JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
July  20,  1899. 
68 
PREPARATION  FOR  RARATEST. 
“Keep  your  powder  dry”  was  Cromwell's  motto.  We  are  not 
told  that  he  included  any  advice  as  to  the  efficiency  of  the  weapons  by 
the  aid  of  which  the  powder  was  used.  No  doubt  in  those  days,  as 
now,  it  was  the  first  duty  of  the  soldier  to  keep  his  arms  bright,  clean, 
and  in  good  order. 
Now  the  farmer  does  not  find  it  necessary  or  advisable  to  keep 
his  reaping  machines  and  other  harvesting  tackle  in  good  working 
condition  all  the  year  round,  but  it  behoves  him  all  the  more  urgently 
to  set  to  work  as  soon  as  midsummer  has  passed  to  overhaul,  clean, 
put  together,  and  thoroughly  test  every  part  of  the  machines  which 
he  will  so  soon  be  depending  on  to  cut  his  grain. 
Reapers  are  things  that  very  soon  show  signs  of  wear,  and  if  we 
imagine  that  because  a  machine  was  nev  only  last  year  it  will 
require  no  repairs,  we  may  find  ourselves  much  mistaken.  Machine 
makers  are  only  human,  and  their  best  efforts  cannot  prevent  there 
being  inequalities  of  construction,  apart  from  the  fact  that  some 
sections  are  subjected  to  much  more  wear  and  tear  than  others  other¬ 
wise  they  would  wear  till  there  was  nothing  left,  as  in  the  case  of 
Wendell  Holmes’s  “one  boss  shay.” 
Yes  ;  be  the  machine  old  or  new,  we  must  see  that  it  is  in  perfect 
order,  and  as  far  as  possible  avoid  any  danger  of  a  breakdown  during 
the  precious  hours  of  sunshine,  when  the  crops  are  ripe  and  waiting  to 
be  laid  low.  There  is  nothing  more  galling  than  to  be  tinkering  a 
broken-down  reaper  on  a  fine  day,  and  listening  to  the  merry  rattle  of 
our  neighbours  over  the  fence;  whilst  in  the  case  of  a  non-binder 
the  circle  of  daily-paid  men,  unable  altogether  to  conceal  their  satisfac¬ 
tion  at  an  extra  interval  of  rest,  is  even  more  exasperating  than  their 
black  looks  and  grumbles  should  they  be  at  piece-work,  and  therefore 
suffering  from  the  delay  as  well  as  their  master. 
A  wise  man  will  purchase  duplicates  of  the  more  quickly  wearing 
parts  when  he  buys  the  machine  ;  two  or  three  spare  connecting-rods, 
a  good  supply  of  knife  sections  and  points  there  must  be,  and  no  stint 
of  rivets.  There  should  be  not  less  than  three  full  frames  of  sections 
(or  knives),  and  plenty  of  good  files.  We  have  used  mill  saw  files  for 
sharpening  reaper  sections,  and  found  them  wear  longer  than  two 
or  three  ordinary  reaper  files,  or  than  those  sold  generally  for  the 
purpose.  They  are  rather  narrow  and  thick,  and  they  file  on  their 
edges  ;  they  will  not  easily  break  under  pressure. 
After  three  or  four  years’  wear  it  is  well  to  get  duplicates  of  more 
important  parts,  for  unless  the  machine  is  parted  with  they  will 
have  to  be  got  some  time.  These  heavy  parts,  such  as  the 
driving  wheel,  are  expensive,  and  may  not  be  required  for  many  years, 
but  a  duplicate  in  stock  will  not  eat  much,  and  may  save  a  very 
vexatious  and  expensive  delay  when  a  breakdown  does  occur.  Another 
point  is  to  be  prepared  with  strong  bolts  and  nuts  to  take  the  place 
at  a  moment’s  notice  of  any  that  may  break  or  shake  off.  A  good 
man  is  supposed  to  look  well  after  his  machine  and  keep  everything 
tight  and  right,  but  the  best  of  men  have  lax  moments. 
Where  self  binders  are  used  5  cwt.  per  machine  of  twine  of  the 
best  quality  must  be  provided  for  the  start.  It  can  be  bought  more 
cheaply  in  quantity  in  advance,  and  sometimes  is  difficult  to  get  at 
all  when  wanted.  It  is  disagreeable  to  have  to  run  about  to  neigh¬ 
bours  to  borrow,  for  however  good  natured  they  may  be,  few  men  lend 
very  willingly  what  they  may  so  soon  require  themselves,  and  it  is  a 
bad  policy  to  strain  too  far  the  limits  of  good  neighbourliness. 
The  waggons  and  carts  should  be  looked  over  and  tested  as  to  the 
soundness  of  axles  and  shafts,  and  the  wheels  well  greased.  AVheels 
that  have  not  been  recently  used  must  be  examined  to  see  that  the  tires 
are  tight,  and  if  they  are  very  loose  they  had  better  be  removed  and 
put  on  again.  A  soaking  in  the  pond  will  sometimes  tighten  them  up 
sufficiently;  but  if  they  have  been  very  loose  they  soon  dry  and 
loosen  themselves  again,  whilst  the  wet  and  dry  treatment  is  not 
calculated  to  increase  the  wearing  qualities  of  the  rims,  but  the 
contrary  will  be  the  result. 
Farmers  are  everywhere  experiencing  so  much  trouble  in  obtaining 
the  essential  labour  for  their  farms  that  it  is  hardly  necessary  to 
say  how  advisable  it  is  to  procure  the  extra  force  for  the  harvest  in 
good  time.  Those  who  have  held  off,  waiting  for  wandering  Irishmen 
to  turn  up  just  when  they  weie  required,  have  had  unpleasant  ex¬ 
periences  during  the  last  three  or  four  years.  It  is  all  very  well  to 
say  that  the  labour  bill  must  be  kept  down,  and  corn  does  not  make 
enough  money  to  pay  for  unnecfssa’v  labour,  but  the  man  who  waits 
until  the  last  moment  for  fear  that  he  may  engage  one  man  more 
than  he  wants  will  have  to  put  up  with  other  people’s  leavings,  and 
is  quite  as  likely  afterwards  to  be  complaining  that  he  can  get 
nobody. 
After  all,  and  in  spite  of  all  the  reapers  and  binders,  the  most  use¬ 
ful  man  in  the  harvest  field  is  the  man  who  is  both  able  and  willing  to 
wield  a  scythe. 
WORK  ON  THE  HOME  FARM. 
Except  for  one  heavy  shower  we  have  had  a  fine  week,  and  have 
stacked  the  bulk  cf  the  hay  in  fair  condition.  It  is  not  of  the  quality  of 
last  year,  when  the  new  hayricks  were  almost  as  bright  in  colour  as  the 
pastures,  but  we  hope  that  the  quality  will  be  fair  ;  no  one  can  tell  until 
the  first  cutting  is  made  in  autumn.  If  free  from  mould  the  hay  should 
be  of  average  quality,  but  a  few  patches  of  white  fungus  will  reduce  the 
value  almost  to  nil. 
There  have  been  thunderstorms  and  heavy  rain  in  various  districts, 
but  so  far  as  we  have  seen  very  little  corn  has  been  laid,  which  shows 
that  the  crops  are  not  heavy.  We  fancy  that  phenomenal  rain  would  be 
required  to  lay  much  Barley,  as  this  crop  is  very  stunted  in  its  growth, 
and  will  cut  up  light  at  harvest.  More  rain  would  do  it  good,  and  Oats 
require  more  moisture,  too,  for  they  are  even  worse  than  the  Barley  oi» 
ihe  strong  soils.  Wheats  are  looking  very  well,  and  have  improved. 
They  promise  to  be  over  the  average,  but  at  the  present  price,  27s.  per 
quarter  will  not  count  money  up  very  fast. 
About  this  time  we  generally  see  waggon-loads  of  wool  leaving  the 
stations  for  the  manufacturing  centres.  So  far  this  season  little  has  been 
sold  ;  17s.  per  tod  is  not  tempting  to  those  who  can  afford  to  hold  over. 
Needy  sellers  who  require  the  money  for  harvest  wages  have  to  take  that 
price. 
We  see  a  suggestion  in  a  contemporary  that  the  present  price  of  wool 
does  not  pay  for  the  dipping,  clipping,  losses  from  overturning,  and  fly 
damage,  and  the  desire  is  expressed  for  a  new  kind  of  sheep  without  wool. 
This  is  not  amiss  as  a  jest,  but  if  we  had  such  an  animal  could  it  exist 
out  of  doors  through  an  English  winter. 
Plots  from  which  Tares  have  been  recently  nu  wn  may  now  be  worked, 
manured,  and  ploughed  for  growirg  winter  Cabbage  plants,  which  do  well 
if  sown  on  or  near  August  5th.  Dress  w  ith  superphosphate  at  the  rate  of 
5  cwt.  per  acre.  Sow  the  seed  broadcast  about  10  lbs.  to  the  acre.  If 
6  acres  are  to  be  planted  in  November,  1  rood  of  plants,  or  about  80,000,. 
will  be  sufficient,  and  so  in  proportion  for  smaller  or  larger  areas. 
Turnips  are  growing  well,  and  are  all  ready  for  the  hoe.  A  friend 
tells  us  that  when  men  are  scarce,  he  harrows  his  Turnips  twice  across  the 
rows  first,  and  then  thins  them  out  as  far  as  is  necessary  when  time  will 
allow. 
Turpentine  for  the  Turnif  Flea  Beetle.  —  As  consider¬ 
able  damage  appears  to  have  been  done  by  the  ravages  of  this  pest 
in  different  parts  of  the  country,  I  think  it  cannot  be  made  too  widely 
Known  that  dressing  the  seed  with  turpentine  the  night  before  sowing 
is  a  simple  and  effectual  remedy.  Several  years  ago,  a  farmer, 
writing  from  forty  years'  experience,  gave  this  as  an  unfailing  remedy* 
and  I  have  tried  it  since  with  complete  success.  While  others  in  the 
neighbourhood  have  had  to  sow  a  second  time  in  consequence  of  the 
attack  of  the  fly,  I  can  show  to  any  of  your  readers  who  may  care  to 
inspect  it,  a  full  and  excellent  plant  from  adopting  this  simple  remedy. 
Half  a  pint  of  turpentine  is  sufficient  to  dress  40  lbs.  of  seed,  but  I  would 
rather  err  on  the  side  of  using  a  little  more.  Paraffin  or  other  oils  will  not 
have  the  same  effect.  Turpentine,  being  a  spirit,  penetrates  the  seed 
(without  destroying  its  germinating  powers),  and  gives  to  the  young 
plant  a  flavour  of  turpentine,  which  tho  fly  does  not  relish,  until  the 
plant  has  got  into  the  rough  leaf,  when  it  is  safe  from  further  attack. 
— .JOHN  Hill  (in  “Worcester  Herald.'’)  [We  shall  be  obliged  by 
readers  trying  the  simple  preventive  method  advised  and  reporting 
the  effects.] 
