body. If too much of 

 the latter is used, however, it will gum. There is nothing 

 more satisfactory than lard (unsalted) with castor oil 

 added to give it a little body. If the lard is taken to 

 the field hot, in the morning, the sun will keep it liqui- 



