American Agriculturist, September 15,1923 
187 
“Save the Surface—And You Save All” 
There Is Economy in the Use of Paint—Protect Farm Machinery Investment 
D epreciation of farm buildings 
is, to a large extent, due to decay 
or disintegration, something which can 
be almost entirely eliminated if proper 
preventative measures are taken. The 
well-known advertising slogan which 
has been appearing in recent years, 
“Save the surface and you save all,’’ is 
especially true of wood and metal which 
enters into building construction. 
There are all colors and kinds of 
paints. We have to have different colors 
of paints to satisfy not only personal 
preference but also for utilitarian rea¬ 
sons. It is necessary to have different 
kind of paints because the selection of 
the kind of paint has to be made ac¬ 
cording to the material to be painted 
and the conditions under which it must 
give service. For instance, the wear 
on a floor is much more severe than 
that on a wall, consequently floor paint 
must be tough, while resistant and 
elastic. 
Whenever the weather is decent 
enough to work out of doors it is gen¬ 
erally good enough weather in which 
to do painting. However, when it gets 
very cold painting should not be done 
and the paint will not flow well, and 
not only will it be necessary to use more 
paint but that which is applied cannot 
be worked into the thin, quick-drying 
layer that is necessary for durability. 
It is also true that sometimes the sur¬ 
faces of boards become so warm in the 
summertime, especially when they are 
exposed to the direct rays of the sun, 
that the paint will boil, or blister. It 
is well to follow the old rule laid down 
by practical painters, “lit the spring 
and fall follow the sun, in the summer 
follow the shade.” 
Dry Surface for Best Results 
Anyone can see that for the best re¬ 
sults surfaces to be painted should be 
perfectly dry. This is especially true 
of wood. If the wood is wet or damp 
and paint is applied over the surface, 
moisture will be imprisoned w'ithin the 
wood and will be likely to cause its de¬ 
terioration. In addition to this, should 
the surface become warm after the 
paint is applied, the moisture will ex¬ 
pand and cause blistering of the paint 
surface. When metal surfaces are to 
be painted they should be perfectly dry 
and clean. Galvanized iron often has 
a greasy film which should be removed 
with soap and water before paint is 
applied. 
Surfaces to be painted should also 
be worked down as smooth and clean 
as possible, for the smoother the sur¬ 
face the less paint will be needed and 
the less will be the wear on the brushes. 
In painting new wood, knots and sap 
spots should be given a coat of shellac. 
This is to imprison the extra pitch held 
in these places and to give a surface 
to which the paint will more readily 
adhere. Olcf work should be scraped 
down or burned clean with a torch so 
that all blisters, scales and rough places 
are thoroughly removed. Even on work 
that appears to be fairly smooth it is 
well to go over the surface with a stiff 
wire brush, following by a thorough 
sandpapering. 
The general practice is to apply two 
coats on new work, but it is much bet¬ 
ter to apply three. As much service 
can be gotten out of one three-coat ap¬ 
plication as out of two two-coat appli¬ 
cations. The first or priming coat 
should contain considerable oil with lit¬ 
tle coloring matter. Subsequent coats 
should contain sufficient pigment to 
carry the color well and make an 
opaque coating. All the coats should 
be very thoroughly worked out. Sev¬ 
eral thin coats are much more durable 
than few thick ones. 
The durability of paints depends to a 
large extent on their purity. The pro¬ 
fessional painter may be able to mix 
his own paints very satisfactorily, but 
it is doubtful if the individual user, 
who buys paints in comparatively small 
quantities, can do this to any degree of 
profit. It would be better for him to 
buy ready-mixed paints from a good 
dealer who handles reliable, well- 
advertised brands. If necessary to thin 
paints, only pure linseed oil or turpen¬ 
tine should be used. 
In going over surfaces that have 
been previously painted, combine com¬ 
mon sense and elbow grease with paint. 
Should the old paint be in fairly good 
condition, but be marked with thin, hard 
lines which appear only on the sur¬ 
face, it is an indication that more oil 
is needed. The first new coat should 
be thinned with equal parts of oil, lin¬ 
seed oil and turpentine so as to give 
elasticity and life to the under coat. If 
scaling or powdering has occurred to 
any extent, then complete removal of 
the old paint is the most satisfying 
procedure. Sometimes on old work 
there are small spots which, due to 
some peculiarity of the wood, often 
do not hold the paint well. These 
should be very carefully scraped down 
and touched up with a thin coat of 
paint thinned with turpentine. 
MAKE YOUR OWN BRUSHES 
R. S. CLARY 
Small brushes can be made at home, 
either for pleasure or for profit, with 
very little trouble and expense. They 
can be used for many purposes, for 
anything from painting to shaving, if 
the bristles are exceptionally soft. To 
make these brushes, all the material 
you need is a smhll amount of wood, a 
few handfuls of hog bristles, a knife, 
some sandpaper, and a few feet of soft 
copper wire. The stick is first cut with 
one end forked. A small bunch of 
bristles is then inserted in the fork, at 
right angles to the stick, with the cen¬ 
ter of the bunch in the crotch of the 
fork. The ends of the fork are then 
bound together by wire. After this, 
the bristles are doubled together so 
that their ends are about the same 
length, and in this position bound with 
more copper wire. The ends are then 
clipped to make them even, and your 
brush is complete. The handle of the 
brush may be sandpapered, polished, 
and varnished if a finished job is 
desired. _ 
PROTECT FARM MACHINERY 
INVESTMENT 
CARL R. WOODWARD 
How many farmers would leave $25, 
$50, and even $100 in bills out in the 
open during an entire winter! Sounds 
absurd, but scores of such bills, in-their 
equivalent of farm implements, are left 
in the shelter of broad skies all the 
year. Few farmers who follow this 
practice do so with a realization of the 
great loss they are sustaining on the 
money invested. 
A hundred dollar machine left out of 
shelter over winter means a loss of 
from five to fifteen dollars. At this 
rate it is quite evident that a machin¬ 
ery shed would be paid for in two or 
three years, even at present building 
costs. 
A suitable shelter having been pro¬ 
vided it is essential to store the imple¬ 
ments properly. If the shed has a dirt 
floor, keep machinery from resting di¬ 
rectly on ground. Place a board at least 
under all supporting parts. In order 
to prevent rust, thoroughly cover all 
polished surfaces, such as plowshares, 
mold boards and cultivator shovels, 
mower knives and the like, with com¬ 
mon axle grease. All adjusting screws 
and nuts should "be thoroughly oiled 
with ordinary machine oil. Every 
wheel, hub and bearing, after a careful 
cleaning, should be packed with hard 
grease and replaced. Drills in which 
lime or fertilizer are used must be 
carefully cleaned, kerosene oil being 
liberally applied to all parts exposed 
to the fertilizer. Binder canvases 
should be hung up by wire to prevent 
damage from mice. 
Liberal use of paint is the next step 
in keeping machinery in the best condi¬ 
tion. Of course all parts must be freed 
from dirt and grease. Then paint the 
wood with a good grade of paint pig¬ 
ment mixed with linseed oil. All metal 
parts, except those greased, must be 
well covered with the best metal paint. 
When the cleaning, greasing and 
painting is being done, one can also 
make note of each broken or worn part 
that needs to be replaced. These can 
be secured during the winter, and when 
the spring and summer work calls for 
the various implements, they will be 
ready for duty. How much more satis¬ 
factory than to be compelled to sacri¬ 
fice a day or more for repairing at a 
time when the machine is needed most. 
A coat of paint in time and a shelter would have added years to their 
usefulness 
Farm implements represent a heavy investment. With the harvest over, 
that investment should be protected with paint and shelter 
CATTLE BREEDERS 
Sophie Tormentor Jersey Bull 
Sire by Sophie 19th’s Tormentor 
Dam by Sophie 19th’s Son 
$150 00 
I’.. .Ian. ’23. Solid Golden Fawn, liluek Point. O.K. 
Ordinary care, 2 milkings, at 3 .years old. Darns K. of. M. 
359 lbs. Fat in 305 days. 
— 6.84% — 
In last six weeks eight youngsters sold into Kentucky, 
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, 
and Vermont. 
Herd accredited. Surjilus checks returned. 
WOOD FARM, _ HATHORNE, MASS. 
GUERNSEYS 
Choice 
young cows and 
heifers for sale 
GORDON HALL 
OSCEOLA FARMS CRANFORD, N. J. 
HOLSTEIN BULLS FOR SALE 
Sons of 
DUTCHLAND COLANTHA SIR INKA 
FISHKILL FARMS, Hopewell Junction, N. Y. 
HENRY MORGENTHAU, Jr„ Owner 
HOLSTEINS and GUERNSEYS 
Fresh cows and springers, 100 head of the finest 
quality to select from. Address 
A. F. SAUNDERS, CORTLAND, N. Y. 
HOLSTEINS 
Two car loads high-class grade springers. The 
kind that please. One car load registered females. 
Well bred, strictly high-class. Several registered 
service bulls. J. A. LEACH, CORTLAND, N. Y. 
SWINE BREEDERS 
142-PIGS FOR SALE-142 
Yorkshire and Chester White Crosses; Chester and 
Berkshire Cross Pigs, 6 to 7 weeks old, $4 each; 7 to 
8 weeks old. $4.50 each; 8 to 9 weeks, $5 each. Pure 
Chester White Pigs, 6 to 7 weeks old, $5.50 each. 
Pure Black Berkshires, 7 to 8 weeks old. $5.50 each. 
Pure Breed Boars, $7 each. I will ship any part of 
the above lots C.O. D.on approval. 1 will guarantee 
safe delivery as far as the Agriculturist goes. 
WALTER LUX, 388 Salem St., WOBURN, MASS. 
LARGE BERKSHIRES AT HIGHWOOD 
Grand champion breeding. Largest herd in America. Free booklet. 
| HARPENDING BOX 10 DUNDEE. N.Y. 
CHESTER WHITE PIGS Ee fxS re each free 
MV AX OSMTJN Black Creek, N. V. 
Big Type Chester Whites Bloodlines, Pigs, $10 each. 
Prepaid. GEO. F. GltlFFIE, R. 3, NEWVILI.E, PA. 
Big Type Polands a "nes ; P iow s 
prices. Write me. G. S. HALL, FARM DALE, OHIO. 
DEPfQTEDEn ft I r AND CHESTER WHITE BIOS, 
KLulMEiKLU U. 1. L. e. p.rogers, watviele, k. t. 
SHEEP BREEDERS 
is offering an Advanced Registry 
Hampshire Ram. Also yearling 
and lamb rams. 
EARL D. BROWN ILION. N. Y., R. No. 2 
BABY CHICKS 
_._ v 
( BABY CLICKS 
S. C. Rhode Island Reds, 12c each 
; Barred Rocks, .... 11c each 
S. C. W. Leghorns, . . 9c each 
[ Mixed or Off Color, . . 7c each 
These chicks are all hatched from free range stock. 
Safe delivery and satisfaction guaranteed. Descriptive 
booklet free. 
W. A. LAUVER, McALISTERVILLE, PA. 
Bar Rock Pullets, handsome. Heavy Laying Stock. 
$1.50 each. Lots of 100 or more $1 35. Brown Leg> 
horn Pullets $1.25. White Leghorn Pullets $1.25 each. 
Inspection invited. Registered Airdale Pups $25. 
HUMMER’S POULTRY FARM 
FRENCHTOWN, N. J., R. 1 
I ApPC QTArif flue Poultry,Turkeys,Geese,Ducks, Guineas, 
LnllUL OlUUiV Bantams, Collies, Pigeons, Chicks, Stock, 
Eggs, low; catalog. PIONEER FARMS, Telford, Pennsylvania. 
A JOB THAT WILL PAY YOUWELL 
If you want to make a good salary and 
expenses, tell us what experience you 
have had in selling to farmers. 
We have vacancies for a few more 
hustling salesmen who like to work for 
good pay. 
Write us for particulars. Mention the 
counties you prefer in case your own 
county is already taken. 
Don’t apply unless you are an enthu¬ 
siastic believer in the great value of A. A. 
to every farm family in the east. 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST 
461 Fourth Avenue New York City 
