FARM IMPLEMENTS. 247 



scantling are bolted across the top of the cross pieces near the middle, as 

 seen in the cut. The two upright pieces (4) are 20 feet long, of 2 by 6-inch 

 scantling stiffened by a 2 by -l-inch piece spiked oa the outside edgewise. 

 They would be better made of 4 by 6-inch stuff, or even 6-inch square, as 

 they are required to be stiff. The braces (5) are 2 by 4 inches, the front 

 ones a foot the longest. The weight, or block (6), may be round or square, 

 20 inches in diameter, and 2 or 2 1-2 feet long, of soUd, heavy oak, and 

 grooved on the sides next to the uprights. In the top of this is a strong 

 staple, to which the shears, which are fastened in the sliding block above, 

 catch. The grooves in the weight are 6 inches wide, to take in the whole 

 width of the uprights (four pins on each side would answer the purpose of 

 the grooves). Two 2-inch auger holes are bored through the rear portion 

 of each runner, in order to drive in stakes or a crowbar to keep the machine 

 from being drawn forward while driving the post. The working will be 

 readily understood. A chain is fastened to the front cross-piece at the 

 points where the top pieces are joined, to which the whifBetrees are hooked. 

 It is then drawn forward by the team (a span of horses or mules) until the 

 weight is over the mark for the post. The post being placed, the whiffletrees 

 .are then unhooked from the chain and hooked to the rope which pulls up 

 the weight. One to three blows ^vill drive the post in to the required depth. 

 It is then drawn forward to the next post. Two men and a span of mules 

 will drive three-fourths of a mile of posts in a day, and one man will mark 

 fur the posts and face them ready for the boards in the same time. The 

 posts are slightly pointed, and thus driven, set very firm. The cost of auch 

 ^n implement is about $25, and it will pay for itself in a few days. 



A Con-renient Tool. — A cheap tool that will prove very handy and can 

 be made very cheaply and quickly, and used for setting out plants such as 

 sweet potatoes, cabbage, tomatoes, etc. Take a round piece of wood one 

 and a half inches in diameter and about a foot long; sharpen one end neatly; 

 at the other end cut down to one inch in diameter, one inch below the end; 

 this will give a small shoulder all around. 



Take another round piece of wood the same size, or if a little larger it 

 vnW answer as well. Cut it four inches long, in the center bore a hole with 

 an inch anger, and fasten this on the top of the other piece; this will serve 

 as a handle, and the stick can be pushed down into the soil easily and pulled 

 out, and can also be used to press the dirt firmly around the roots of the 

 plants that you are setting out. Ten minutes' work will make one, and you 

 will find it very convenient for use, so as not to have to hunt around for a 

 sharp stick every time you want to set out a few plants. 



Implement for SmaU-Crop Ho«iiig_A Massachusetts farmer writes: 

 " I beg to introduce a small hoe which has not been used among the agri- 

 culturists yet. It can be made of old discarded scythe-blades, cut sloping 

 at the comers, so that the face next the ground is nine inches wide and the 

 back six inches wide. At the comers, a quarter or half inch can be turned 

 up at an angle to make a hook like a blacksmith's knife used to finish off 

 horses' feet. Then a shank of three-eighths inch wrought iron can be welded 

 on to the center, and the other end into a good handle. Any person skilled 

 in hoeing trying this hoe to single out carrots, parsnips, etc., will wonder 

 why he did not think of it before. I get an old table knife and heat it, turn- 

 ing about two inches of the end to a hook shape, to thin out my cabbage seed 

 and onion beds, cutting the ground clean and quickly between th« plants." 



