16 MECHANICS. 



The implements and machines which every farmer 

 must have who does his work well are numerous and 

 often costly. A farm of one hundred acres requires 

 the aid of nearly all the following : two good plows, a 

 small plow, a subsoiler, a single and two-horse culti^ 

 vator, a drill-barrow, a roller, a harrow, a fannmg-mill 

 a straw-cutter, a root-slicer, a farm wagon with hay 

 rack, an ox-cart, a horse-cart, wheel-barrow, sled, shov 

 els, spades, hoes, hay-forks and manure-forks, hand 

 rakes and revolving rakes, scythes and gram-cradles 

 grain-shovel, maul and wedges, pick, axes, wood-saw 

 turnip-hook, hay-knife, apple-ladders, and many other 

 smaller conveniences. The capital for thus furnisliing 

 in the best mamier all the farms m the Union has 

 been computed to amount to five hundred millions of 

 dollars, and as much more is estimated to be yearly 

 paid for the labor of men and horses throughout the 

 country at large. 



To increase the effective force of labor only one fifth 

 would, therefore, add annually one hundred millions in 

 the aggi'egate to the profits of farming ; while on the 

 other hand, if we look back fifty years to the imperfect 

 implements then in use, we may at once perceive the 

 vast amount saved by the improvements since made ; 

 and when, especially, we notice the condition of bar- 

 barous nations, and contrast that condition with our 

 own — ^the former tliinly scattered in comfortless hovels 

 through far-stretching and gloomy forests, subsisting 

 mainly by hunting and fishing, and often suffering 

 from hunger and cold ; the latter blessed with smooth, 

 cultivated fields, green meadows, and golden harvests, 

 interspersed with comfortable farm-houses; with the 



