STUMP-PULLERS, DERRICKS, SLINGS. 153 



the dooryard or barnyard, to be an eyesore for years, and 

 a possible source of danger to domestic animals, or even 

 to persons passing hastily or carelessly near it. The 

 better plan is to take the machine to pieces, set aside any 

 unsound or broken wood for fuel, sell whatever iron is 

 not likely to be useful in its present shape, and carefully 

 store away in a suitable place the remaining parts, 

 whether of wood or iron, particularly bolts, gearing, etc. 

 "With a little ingenuity, and perhaps a slight outlay of 

 money, wheels and shafts from disabled reapers, mowers 

 or other machines may be put together to form a light 

 horse-power, which will be found very serviceable in 

 driving feed-cutter, corn-sheller, or farm-mill. In the 

 construction of a horse-power certain general principles 

 must be kept in mind, otherwise failure, more or less 

 complete, will be the result. The different parts must 

 be sufficiently strong to bear the strain to which they 

 will be subjected ; the bearings need to be true, and the 

 whole so securely braced and held together, that any 

 slipping of cogs will be impossible. The rate of speed 

 must be from seventy-two to one hundred and sixty rev- 

 olutions of the cutting-box shaft for every one of the 

 horse, the first being rather low for a six-foot, and the 

 second rather high for an eight-foot sweep. Since some 

 portion of the force employed is always lost through 

 friction, the fewer wheels to secure the required speed 

 and direction, the better. Hard- wood boxes are cheaper 

 and are more easily adjusted than those made of metal, 

 and, if they are kept properly greased, last, perhaps, 

 quite as long. 



An excellent portable-power can be made by taking a 

 bevel-gearing from an old discarded brick-machine, a 

 pair of spur-wheels from an ancient reaper, two or three 

 shafts and a band- wheel from other sources all odds 

 and ends picked up cheaply here and there arranging 

 them to suit the purpose, and fitting all but the band- 



