1910 . 
707 
A BEGINNER WITH GASOLINE POWER. 
Getting Acquainted With an Engine. 
The gasoline engine shown in the picture, Fig. 299, 
was purchased to run the feed grinder shown at the 
left. The engine is a two-horse power, is reversible 
and being a two-cycle design is light in weight and is 
easily moved by one man. When the engine came the 
crate was taken off, the lubricators, sparking plug 
and priming cap screwed into place and after putting 
it on a level floor gasoline was put in the tank, cy¬ 
linder oil in the lubricators and the water tank filled 
to the proper depth. Of course directions accom¬ 
panied the engine, and I was careful to do every¬ 
thing just as directed. The engine started off prompt¬ 
ly the first trial, and as yet I have had no trouble 
in that regard. At the first trial the engine was not 
secured to the floor, and in fact the floor was not 
the best in the world, yet it seemed that the engine 
should have run with less vibration. Without a load 
the engine would skip explosions due to the action 
of the governor and to getting too much fuel, and 
the engine would almost jump off the floor, shake 
the water out of the tank and cause the entire build¬ 
ing to vibrate. However when belted to the mill, 
both mill and engine fastened down 
and the hopper filled with grain, the en¬ 
gine ran much better, exploding at every 
revolution or practically so, and running 
with much less vibration. As shown in 
the picture the engine and mill are fas¬ 
tened down to a heavy floor, in turn se¬ 
cured to a solid foundation and while 
some vibration is noticeable it is not 
at all objectionable. Before putting this 
engine on the permanent base a neigh¬ 
bor came to see it and the mill. 1 
started the thing going for his benefit, 
and though it started off at the first 
effort, yet it ran a little worse than 
usual, and to make matters worse too 
much oil had accidentally got into the 
cylinder, hiaking a fog of smoke as it 
burned. One of us stood on the engine 
and the other on the mill, thus manag¬ 
ing to keep them on the floor while 
grinding some feed. However, a few 
days later I went to see his big four¬ 
cycle engine run and though it was 
on a heavy floor and screwed down and 
had low speed, yet there was far too 
much vibration, and he is planning a 
better foundation. 
There are many more four-cycle en¬ 
gines used on the farm than there are 
of the two-cycle, the latter being the 
engine of the aulombbile, motor boat 
and hying machine. Such usage is hard 
and trying enough and lightness is very 
desirable, when every extra pound is a 
serious handicap, but for the farm 
weight does not matter so much, while 
simplicity and wearing quality are more 
important. The two-cycle engine is sim¬ 
ple enough, but as to wearing out 1 do 
not know as yet. Usually I start my 
engine by opening the lubricators, clos¬ 
ing the electric switch and turning the 
engine over in the direction 1 want it to 
run. If there is no gasoline in the 
fuel injector this must be half filled with 
gasoline, a little put into the cylinder 
through the priming cup, and perhaps 
some squirted into the air intake valve 
before starting. For most effective 
speed the control lever should be pushed about three 
inches beyond the vertical in an opposite direction to 
that in which the engine is running. To stop it is 
only needed to open the switch and close the lubri¬ 
cators. In cold weather the cooling tank must be 
emptied after using and filled again before using the 
engine. The batteries and gasoline supply must be 
looked after or one might find himself without power 
when most needed. So far I have only used this 
engine to run the feed mill shown in the picture, but 
hope to have it run an emery wheel, corn sheller and 
perhaps a wood saw. The mill-is shown with a fly¬ 
wheel but I find that with the short belt used it runs 
much better without. Though the engine governs 
about as well as possible for gasoline engines, yet 
there is some variation in speed and of course the 
inertia of this big wheel would jerk the belt, causing 
much flapping on the slack side. Though I have not 
yet found how much gasoline it takes to grind a 
bushel of corn I have come to the conclusion that it 
is too expensive to grind corn and cob meal to a 
desirable fineness. I can grind seven bushels per 
hour of shelled corn and grind it fine enough with 
this mill when speeded at about 300 revolutions per 
minute but at same speed and grinding coarser was 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
able to grind only three bushels- of cobs and all. 
This mill has seven-inch grinding plates, and with 
corn the two-horse engine pulls it easily, but when 
grinding other grain it would take more power or 
less grain he let into the burrs. 
There are a number of little things about which 
directions sent with machinery, and especially adver¬ 
tisements, are not explicit enough, and which you must 
find out by experience or have some one point them 
out, but unless your informant is in position to know, 
better find out yourseif. Experts from the shops 
sometimes are given to slapbang methods, and Seem 
to care more for making a show than to give honest 
and valuable service. There are but few cases where 
gasoline engines can take the place of horses or men, 
hut to supplement the work of help and teams the 
engine is in many instances a valuable factor, and in 
each case tlfe engine must be used as circumstances 
demand. Some of the uses gasoline engines are rec¬ 
ommended for are of value to the man who has them 
to sell, chiefly, and only as talking points. Obviously 
it would be foolish to buy gasoline and take the trou¬ 
ble to start the engine for a job that can easily be 
done by hand, and in less time than it takes to put 
on a belt and start the thing. Of course there is 
plenty of use for an engine on most farms, else so 
many would not be sold,but it is the heavy profitable 
jobs that make them a good investment. In closing, 
I wish to remind the reader that in running the gaso¬ 
line engine it. is important to use the proper cylinder 
oil, and to see that the lubricators feed properly, to 
see that all bearings are properly oiled and that no 
oil gets on the electric contacts. Be sure that all 
battery connections are tight, and all working parts 
of the engine are properly adjusted and then refrain 
from unnecessary tinkering. If in order any engine 
will run, and if an engine refuses to go something is 
wrong, and one must set out in a methodical manner 
to locate the trouble and remedy it. Much engine 
trouble results from lack of mechanical knowledge. 
Ohio. W. E. DUCK WALE. 
KILLING WEEDS BY SPRAYING. 
Farmers are undoubtedly spending more time at 
this season of the year trying to control weeds than 
on all their other chores put together. Statistics show 
that the damage done by weeds to the crops of the 
farmers in this country amounts to more than their 
taxes. Notwithstanding these facts the weeds have 
been a great blessing to agriculture in that they first 
compelled the farmer to cultivate his crops, thus con¬ 
serving moisture and making the plant food more 
available. Even though weeds have done a lot of 
good, our proposition at present is to get rid of as 
many as possible. For truck and hoed crops, thorough 
cultivation is undoubtedly the best method, but for 
lawns, fence corners, roadsides, grain crops and mow¬ 
ings, some other method must be pursued. Spraying 
with sulphate of iron, a by-product in the manufac¬ 
ture of steel, has solved this last problem. If weeds 
are very troublesonre in truck crops, it certainly will 
pay to use the sulphate of iron on them, although it 
does appear to injure the leaves of the crop at the time. 
It either blackens and shrivels up the leaves, or makes 
shot holes in them, thus stunting the growth for a 
week or 10 days. Experiments, however, show that 
the growing hud is uninjured and that in a few days 
no difference can be sC£n in the sprayed and unsprayed 
plants. Some crops, as strawberries and tomatoes, 
actually show a better “set” of fruit when they have 
been sprayed with iron sulphate. 
Right here it might be appropriate to say a word or 
two to farmers who think that they are practicing 
clean culture in their potato and cornfields. Many 
a good farmer believes that lie is con¬ 
trolling the weeds when he keeps down 
everything between the rows and the 
hills, but accidentally or carelessly leaves 
two or three weeds in the hill. He is, 
however, helping the weeds along, for 
these weeds will grow flourish and pro¬ 
duce very vigorous seeds which are sure 
to come up if given half a chance. Above 
all tilings, be very thorough when prac¬ 
ticing clean culture. Dandelions, mus¬ 
tards, daisies and some other very ob¬ 
noxious weed pests in mowings can be 
controlled by spraying with sulphate of 
iron. Dand.lions in the lawn can also 
be killed by giving four or five differ¬ 
ent applications without any harm to the 
grass on the lawn. It should not be ap¬ 
plied, however, until about 48 hours after 
the lawn has been mowed. Apply the 
spray only in bright weather. Put on 
the first application while the dande¬ 
lion’s leaves and growing buds are grow¬ 
ing vigorously, and before the seed starts 
to form. Do not spray again until 
leaves show again. About 95 per cent 
of the dandelions ought to be destroyed 
in this way. Lawn grass seed should be 
scattered over the lawn to fill up the 
bare places. The lawn will not stay 
free unless all dandelions nearby are 
treated in the same way, because the 
seed is scattered at such a distance by 
a slight wind. Weeds in fence corners, 
along roadsides and in other unused 
places can be destroyed to a large extent 
by spraying with iron sulphate. It is in 
oat and other grain fields that the great¬ 
est loss is caused by weeds and experi¬ 
ment has shown that right here, iron sul¬ 
phate comes to the rescue. To start 
with, only the best and the cleanest seed 
should be bought and planted. If far¬ 
mers would oidy demand better seeds 
and stricter laws on such things, the 
damage done by weeds would be mate¬ 
rially lessened. 
The first requirement for success by 
spraying with iron sulphate is a good 
spray pump, and nozzles that will put 
out a fine mist instead of small drops. The pumps should 
produce at least 100 pounds pressure at the nozzles. 
Spray only on bright sunny days, at least 24 hours be¬ 
fore a rain. Spray when the weeds have their third to, 
fifth leaves on, in order to accomplish the best results. 
Use about 320 pounds per acre in a 20 per cent solu¬ 
tion, or about 50 gallons per acre. Iron sulphate or sul¬ 
phate of iron can be purchased at almost any good 
agricultural supply store, and is easily prepared by 
emptying proper amount into a barrel, putting in the 
required amount of water and then stirring thoroughly 
until mixed. Strain very carefully before putting it 
into the spray pump. People trying this new method 
of killing weeds should experiment with it on a small 
scale until they thoroughly understand it and what 
strength to use. Numerous experiments arc being car¬ 
ried on at different experiment stations as to strength 
of solution, time of application, what to use for a 
sticker, and valuable results are anticipated along this 
line this year. a. r. t. 
Massachusetts. 
R. N.-Y.—In North Dakota where this form of 
weed killing has become quite common practice, the 
standard strength is 75 to 100 pounds of sulphate of 
iron in 52 gallons of water. 
NEW MEXICO IRRIGATION ; 2,300 GALLONS PER MINUTE. Fig. 298. 
A GASOLINE HIRED MAN. Fig. 299. 
