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COEMCLL^MWCWITT 
 
Cornell University 
 Library 
 
 The original of tliis bool< is in 
 tine Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924080109832 
 
A TIME-HONORED HANDY DEVICE 
 
Handy 
 Farm Devices 
 
 and 
 How to Make Them 
 
 By Rolfe Cobleigh 
 
 Associate Editor American Agriculturist 
 
 ILLUSTkATED 
 
 NEW YORK 
 
 ORANGE JUDD COMPANY 
 
 1912 
 
Copyright, 1909) by 
 ORANGE JUDD COMPANY 
 
 All Rights Reserved. 
 
 Feinted in U. S. A. 
 
By Way of IntrodacUon 
 
 SUCCESS comes to the man who so works 
 that his efforts will bring the most and the 
 best results — not to the man who simply 
 works hard. It is the know-how, things-to- 
 do-with and economy that count. Labor-saving 
 machinery has revolutionized many a trade and 
 industry. It has made farming an industry and a 
 science of possibilities undreamed of and unattain- 
 able a hundred years ago. But it is not enough for 
 the modern farm to be equipped with the best tools 
 and machinery that shops and factories turn out, to 
 know how to use them and keep them in repair. 
 There are many handy devices, not made in any 
 factory and not sold in any store, that every intel- 
 ligent man can make himself, which save money 
 and labor and time. Inventive men are constantly 
 contriving simple but valuable things to meet the 
 needs of their own practical experience. We are all 
 the time hunting after and gathering these ideas. 
 Now we are putting a lot of the best ones into this 
 book. We are trying, by words and pictures, to 
 explain clearly Just how to make each device. 
 Everything described is tried and practical. Some 
 are old, many are new, alF are good for the purpose 
 intended. They represent the practical, successful 
 experience of farmers and other wide-awake 
 workers all over the United States, 
 
4 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 This book is broader than its title. The over- 
 flow of good measure includes a valuable chapter 
 on the steel square and its uses. Nowhere else has 
 this subject been handled in a way so easily under- 
 stood, with confusing mathematics cut out. We 
 especially commend this chapter to our readers. 
 We also present some good house and barn plans, 
 that will be appreciated by those who contemplate 
 building. 
 
 In addition to the direct benefit to be derived 
 from doing what the book tells how to do, we have 
 in mind the larger purpose of education toward 
 putting more thought into our work and doing 
 what we have to do the easiest, the cheapest and 
 the quickest way. Out of it all, we trust our 
 readers will make progress toward greater pros- 
 perity, greater happiness and greater usefulness. 
 
CONTENTS BY CHAPTERS 
 
 Page 
 
 Workshop and Tools ..... 7 
 
 The Steel Square . . . », . 19 
 
 In and Around the House . ;. « ;. 37 
 
 Barns and Stock . . . . , 83 
 
 Poultry and Bees • .; :« «, , 115 
 
 Garden and Orchard . :., w w .: 131 
 
 Field and Wood . . . m ;« .154 
 
 Gates and Doors . x cj m . I74 
 
 When We Build . ,., . », ;. 189 
 
 Worth Knowing . . . ..1 «; 233 
 
"VNTORK • Sff OP 
 •AND ■ TOOLS • 
 
 THE FARMER'S WORKSHOP 
 
 "■n^^^'lHERE is no doubt that of all the 
 
 » H handy farm devices good tools 
 
 *RJ^ H head the list. So, in this book, we 
 
 QmK JI^ are going to start with carpenter 
 
 tools and the place to keep and use 
 
 them. Every farmer ought to have 
 
 a workshop in which he can do odd 
 
 jobs and make things when the weather prevents 
 
 out-of-door work, or at times when there is little to 
 
 do on the form. Economy and thrift demand that 
 
 a farmer should have and keep in good condition 
 
 a few essential carpenter tools. First of all he 
 
 should have a long, strong, smooth-top bench and, 
 
 either on racks above the bench or in a tool chest, 
 
 he should keep in order, and where he can easily 
 
 find them when wanted, his stock of carpenter 
 
 tools. Some of the tools that will be found useful 
 
 are the following: 
 
 A rip saw, a crosscut saw, a back saw, and a 
 compass saw; a jack plane, a fore plane, and a 
 smoothing plane; a shave or drawing knife; two 
 or three chisels of different sizes for woodworking 
 and a cold chisel for metal ; a gouge or two ; a good 
 hatchet; two or three hammers, including a tack 
 hammer and a bell-faced claw hammer; a brace 
 or bit stock with a set of half a dozen or more bits 
 of different sizes ; one or more gimlets ; a mallet ; a 
 nail set, a large screw driver and a small one; a 
 gauge; a spirit level; a miter box; a good car- 
 penter's square — No. loo is a good standard size; 
 
8 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 compasses or dividers ; cut nippers, a pair of small 
 pincers and a pair of large ones; a rasp; a large, 
 flat file; at least one medium-sized three-cornered 
 file and a half-round file. 
 
 It is poor economy to buy cheap tools. Of course 
 extravagance is to be avoided, but be sure that you 
 get first-class material in every tool you buy. It is 
 a good plan to get a good practical carpenter to 
 assist you in selecting your tools. Keep on hand in 
 the shop a variety of nails, brads and tacks, screws, 
 rivets, bolts, washers and nuts, and such small 
 articles of builders' hardware that are likely to be 
 needed occasionally, including hinges, hasps and 
 staples and some sand-paper. Have a good plumb 
 line, chalk and pencils. Keep in a handy place a 
 jar of a good liquid glue, and some cement. See to 
 it that the shop contains a good stock of well-sea- 
 soned lumber, both hard wood and soft. 
 
 Attached to the bench should be a bench screw 
 or vise. This need not be an expensive one, but 
 should be of good size and strong. There should 
 also be a pair of carpenter's saw benches, a shaving 
 horse, a small anvil and a grindstone. Every 
 farmer has a grindstone somewhere about the 
 buildings, but it is a great convenience to have a 
 good one in the workshop. 
 
 A corner of the shop should be devoted to paint- 
 ing supplies, including several colors of good 
 Standard ready-mixed paints and stains, raw linseed 
 oil, boiled linseed oil, turpentine, varnish, putty, 
 points for setting glass, several brushes of different 
 sizes, a good putty knife and panes of glass of dif- 
 ferent sizes ready for emergency. 
 
 A farmer ought to be able to do occasional little 
 jobs of soldering. He needs soldering iron, a bar 
 of solder, resin, a little bottle of soldering fluid. 
 
WORKSHOP AND TOOLS 9 
 
 which can be purchased already prepared, also a 
 small sheet-iron furnace in which to heat the sol- 
 dering iron. 
 
 It would cost quite a tidy sum to buy all these 
 things at once, but they can be gradually accumu- 
 lated as one is able to purchase them, and then the 
 outfit should be kept complete. Whenever any- 
 thing in the shop is broken, worn out, or disappears 
 it should be replaced. 
 
 Whenever farm implements or anything about 
 the barn or house are broken or out of order, they 
 should be properly fixed. Often a few minutes 
 spent at the right time will make a thing almost 
 as good as new, while, if neglected, it may soon get 
 beyond repair and have to be thrown away. A 
 thrifty farmer always keeps his farm implements 
 well housed and in repair. It is not what we earn, 
 but what we save, that makes us rich. It is quite 
 as important to stop the leaks as it is to figure on 
 big profits directly. 
 
 RUNNING THE GRINDSTONE 
 
 If the face of the grindstone is hard and glazed 
 pour a little sand on the stone every few minutes 
 until the glaze is worn off and the stone will cut 
 like a new one. This condition is caused by ex- 
 posing the stone to the weather. It is best to keep 
 the stone in a shed under cover, but if this is not 
 possible, set it under a tree and put a box over it 
 when not in use. It is surprising how easy a little 
 oil on the bearings will make the stone run. A few 
 drops of kerosene will cut the gum if it runs hard 
 and then some oil or axle grease will make it go 
 easy. 
 
 It is hard to stand on one foot and work the 
 
10 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 treadle with the other. The job can be made easy 
 by bolting two boards to the grindstone frame, and 
 extending it 2 feet, on which place a seat as shown 
 
 HANDY GRINDSTONE RIG 
 
 in the cut. An uneven stone needs to be cut down 
 and toned up. This can be done by grinding against 
 the end of a piece of pipe, having the stone dry. 
 
 Good nature is as contagious as the measles. Put 
 on your best smile when you get up in the morning 
 and observe how everybody will greet you with a 
 sunny face. 
 
 A HOMEMADE ANVIL 
 
 A homemade anvil can be constructed from a 
 4-foot piece of railroad rail mounted on a trestle, as 
 shown in the sketch. This affair will stand a lot 
 
WORKSHOP AND TOOLS 
 
 II 
 
 of heavy pounding, and comes in handy in many 
 ways. The rail is just about the right shape to 
 make an anvil. 
 
 RAIL ANVIL 
 
 MAKING A NEW TOOL 
 
 A very handy wrench for many kinds of work, 
 such as making gates and con- 
 trivances, where small bolts are 
 used, is shown in the cut. From 
 4 small monkey wrench remove 
 the wooden handle, and weld the 
 metal part to an old bit-stock, 
 as shown in the cut. This per- 
 mits of very rapid work in screw- 
 ing up small bolts. Where there 
 are so many things to do as there 
 are on a farm, it pays to do 
 things in the easiest and quickest ^"'^"STOCK wrench 
 way. This is one of the real time-savers. 
 
 Learn to live, and live to learn, 
 
 Ignorance like a fire doth burn, 
 
 Little tasks make large return. — Bayard Taylor- 
 
12 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 HOW TO MAKE A SHAVING HORSE 
 
 One of the most useful devices on a farm is a 
 shaving horse. Make a bench i8 feet high of a 
 good 2-inch plank, c, level oflf the edges so that it 
 will make a comfortable seat. Upon this place a 
 slanting platform, b, through which is cut a hole 
 in which the clamp, a, works. 
 
 The clamp must be made of heavy hard wood 
 that is tough and will not split. The shank, /, must 
 
 SHAVING HORSE 
 
 be an extension of the clamp, a. Several holes in 
 the plank will allow the clamp to be raised so as 
 to take in larger pieces of wood. The treadle, g, is 
 kept in place by a peg at h. To operate this horse 
 the workman places his foot upon the treadle, 
 inserts the wood to be clamped under the edge of a, 
 and pushes backward upon the treadle. This 
 clamps the wood and the drawing knife can be used 
 readily and much more rapidly than with a vise. 
 
 A CONVENIENT FARM HORSE 
 
 On the farm there is continual use for such a 
 horse as is shown in the drawing. Not only when 
 
WORKSHOP AND TOOLS 1$ 
 
 doing little jobs of carpentering, but also in many 
 other operations, such a support is found neces- 
 sary. This little horse is an improvement over the 
 ordinary sti£E affair, in that it shuts together when 
 not in use, and so can be packed out of the way. 
 
 HORSE READY FOR USE 
 
 It is made of boards cut in strips, the two hori- 
 zontal boards at the top being hinged together, as 
 shown herewith. While in use the legs are kept 
 apart by long hooks, as may be plainly seen in the 
 picture. 
 
 When tillage begins, other arts follow. The farm- 
 ers, therefore, are the founders of human civili- 
 zation. — Daniel Webster. 
 
 A WIRE SPLICER 
 
 The neatest and strongest splice can be made 
 with this little instrument. It is a strip of iron I 
 inch wide and }i inch thick. One end is cut nar- 
 row and is bent into a hook large enough to fit 
 
14 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 ■neatly the largest wife to be spliced. At the sides 
 of this two notches are filed, as shown at the left. 
 -At the right the splicer is seen in position on the 
 wire. The splicer 
 should be turned ( (f \ 
 backward, as it ap- 
 pears in the right- 
 hand drawing, to 
 make the splice. A 
 pair of large pin- 
 cers or a vise 
 should be used 
 to hold the two 
 wires between the 
 coils while turning 
 the splicer. The 
 
 splice as finished appears above. The length of 
 the handle may vary. If the splicer is to be used 
 for net wire, of course the handle cannot be longer 
 than the width of the mesh. Otherwise, 6 or 7 
 inches is about right for No. 8 wire. If it is to be 
 used only for small wire, the length of the handle 
 should be reduced for the sake of convenience. 
 
 WIRE SPLICING 
 
 SERVICEABLE HOMEMADE LEVEL 
 
 A serviceable level is shown in the illustration. 
 Take two i-inch boards of rather hard wood, well- 
 seasoned, 2 to 3 feet long, bolt or screw them 
 together at right angles. This 
 union must be so strong as never 
 to be moved by ordinary pressure. 
 At the top of the perpendicular 
 piece cut a slit and insert a piece 
 of strong thread. To the bottom 
 LEVEL of the thread tie a thin circular 
 
WORKSHOP AND TOOLS 
 
 15 
 
 weight. Lay the device across two trestles of nearly 
 the same level. Just above the weight mark the 
 place where the string hangs. Reverse the posi- 
 tion of the instrument by turning it end for end, 
 and again mark the position of the string. Half 
 way between the two marks place a third. When 
 the string hangs over this mark the lower board 
 will be level. A shield of tin may be placed over 
 the weight. A nail on each side of the string, just 
 above the weight, will keep it from swinging far 
 out of place. It must be allowed to swing freely. 
 A simple level may be improvised by filling a 
 small flat bottle with water, so that only a bubble 
 of air remains, and attaching it lengthwise and 
 near the middle of a straight stick or narrow 
 board. 
 
 TO MAKE A HANDLE STAY ON 
 
 To secure the handle of a hammer or ax is often 
 quite a bothersome problem. A special wedge made 
 with a piece of wood as at a, in 
 the sketch, held in place by a 
 fence staple, b, has been devised 
 to meet the need for a wedge 
 that really holds. The prongs of 
 the staple should be bent slightly 
 outward before it is driven in, so 
 that they will spread in the han- 
 dle. There is little danger of 
 handles coming loose when they 
 are attached in this manner, and 
 it is little more difficult to set a handle as indicated 
 than in the old-fashioned way. 
 
 HOLDS WEDGE 
 
1 6 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 A TOOL BOX REQUISITE 
 
 Among the handiest things to have in the tool 
 box are some small bolts about 2 inches long with 
 thumb nuts. A dozen or so of these will prove 
 their, value many times over in the course of a year. 
 In making tables for fairs or suppers or in any sort 
 of knock-down arrangement, or temporary con- 
 venience where strength is essential, nothing sur- 
 passes a bolt of this description. With a brace 
 and a bit the right size, one may be entirely inde- 
 pendent of nails and screws. 
 
 A farmer friend of ours was once called upon to 
 make a fence about a child's crib without any mar- 
 ring nails. A slot in the fence post with a thumb 
 bolt just above the crib line gave an alligator jaw 
 result which was very satisfactory. On another 
 occasion a knock-down stage was carried from the 
 storeroom in pieces and put together by two men 
 in 20 minutes. An actual computation of its 
 strength showed that a locomotive might safely 
 run over it. 
 
 The man referred to above has 100 feet of tables 
 for hall purposes, depending entirely upon the 2- 
 inch bolt and thumb nut for their fastenings and 
 braces. There is never any trouble about knock- 
 ing out nails. To one having a brace and bit these 
 handy things will suggest of themselves many satis- 
 factory uses. A supply of iron washers should be 
 kept in hand, and in time a collection of various 
 sizes of wooden washers will accumulate. 
 
 SOLDERING 
 
 Soldering may be done by anyone having a very 
 simple outfit. All that is required is a copper sol- 
 
WORKSHOP AND TOOLS I7 
 
 dering iron, some solder, a vial of muriatic acid 
 and some resin. A fairly successful job of solder- 
 ing a tin dish may be done by scraping the surface 
 bright where the hole is, sprinkling on a little finely 
 powdered resin, laying on a bit of solder and hold- 
 ing the dish over a flame, which may be from an 
 alcohol lamp, until th* solder melts. It will cover 
 the hole and stick. If the dish is rusty or badly 
 tarnished use muriatic acid in place of resin. 
 Resin works best when tin is bright, but usually 
 solder sticks most successfully when the acid is 
 used. 
 
 For soldering large breaks or doing important 
 jobs of soldering the iron must be used. In order 
 to work well the iron has to be kept coated with 
 solder. When it gets blackened it should be filed 
 until bright and then rubbed upon a smooth board 
 while hot in a mixture of melted solder and resin. 
 When the hot iron is taken from the fire wipe it on 
 a damp cloth before trying to use it to lift the 
 melted solder. A soldering iron is best heated in 
 charcoal or the coals of a wood fire. The copper 
 should never get red hot, as that causes the coating 
 of the point to be burned ofJ. The metal to be 
 soldered must always be heated before the solder 
 will unite it. 
 
 Solder may be obtained in bars at any tin shop. 
 It can be made by melting together 2 parts of lead 
 and I of bar tin. This is the usual proportion for 
 most purposes. Soft solder that will melt quickly 
 and can be easily used for mending tinware can be 
 made of pure lead and tin in equal parts. A hard 
 solder is made by melting together 2 parts of cop- 
 per to I of tin. Brazing solder is made by melting 
 together brass and one-sixth its weight of zinc. 
 When cool it should be granulated by pounding 
 
1 8 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 with a hammer. For soldering steel and iron to 
 brass the following combination of metal is melted 
 together, 3 parts tin, 39J4 copper, and 7^ zinc. 
 Before it is applied, all the metals to be jointed 
 together must be heated to the same temperature 
 as the soldering alloy. Gold solder is made of 24 
 parts gold, 2 parts silver and i part copper. A 
 hard silver solder is made of 4 parts silver to i of 
 copper. A soft silver solder is made of 2 parts 
 silver to i of brass. 
 
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 Use of the Steel Square 
 
 BY J. HAMILTON ELLIOT 
 
 
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 A steel square, often 
 
 called a carpenter's 
 
 square, can be found in 
 
 almost any kit of me- 
 chanic's tools and a 
 
 little knowledge of 
 
 this instrument will 
 
 aid the user to perform 
 
 many problems easily 
 
 and quickly that other- 
 wise might prove dif- 
 ficult. Squares of dif- 
 ferent kinds and mate- 
 rials have been used by 
 mechanics in all ages. 
 The first were made of 
 wood and were used 
 in the construction of 
 the earliest buildings of which we 
 have historic record. The squares 
 of today are made of steel, finely 
 polished and stamped with many 
 
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20 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 figures, tables and rules, according to the taste of 
 the manufacturer and the special mechanic for 
 whom they are designed. 
 
 We will not attempt to deal with the several 
 special kinds or makes, taking up only a few of 
 the possibilities of the standard 2-foot square. This 
 is 2 feet long on the blade, which is two inches 
 wide, and it is i6 or i8 inches on the tongue or 
 angular leg. The latter is 15^ inches wide. Be- 
 ginning at the heel or corner of the square, inches 
 and fractions of inches are marked. It is neces- 
 sary that the marking be in this way, in order to 
 form the different combinations desired in connec- 
 tion with the different problems which have to be 
 solved. A few of these problems are explained in 
 the following pages. 
 
 LUMBER RULE 
 
 On the side of the blade of the square that is 
 divided into inches and eighths is placed the lum- 
 ber rule or scale. This is used for computing the 
 number of feet in board measure contained in a 
 given board or piece of lumber. We show a 
 picture of a section cut from the center of 
 the lumber rule. The space running length- 
 wise of the blade between the parallel lines, 
 contains the number of feet board measure 
 for a given width of board. The first space is for 
 boards 8 inches wide, the second for those 9 inches 
 wide, the third for those 10 inches wide and so on. 
 To determine the space which should be used for 
 any given width, look under the 12-inch mark on 
 the outside edge of the blade. These numbers 
 give the width of the board, also the number of feet 
 board measure. If a board is 10 inches wide and 
 12 feet long, it contains 10 feet board measure. 
 
USE OF THE STEEL SQUARE 
 
 21 
 
 Now let it be required to find the number of feet 
 board measure in a board 13 inches wide and 11 
 feet long. Find the space for boards 13 inches 
 wide under the 12-inch mark on the square, follow 
 this space to the left and under the ii-inch mark 
 on the square will be found the answer desired: 
 II — II. This is read li feet and ^Yiz, and is the 
 number of feet board measure contained in a board 
 
 ill III Mill II II 11 II II II III II II III II II 
 111 12 13' 'l4 
 
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 7-* 8- 8-8 <i-¥ 3 
 
 8-5 ft- 9-9 io-e \ 
 
 9- a JO- K~JO JJ-B \ 
 
 10- J 11- ii-ii m-io 1 
 
 11- n 13- if-i iS-& 
 
 1^-10 IJ/.-. IS-B. /«-4» 
 
 B-a 15- K~^ 17-6 
 
 , ,10, ,11, la 13 
 
 lLl ik lii jJi iL ill iL ill ilJ 
 
 LUMBER RULE 
 
 13 inches wide and 11 feet long. With a little 
 practice, anyone can measure lumber or timber and 
 check up his bills for this kind of material. 
 
 Do not confound foot board measure with square 
 feet. Square feet are in surface measure, with no 
 reference to thickness, while a foot board measure 
 is the equivalent of a foot square and i inch in 
 thickness. The square feet of a 3-inch plank would 
 contain 3 feet board measure. 
 
 After becoming familiar with the use of the lum- 
 ber rule, as described above, you will discover that 
 the space may be taken to contain the amounts for 
 a. given width and the different lengths in feet as 
 represented in the different columns, or the space 
 may be taken as containing the amounts for a 
 
22 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 given length and the different widths arranged in 
 columns; therefore, find either length in feet or 
 width in inches under the 12-inch mark and follow 
 this space until under the inch mark representing 
 the other measurement. In this space will be 
 found the feet board measure. 
 
 BRACE RULE 
 
USE OF THE STEEL SQUARE 
 
 23 
 
 THE BRACE RULE 
 
 The brace rule is on the tongue of the square, 
 and has a series of figures representing the rise or 
 vertical height, the run or horizontal reach and the 
 true length of a brace. For example, they are 
 written 2%^ 38 19 and 4%g 63 64. These would be read 
 27 inches run, 27 inches rise and a length of 38 and 
 i%oo inches, and 45 inches run, 45 inches rise and a 
 length of 63 and ^Yioo inches. 
 
 A glance at the illustration on page 22 will give 
 a good idea of the application of the brace rule 
 as it appears on almost any modern make of square. 
 
 FIGURE I 
 
 THE OCTAGON SCALE 
 
 There is an octagon scale on one side of the 
 tongue of the square, but we will not attempt to 
 explain its use, as there are easier and simpler 
 methods of obtaining the same result. 
 
24 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 One method is shown in Figure i. To obtaiti 
 the lines on a square stick where the corners should 
 come when converted into an octagon or eight- 
 sided stick: Lay the square on the one side of 
 the square stick at such an angle that the end of 
 the square will come exactly at the edges or cor- 
 ners of the stick, make a dot on the 7-inch mark 
 and at the 17-inch mark. Through these dots 
 gauge or mark a line parallel with the edge of the 
 stick. Continue this operation on all of the four 
 sides. This gives the lines for the corners of an 
 octagon. In making a flag-pole or spar for a boat 
 or to round any large stick this is the operation 
 used by all mechanics doing the work by hand. 
 
 THE MITER BOX 
 
 Of all homemade devices, one of the most fre- 
 quently used in the shop is the miter box. After 
 
 the box is put to- 
 gether it is a sim- 
 ple problem, with 
 the use of a steel 
 square, to make 
 the cuts necessary 
 to intersect two 
 pieces of wood, as 
 shown in Figure 
 2. First, the box 
 must be straight 
 and true and the 
 sides form a 
 perfect right 
 angle or square 
 with the bottom. 
 Lay the steel 
 FIGURE 5A square on the top 
 
USE OF THE STEEL SQUARE 
 
 25 
 
 of the box so that the 12-inch mark on the blade 
 and the 12-inch mark on the tongue will both come 
 
 FIGURES S AND 4 
 
26 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 exactly on the edge of the box. This gives the 
 miter cut of the intersection of the angle of a per- 
 fect square, as shown in Figure 2. Figure 3 shows 
 the manner of placing the square on the box to give 
 the desired angle. 
 
 A sprung molding, which is a molding not solid 
 ■on the back, as shown in Figure 4, must be placed 
 in the box bottom side up as shown in Figure 5, so 
 as to get a solid bearing to hold it. Cuts in the 
 box to miter around an eight-sided figure or an octa- 
 gon, as shown in 5A, can be obtained by using 7 
 inches and 17 inches, marking the cut on the 7-inch 
 side, as shown in Figure 5. 
 
 TRUING THE SQUARE 
 
 After obtaining a steel square, the first and most 
 essential thing is to test or prove it to see that it is 
 accurate, forming the angle of a perfect square. 
 
 FIGURE 6 
 
 Take a board planed on one side and straighten one 
 edge of it. perfectly as described under Making a 
 Straight Edge. Make a mark across this board 
 
USE OF THE STEEL SQUARE 
 
 27 
 
 with the square, as shown in Figure 6, Position A, 
 then reverse the square to Position B. If the 
 square is true it should exactly fit the mark made. 
 It is necessary to work very accurately, making 
 the mark with the point of a knife and having the 
 edge of the board absolutely straight. 
 
 If the square is found to be out or inaccurate, it 
 is not necessary to throw it away; it can be made 
 true by a simple method by any handy mechanic. 
 If you do not possess an anvil, make a substitute \3y 
 
 FIGURE 7 
 
 sticking the ax into a chopping block, lay the 
 square on the head of the ax so that the bearing 
 will come from the throat or inside angle to the 
 heel or outside of the square. To close up the 
 angle, strike with a hammer a sharp blow at a 
 point near the heel; to open the angle, strike near 
 the throat at a point indicated in Figure 7. Don't 
 strike too hard. Use a bell-face nail hammer and 
 the dent will not be noticed. 
 
28 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 A STRAIGHT EDGE 
 
 In connection with the work with the steel 
 square a straight-edged board is necessary to have 
 ready for immediate use. Procure a board 8 or 
 10 feet long of good, dry pine, free from knots and 
 6 to 8 inches wide. Plane the edge until it seems 
 
 FIGURE 8 
 
 straight to the eye, then lay it on the bench or on 
 another board and make a mark along the edge, 
 just straight with a fine lead pencil; reverse it or 
 turn it over and fit it to the other side of the pencil 
 line. This multiplies any inaccuracy or deviation 
 from a straight line. Make a new line each time 
 you plane the edge. Work with as long a plane 
 as you have and set the blade to take a fine shav- 
 ing. When the edge will fit both sides of the line 
 made from it while in one position, it is straight. 
 Figure 8 will give a clear idea of this operation. 
 
 RAFTERS 
 
 The common rafter for a pitch roof is easily laid 
 out with the steel square. There are many methods. 
 
USE OF THE STEEL SQUARE 29 
 
 but the easiest and most simple is by spacing. Two 
 dimensions, half the width of the building and the 
 height of the roof, are divided into an equal number 
 of parts. The width of half the building is called 
 the run and is usually divided into parts of 12 
 inches or a foot for convenience. The height is 
 called the rise, and is divided into an equal number 
 of parts. A glance at Figure 9 tells us that the run 
 there shown is 10 inches rise to 12 inches run. 
 
 FIGURE 
 
 When the square is laid on the stick to be cut 
 into a rafter, the lo-inch mark on the tongue and 
 the 12-inch mark on the blade are held so that they 
 come exactly even with the outside edge. The 
 blade then takes a level position and the tongue a 
 vertical position or plumb position. This gives the 
 proper level for the cut at the top of the rafter and 
 
30 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 the level cut at the top of the plate. As the square 
 now lies on the stick make a fine mark and move 
 the square along, marking another space. Mark 
 as many of these spaces as the parts into which 
 the rise and run were divided. This gives the 
 length of a rafter from the ridge to a point exactly 
 over the outside of the plate. 
 
 Where the rafter overhangs the plate, it is neces- 
 sary to square down or in to form the notch for the 
 plate. By studying Figure 9 you can readily see 
 the different positions taken by the square, also, 
 how and why the rise and run are divided into an 
 equal number of spaces. By this method the length 
 of the rafter is obtained without use of mathe- 
 matics. 
 
 STAIR STRINGER 
 
 The stair stringer is laid out in much the same 
 manner as the common rafter. The total rise of 
 height to go up is divided into parts of about 7j4 
 inches, as near as possible. This makes the easiest 
 step. The run is always divided into one less space 
 than the rise. The reason for this can be easily 
 understood by examining Figure 10. Lay the 
 square on the stick to be used as a stair stringer, 
 taking the numbers into which the rise and run 
 have been divided, mark, and slide the square along 
 until the required number of spaces are marked. 
 A little experience, with allowance made for the 
 surrounding conditions, and any handy mechanic 
 can lay out stringers for an ordinary flight of stairs. 
 To get an easy flight of stairs for the person of 
 average size where plenty of room can be used, 
 experience teaches that 7J^ inches rise and 10 
 Inches run or tread makes an easy flight. 
 
USE OF THE STEEL SQUARE 
 
 3i 
 
 From this some stair-building experts have put 
 together the following rule, which works very well 
 for the average stair: When the rise multiplied 
 by the tread equals 75, the run will be an easy 
 one, as 75^ inches rise by iQi/^ inches tread 
 equals 75 ; 8% inches rise by 9 inches tread equals 
 
 tiGURE 10 
 
 75; 8 inches rise by 93^ inches tread equals "jf),. 
 which is very near the desired result. When the 
 rise is 9 inches or over, the rule is not good, as the 
 tread must be shortened up much more, and the 
 rise should never be more than 11 inches — that is- 
 about the rise in an ordinary ladder leaning against. 
 a house. 
 
32 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 " 
 
 
 
 « 
 
 
 
 " 
 
 
 VVOOc* 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 xjfV^V^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ^^•cSry 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ^^\^^j 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 A 
 
 «\>A 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 .- x> 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 H 
 
 y 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 _ 
 
 FIGURE XI 
 
 THE 47TH PROBLEM OF EUCLID 
 
 The problem shown in Figure 11 is known as the 
 47th Problem of Euclid, and is an invention by an 
 
 ancient Greek ge- 
 ometer who sought 
 many years for a 
 method of finding 
 the length of the 
 hypothenuse of a 
 right angle triangle 
 in mathematics, and 
 when the method 
 was discovered, his- 
 tory tells us there 
 was great rejoicing. 
 Pythagoras is 
 credited with hav- 
 ing first proved the rule successfully applied to the 
 -problem. 
 
 The rule is that the square of the base 
 added to the square of the altitude equals the 
 square of the hypothenuse. The base of a 
 right angle triangle is the side on which it rests, 
 ■marked B in Figure li. The altitude is 
 the height and is marked A in Figure 11. The 
 hypothenuse is the connecting side of the triangle, 
 marked H in Figure 11. The base, 6, squared or 
 multiplied by itself, equals 36. The altitude, 8, 
 squared, equals 64. By adding these together we 
 have 100, which is the square of the hypothenuse. 
 It femains but to extract the square root of 100, 
 which we know is 10, therefore 10 is the length of 
 the hypothenuse or third side of this right angle 
 triangle. All right angle triangles can be figured 
 in the same manner, but only multiples of the 
 
' THE BIG BROTHER TAKES A HAND 
 
 H^'s a city chap now, but when he conies home, he 
 proves! ihat his early training has not been forgotten. Teacb 
 your tfey to use tools and use them right. 
 
KEEP THE HAMMER BUSY 
 
 A NAIL IN TIME 
 
USE OF THE STEEL SQUARE 33 
 
 length of the three sides come even — such as 3, 4, 
 5 and 12, 16, 20, as shown in Figure 12 ; and many 
 others, of course. 
 
 THE RULE OF 6, 8 AND 10 
 
 This is a rule so extensively used in the building 
 trades and others that it has finally come to be 
 known by the above name. It is derived from the 
 47th Problem of Euclid, and is used in the manner 
 shown in Figure 13. 
 
 Measure 6 feet on the end sill of a building and 
 .8 feet on the side sill. If it measures 10 feet across 
 the angle the building is square. This is a very 
 •useful rule and easily remembered. It is always 
 available in running lines for batter boards for 
 masonry or lines for walks. By starting from a 
 corner stake into which a nail is driven, measure 
 off on the string or line used and insert a stake to 
 anark the place. Drive a nail into this stake and 
 
34 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 proceed in like manner on the other side. With a 
 little care and practice, quite a job of surveying 
 can be done by using a few stakes, a ball of string 
 and a tape or lo-foot pole. 
 
 FIGURE 13 
 
 ANGLES 
 
 An angle is the opening between two lines meet- 
 ing at a point. Angles are usually spoken of as being 
 of a number of degrees. The degrees are measured 
 on the circumference, the center of which is on the 
 point of the angle. There are 360 degrees of the 
 circumference of a circle. The surface of the-earth 
 is so divided north and south by the parallels of 
 latitude, which are numbered from the equator each 
 way; also east and west by the meridians of longi- 
 
USE OF THE STEEL SQUARE 
 
 35 
 
 tude, which are numbered from Greenwich, Eng- 
 land. They can be seen on any map. 
 
 By the use of a protractor, the number of degrees 
 of any angle can be obtained. Figure 14 shows 
 one-half of a circle or 180 degrees. 
 
 FIGURE 14 
 
 PLOTTING ANGLES 
 
 To strike an angle in a field on a large scale 
 where one line is given or can be obtained, measure 
 off from the point of the angle 57%o feet; lay one 
 
 FIGURE IS 
 
 end of a lo-foot pole at this point. The other end 
 should' be swung around so that it also will be 
 57%o feet from the starting point. Each foot marks 
 
36 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 off I degree on the circumference of a circle whose 
 radius is S7%o feet. If more than 10 degrees are 
 required, continue as before, keeping the ends of the 
 lo-foot pole always on the circumference of the 
 circle from the starting point. A clear idea of this 
 operation can be obtained from Figure 15. 
 
 Labor is rest from the sorrows that greet us; 
 Rest from all petty vexations that meet us. 
 Rest from sin-promptings that ever entreat us. 
 
 Rest from world-sirens that hire us to ill. 
 Work — and pure slumbers shall wait on thy pillow ; 
 Work — thou shalt ride over Care's coming billow; 
 Lie not down wearied 'neath Woe's weeping willow 1 
 
 Work with a stout heart and resolute will ! 
 
 — Frances S. Osgood. 
 
^AROUND 
 
 THE STEP-SAVING DUMB WAITER 
 
 NE may save many steps in every 
 house where the kitchen is situ- 
 ated over the cellar, to say noth- 
 ing of other considerations, 
 with a small outlay of time, 
 and perhaps, without the ex- 
 penditure of a single dollaf, by 
 
 means of a dumb waiter, 
 
 which may be placed in 
 
 any convenient corner out of 
 
 the way. A handy size for 
 
 an ordinary family is 2 feet 
 
 square with four shelves, 
 
 counting the top, i foot apart. 
 
 These shelves may be hung 
 
 from the corners, the center or 
 
 the middle of the sides, by 
 
 means of manila sash cord 
 
 over pulleys placed close to the .^ 
 
 ceiling of the kitchen and 
 
 nearly balanced with weights, 
 
 which should be confined in a 
 
 little case. They should be 
 
 guided in ascending and de- 
 scending by means of grooves 
 
 in the middle of the sides ex- 
 tending from top to bottom 
 
 of the inclosed case. In the 
 
 cellar the case may have a fine 
 
 37 
 
 DUMB WAITER' 
 
38 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 wire screen door and in the kitchen an ordinary 
 cupboard door or one with a glass front, as desired. 
 
 The doors should slide upward and be balanced 
 like an ordinary window with sash weights and 
 pulleys. In order to prevent the waiter from de- 
 scending when, being overloaded a pivoted wooden 
 latch, as shown on the right-hand side, should 
 engage with the ends of the shelves, and to pre- 
 vent any shock from too quick descent some coiled 
 springs should be placed at the bottom of the case. 
 If desired a small cupboard may be built at the top 
 of the case for storing little-used articles. 
 
 Some advantages of such a waiter are that food 
 may be placed on the shelves and lowered into the 
 cool cellar and either allowed to stay there or re- 
 moved to the refrigerator. Thus it will be unneces- 
 sary to carry anything to or from the cellar, and 
 this will often mean a saving of several trips up 
 and down. If the cellar is clean and cool there 
 may be no need to use a refrigerator or an ice box. 
 
 RACK FOR PRESERVES 
 
 A convenient rack for preserves may be made 
 just at the turn of the cellar stairs in a house, so 
 that the housewife need not step off the stairs, 
 when she descends for a can of preserves. Several 
 circular pieces of wood are pierced through the 
 centers and nailed to a kind of wooden shaft that 
 runs through the entire rack. Nail barrel hoops of 
 the thick, wide variety around the edge of the 
 shelves, so that the contents cannot fall off. The 
 barrel hoops are soaked in water for several hours to 
 make them pliable, so they can be fitted around the 
 shelves. 
 
 In a socket at the bottom, the middle shaft slips, 
 
IN AND AROUND THE HOUSE 39 
 
 the upper end working in a socket in the end of a 
 stout piece of wood nailed to the beam overhead. 
 The sockets may be purchased at the hardware 
 store. The glass cans are arranged on the shelves, 
 and the housewife can stand in one spot and turn 
 the rack around until she finds the jar for which 
 she is looking. 
 
 From the covers of large cheese boxes anyone 
 could make a similar rack, using it in attic or 
 kitchen, anywhere where one wants a rack which 
 will hold an extra large number of articles for tfie 
 amount of space involved. 
 
 Ill husbandry braggeth 
 
 To go with the best : 
 Good husbandry baggeth 
 
 Up gold in his chest. — Tusser. 
 
 TRANSFORMING A WASHSTAND 
 
 The kitchen cabinet here shown was made from 
 an antiquated washstand and table, using old lum- 
 ber, odds and ends of varnish, nails and screws, the 
 finished article costing less than 50 
 cents. The only tools used were a 
 saw, hammer, plane and square, 
 such as can be found in any ^_______ 
 
 farmer's collection. \ 
 
 First, the shelf shown in Figure 
 I was made, it being wide enough 
 to reach each end of the table and 
 deep enough for the washstand to 
 set on it flush. To the right end figure i 
 was screwed a board of the same width, the shelf 
 being so placed that it would be 2 feet above the 
 
40 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 WASHSTAND AS 
 
 of the shelf, and the 
 gether. This left a 
 right end of the 
 washstand and the 
 right support of 
 the shelf. A board 
 was then nailed on 
 top from one end 
 to the other, and a 
 back added. 
 
 The drawer of 
 the washstand had 
 to be fixed so that 
 it would slide the 
 other way, as it 
 was now upside 
 down. That ne- 
 cessitated a shelf 
 inside the wash- 
 stand above the 
 drawer. Old lum- 
 ber was used, and 
 
 table. A board of 
 equal width form- 
 ed the support at 
 the other end. 
 
 Then the wash- 
 stand, from which 
 the top had been 
 removed, was 
 placed upside 
 down on the shelf 
 (bbb), one end of 
 the washstand 
 reaching to the 
 IT WAS extreme left end 
 
 two were securely fastened to- 
 narrow open space between the 
 
 THE COMPLETED CABINET 
 
IN AND AROUND THE HOUSE 4I 
 
 this was smoothed with a plane, then sandpapered 
 and holes and cracks filled with putty. When the 
 putty was dry it was sandpapered again. 
 
 A support was then nailed to the back of the 
 recess for a spice cabinet. This left the cabinet 
 about 4 inches from the table. This support also 
 did for two shelves, one in each corner of the 
 recess. The spice cabinet contained eight small 
 drawers and added riiuch to the whole. A door 
 with a glass sash (e) was then made for the nar- 
 row space to the right of the washstand above the 
 recess. This made a little china closet with two 
 shelves and containing over a dozen brass cup 
 hooks. The space near the top on the left-hand 
 side, between the short legs of the washstand, was 
 left open for the crumb and draining trays. A 
 piece of batten was nailed around the top as a fin- 
 ishing touch. 
 
 A leaf, which could be raised when required, 
 added to the table room. The cabinet being placed 
 in a corner left the front and one end free. On this 
 end or side were placed two salt boxes, one for salt, 
 and the other for kitchen cloths. Directly above 
 these and reaching the length of the end was a shelf 
 (/) for the clock, etc. Finally, walnut varnish stain, 
 two coats, was applied. In each side of the recess 
 were screwed two large cup hooks. Similar hooKs 
 were screwed on the inside of the washstand doors, 
 to hang up biscuit cutter, corkscrew, nutmeg grater, 
 etc. 
 
 HOMEMADE DRESSER 
 
 Sometimes it is necessary to use homemade 
 makeshifts in the house furnishing, and sometimes 
 it is done through a desire to exercise one's in- 
 
42 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 genuity in fashioning simple affairs. The accom- 
 panying illustration shows a plan for making a 
 simple dresser that when finished will not only 
 be very useful in itself, but will also add a useful 
 bit of furnishing to the room. 
 
 /M7 ^ 
 
 m 
 
 M 
 
 "/////.' 
 
 
 "// 
 
 
 
 ym 
 
 
 ^W 
 
 
 '-.,' 
 
 DRESSER MADE FROM A BOX 
 
IN AND AROUND THE HOUSE 43 
 
 Select a drygoods box of the right size to fit well 
 into the space to be utilized, then fit two shelves 
 to the interior, as suggested. The whole box should 
 be covered on the outside with some pretty cloth, 
 the edges being drawn over and around the front 
 edges of the box, and neatly tacked inside. Make 
 a shelf with a length equal to the width of the box 
 and fasten it to the wall above the box with some 
 pretty nickel brackets, as shown in illustration. 
 Cover the shelf with cloth, also. Now place a look- 
 ing-glass above the shelf and have a curtain like the 
 covering in front of the opening. This curtain can 
 have little brass rings sewed to the upper edge, 
 which will slide on a small brass rod. 
 
 Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, 
 for that is the stuff life is made of. — Benjamin 
 Franklin. 
 
 Earth is here so kind, that just tickle her with 
 a hoe and she laughs with a harvest. — Douglas 
 Jerrold. 
 
 Blest is the man whose wish and care 
 Is just to be happy anywhere. 
 
 KITCHEN WINDOW CABINET 
 
 Nothing lightens labor so much as cheerfulness, 
 and cheerfulness may often be secured by very 
 simple means. In the accompanying picture is 
 shown one way that works well. Instead o.f the 
 usual kitchen table a cabinet is built below and at 
 the sides of the kitchen window and the top made 
 large enough to serve as a table. In this way the 
 
44 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 wife may have a pleasant view when she looks up 
 from her kitchen work. It is not necessary to go 
 into details concerning the construction of sucE a 
 cabinet, because no two people would be satisfied 
 
 with the same plan. The plan shown is merely 
 suggestive for the thoughtful wife and the handy 
 man to work out to suit their own particular needs. 
 
 TO LET IN MORE LIGHT 
 
 Many farm kitchens and dining rooms are dark 
 and gloomy. It is not an easy matter to cut new 
 windows in the outside wall, though this can often 
 
IN AND AROUND THE HOUSE 45 
 
 be done to great advantage; but where there is an 
 outside door in a dark room, conditions can very 
 easily be improved, and that, too, at small expense. 
 Doors vary greatly in the manner of construction, 
 some having wide panels at the top and some hav- 
 ing two narrow ones of varying lengths. But 
 almost every panel door that was ever constructed 
 can be treated in the way which we will describe. 
 The two upper panels can be removed, and their 
 place filled with two lights of glass. If the door is 
 of modern make it will be found that the wooden 
 panel is held in place by a narrow molding all about 
 it, both inside and out. Remove the molding on one 
 side, and take out the panel. Put in the glass and 
 replace the molding, and the work is done. If, 
 however, the door is of older manufacture the 
 molding on either side may be found to be a part of 
 the door frame. In this case, cut the molding away 
 on one side, neatly and evenly, and remove the 
 panel. Then insert the glass, and having made, or 
 boug'ht, a little strip of molding, fasten it neatly 
 in place arOund the glass with brads. 
 
 In the case of some doors the two panels could be 
 removed, and also the upright between them, leav- 
 ing a large rectangular opening, into which a single 
 sash of four, or nine, lights could be inserted, the 
 joints being made tight about it with putty and 
 white lead. Then tack a narrow bit of molding 
 about the sash, both inside and out, and a door that 
 will give light to the room will be the result. An 
 outside door looks better with glass in the upper 
 half, and the interior will certainly be made more 
 cheerful and healthful because of it. 
 
 We know what we are. but know not what we 
 may be. — Hamlet. 
 
46 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 A BARREL CRADLE 
 
 Anyone who can use a hammer and nails and 
 needle and thread can make this inexpensive, ac- 
 cessible, easily moved," and cool yet sheltering 
 cradle. 
 
 Secure a nice white sugar batrel, clean it thor- 
 oughly and remove half of both heads. Place the 
 barrel on its side, removing half the staves, and 
 leaving the other half to form the bed of the cradle. 
 
 BARREL READY TO TRIM 
 
 Next remove the hoop that is second from the 
 bottom, and then two hoops will be left at the top 
 to form the frame for the hood, and one hoop at the 
 bottom to form the foot. (See illustration.) Care- 
 fully nail the reinaining staves to the hoops, clinch- 
 ing each nail securely. 
 
 Now cover the frame thus formed, as shown in 
 the accompanying illustration. Any thin cotton 
 goods that may be laundered can be used. Fig- 
 ured lawn would be very pretty, and if economy 
 is an item, a worn bleaching sheet will do. Place 
 a little mattress or pad and a tiny pillow within, or 
 
IN AND AROUND THE HOUSE 
 
 47 
 
 the usual cradle furnishings may be used. One yard 
 of mosquito netting stretched over the opening of 
 the cradle will prevent insects from bothering, and 
 the netting itself cannot touch and awaken the 
 baby. 
 
 FINISHED CRADLE 
 
 TO PROTECT BABY FROM HOT STOVE 
 
 Winter months mean extra care for the mother 
 of a baby, but possibly the greatest of the addi- 
 tional cares that winter brings in this regard is that 
 of keeping the curious tot from the hot stove. 
 Build a pen around the stove to protect him from 
 it. The pen is a simple affair. It consists of four 
 little gates, made just large enough to surround the 
 stove, and covered with netting. The wire netting 
 does not interfere with the free passage of heat and 
 is very effective in keeping baby from getting 
 burned. The gates are made of i^-inch strips, 
 mortised or neatly fitted. For netting use ordi- 
 nary poultry wire of 2-foot width. The gates are 
 held in place by hooks and screw eyes. This ar- 
 rangement is better than hinges, as it makes the 
 
48 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 taking down of the affair, for sweeping or clean- 
 ing the stove, much easier. 
 
 In the summer you may use the gate at the foot 
 of the stairs, across the porch door, and in other 
 places where baby is determined to go, and where 
 he is in danger of falling and getting hurt unless 
 protected in this way. For this pen, the lumber 
 costs 25 cents, the netting 25 cents, and the hook 
 and screw eyes 15 cents, making a total of only 
 65 cents. 
 
 A BOX FOR CLOTHES 
 
 In many of the furniture stores one may see pretty 
 cloth-covered boxes that are used in bedrooms as a 
 receptacle for various articles of apparel, the inside, 
 as well as the outside, being covered with pretty 
 figured cloth*. The inside of the cover is fitted 
 with pockets for slippers and slumber shoes. 
 These little chests are so light that they may be 
 lifted about with one hand. 
 
 To make such a chest, select one of the very 
 light and well-made grocery boxes in which cereals 
 and various brands of breakfast foods are shipped, 
 which may be had at any grocery store. See that 
 the corners and the bottom are nailed securely. 
 The top will be composed of at least two pieces of 
 board, and these can be made into a solid cover by 
 nailing two cleats beneath them. But these will 
 not look very attractive when the covering is being 
 put on, so a more workmanlike plan will be to saw 
 off a couple of inches from each end of the top 
 boards and supply the place of the wood removed 
 by nailing along the ends a 2-inch strip of the same 
 thickness. This gives a cleat at each end, but the 
 cleats in this way form part of the cover itself. 
 
IN AND AROUND THE HOUSE 49 
 
 Use long wire nails to secure these end pieces in 
 place. 
 
 It will be a simple matter to cover and line the' 
 box when the covering material is at hand. Use 
 very small tacks and carry the outside covering up 
 over the top and down over the inside, which will 
 make the use of tacks along the top unnecessary. 
 The lower edge of the cover can be tacked on the 
 bottom of the box, so the tacks will not be seen on. 
 the outside at all. 
 
 SCOOPS FROM TIN CANS 
 
 Scoops for handling sugar and flour are among 
 the most convenient utensils that one can have 
 about the pantry; and in a short time a good sup- 
 ply may be made from materials that are going 
 to waste about almost every home. 
 
 Take an ordinary tin can and either melt or cut 
 off the top. With a pair of tinner's shears (a 
 strong pair of household shears may be used), 
 begin at the open end and split the side of the can 
 to within about an inch of the bottom. Opposite 
 this one make a similar slit. Parallel to the bottom 
 of the can, cut from the lower end of one slit to- 
 that of the other. Round the corners of the re- 
 maining half, and the body of your scoop is fin- 
 ished. 
 
 For a handle, about 4 inches off the end of an 
 old broomstick is just the thing. If this is not 
 available, a handle may easily be shaped with a 
 knife from a piece of soft wood. To attach the 
 handle, from the inside drive a small nail through' 
 the center of the bottom of the can and into the 
 center of the handle. 
 
50 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 Some additional strength is obtained by planning 
 so that the seam of the can will run down the mid- 
 dle of the lip of the scoop, thus stiffening it. A 
 salmon or corn can makes a very convenient sized 
 scoop for the sugar, while tomato cans serve very 
 nijcely for flour and meals, and half-gallon paint 
 buckets may be thus utilized for handling light ma- 
 terials. 
 
 A HOMEMADE FOLDING TABLE 
 
 A handy game or sewing table may be made as 
 follows: Take two planed boards 12 inches wide 
 and 3 feet long. Fasten them together with two 
 
 SIMPLE HANDY TABLE 
 
 strips 2 inches wide and 24 inches long. Fasten 
 these strips by strong screws in upright position. 
 Now take two similar strips and fasten them by 
 
IN AND AROUND THE HOUSE 5 1 
 
 hinges to the pieces screwed on the boards. Fasten 
 four stout legs to these in the manner shown in the 
 cut. Take two three-cornered boards large enough 
 to hold the legs stiff when dropped into position, and 
 fasten them by hinges, as shown. 
 
 The same general plan may be followed in mak- 
 ing a much larger and heavier table or a lighter one. 
 
 A HOMEMADE BUTTER WORKER 
 
 A butter worker is one of the handy devices that 
 should be upon every farm. A good type is shown 
 in the drawing. It is made of close-grained hard- 
 wood — maple or birch are recommended — tight- 
 jointed, free from knots and perfectly smooth in 
 size. It slopes enough to drain readily at the nar- 
 row end through a short piece of lead pipe inserted 
 
 BUTTER WORKER 
 
 at the bottom. The working bar has a strong, 
 smooth iron rod or spike at its lower end, which is 
 easily inserted into or removed from the hole in 
 
52 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 which it works. The part of the bar that comes 
 in contact with the butter is half-round on one side 
 and two flat sides meet at a right angle. Of course, 
 it must be as smooth as possible. 
 
 HOME CHEESEMAKING 
 
 Nearly every farm home contains, or may easily 
 be supplied with, the necessary appliances to make 
 cheese, and it is not a difficult task when one is 
 once familiar with the process. For a small batch 
 of about 12 gallons of milk the following method 
 is a good one: Take about 6 gallons of the even- 
 ing's milk and leave it covered with a cloth in a 
 
 CHEESE PRESS 
 
 temperature of 65 to 70 degrees until morning and 
 then mix 6 gallons of morning's milk with it in a 
 large tub or boiler. All milk may then be heated 
 together to 80 to 90 degrees. Care must be used 
 not to get it too hot or to expose it to a draft so 
 that it will cool quickly. 
 
 Another good method preferred by some is to 
 use 1 1 gallons of perfectly sweet morning's milk and 
 
IN AND AROUND THE HOUSE 53 
 
 to this add i gallon of milk that has soured and 
 thickened. The sour milk should be stirred well 
 to get out all the lumps and left for about 15 
 minutes before the rennet is put in. The easiest 
 way to heat the milk is to place it in a wash boiler 
 right on the stove until it gets up to 86 to 90 de- 
 grees and then raise it from the stove by placing it 
 on two bricks. The stove must not be too hot. 
 
 Rennet in the form of tablets is most convenient 
 and useful for home cheesemaking. Dissolve one 
 tablet in half a glass of cold water and add to the 
 milk after it has been heated and stir well for two 
 minutes. Some cheesemakers use two or three 
 tablets, as it saves time, but for beginners two are 
 usually enough. If you have liquid rennet extract, 
 use about two tablespoonfuls. 
 
 Cutting the Curd 
 
 The rennet will curdle the milk and the curd/will 
 be ready to cut in 20 to 40 minutes. This can be 
 determined by noting if the curd breaks clean like 
 jelly when raised on a knife blade. The cutting can 
 be done with a wire toaster, a long knife or a heavy 
 wire. Cut lengthwise of the vessel and then crosswise 
 until the curd is in nearly uniform pieces of j4-inch 
 squares. After cutting, leave the curd on for five 
 minutes, then heat slowly to 100 degrees, stirring 
 all the time. Cook for about 40 minutes at as near 
 90 degrees as possible, stirring occasionally to pre- 
 vent the curd from sticking together. Keep the 
 heat up and do not allow the mass to cool. 
 
 To determine when the curd is ready, take a 
 handful and squeeze it in the hand firmly and if it 
 feels elastic and does not stick together, it has been 
 cooked long enough. If the milk is good, the curd 
 
54 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 should have a pleasant, slightly acid odor. As soon 
 as the curd is cooked, draw off the whey or dip off 
 the curd with a sieve and place in another vessel. 
 After the curd is well drained and before it sticks 
 together, add J4 pound of fine salt and mix well. 
 After salting, let it cool for 15 minutes, stirring 
 occasionally, when it is ready for the hoop. 
 
 Pressing and Curing 
 
 For a cheese hoop, one can use a tin hoop 7 
 inches in diameter and 12 inches deep or an old 
 peck measure without a bottom if holes are punched 
 in the sides for drainage. For a press a device 
 shown in the sketch will serve well, the pail at the 
 end of the lever being filled with stones. Before 
 the curd is placed in the hoop, line it with 
 cheesecloth, one piece the size of the bottom 
 and another around the side. Turn the upper 
 ed^ of the cloth over the edge of the hoop 
 and fasten it tight. When the curd is packed 
 firmly, put a piece of cloth on the upper end and 
 fold it over tight. Make the pressure slight at 
 first, but after an hour rearrange the cloth and 
 make the pressure heavier. The pressing should 
 be finished by the next day. Do not press in too 
 cool a place, but keep the temperature about 50 
 degrees. 
 
 For curing, set the cheese in a damp room or 
 cellar which has an even temperature. Turn it 
 around daily, and if it shows signs of molding, rub 
 occasionally with butter. It should be ready to eat 
 in three or four weeks. Cheese will cure at 40 
 degrees, but it takes longer than when warmer. 
 Twelve gallons of milk should make about 10 
 pounds of cheese, according to richness of milk. 
 
IN AND AROUND THE HOUSE 55 
 
 After one or two attempts any housekeeper should 
 be able to make good cheese by this method. It is 
 necessary to keep all utensils very clean and the 
 liberal use of boiling water with a little soda will 
 accomplish this purpose. 
 
 WASHES WHILE READING 
 
 Here is a way of making play of wash day. Per- 
 haps some of our bright boys will try this to help 
 mother. A friend of ours had an old bicycle unfit 
 for use. He made a frame to raise the hind wheel 
 from the floor, wound the rim with twine (tire 
 being off) and reversed the seat. In place of the 
 form he inserted a piece of pipe (a stick would do 
 as well). Then he took some old belting, cut it 
 
 PEDAL POWER DEVICE 
 
 to i^ inches wide and about lo feet long, and with 
 that he runs the washing machine for his wife. He 
 can read the paper while he washes, and he does 
 not lose much time from field work either. An 
 emery wheel can also be run with it by bolting 
 i-inch strips to the top part of the frame extending 
 over the wheel and mounting a polishing head on 
 same. 
 
 Knowledge is power. — Bacon. 
 
$6 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 TREAD POWER IN THE DAIRY 
 
 While the small gasoline engines adapted to run- 
 jiing cream separators have been hailed with delight 
 by many dairymen, the old tread power is still a 
 very economical and reliable source of power. 
 With a heavy sheep, dog or the dairy herd bull 
 
 SEPARATOR RUN BY RAM POWER 
 
 enough power can be produced to run the sep- 
 arator and churn at practically no cost except for 
 the tread. 
 
 One difficulty has beeti to secure a uniform rate 
 of speed, but this is solved if a heavy flywheel is 
 attached to the tread. While the sketch shows a 
 direct drive from tread to separator, a more desir- 
 able arrangement is to have the tread located in a 
 room adjoining the separator room, where the milk 
 will not be exposed to the breath of the animal. 
 
 A great many men wear themselves out devising 
 schemes to sidestep honest work. 
 
IN AND AROUND THE HOUSE 
 
 A LAMP FOR COOKING 
 
 57 
 
 A lamp may be utilized for cooking purposes in 
 the following way : Make a tripod by taking three 
 strips of wood of equal length, putting in one end 
 a headless nail and making slightly slanting holes 
 in the corners of a 6-inch 
 triangular piece of board in 
 which to fit them. A screw 
 hook in the center of the 
 board, on the under side, 
 completes the device, which 
 has only to be stood over a 
 lighted lamp to be ready for 
 work. A small stew kettle, 
 or tin pail, hung on the hook, 
 within a half inch of the 
 lamp chimney, enables one 
 to have a " pot boiling " in 
 short order. If you have a 
 large lamp, with a round 
 wick, it will give the heat of 
 two or three common ones, and you can cook almost 
 as rapidly as over a stove. 
 
 With an ordinary lamp, food can be heated, eggs 
 boiled, or coffee made very quickly, helping won- 
 derfully in the getting of a meal. This is also an 
 easy and convenient way to heat baby's milk, or 
 water, in the night, in case of sickness. Stood on a 
 chair by the table, the device can be used to keep 
 the coffee or chocolate hot during meal time. A 
 round piece of sheet iron, with chains attached to 
 suspend it from the hook, is an additional help, to 
 hold a steeper for tea. 
 
 As this tripod can be taken apart readily, when 
 not in use, it will be found a good adiunct to a 
 
 LAMP HEATER 
 
S8 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 camping outfit, even though you carry a camp 
 stove, for there will be times when nothing will 
 be wanted but a hot drink, which can be made over 
 the lamp with less trouble than it would be to 
 make a fire in the stove. 
 
 HOT WATER ALL NIGHT 
 
 One of the things that must be had quickly when 
 medicine is needed, and still more often for a bottle 
 baby, is hot water at night. The following con- 
 trivance has been found to be worth many times 
 the trouble to make it, for it saves annoyance at a 
 time when baby's worrying may mean hours of 
 sitting up. 
 
 Place the socket of a wall bracket lamp just high 
 enough above a table so that the top of a hand lamp 
 chimney will be 5 or 6 inches below it. Make an 
 arm of round iron or small piping long enough to 
 extend out over the lamp and to this hang a hook, on 
 which hang a small teakettle or pail. In this enough 
 water for the needs of a night. can be kept hot with- 
 out boiling, and will be ready at an instant's notice. 
 As a night lamp is a necessity in a house where 
 there is a youngster, the cost of this device will be 
 nothing, for the blaze of a small burner will pro- 
 vide sufficient heat. The proper height for the 
 socket on the wall can be determined by measuring 
 the hook and the kettle to be used. The lamp 
 chimney should not be nearer than 2 inches to the 
 bottom of the kettle, or the water will boil and 
 steam away. 
 
 HOW TO CUT BREAD EVEN 
 
 Here is one of the most useful devices to which 
 the handy man can give his attention. It is very 
 
IN AND AROUND THE HOUSE 
 
 59 
 
 rarely that a housekeeper can cut even and hand- 
 some slices of bread, however much she may desire 
 to have the bread plate look attractive. One slice 
 will be thin, another thick, while another will be 
 thick on one edge and thin on the other. The 
 drawing shows a simple arrangement by which all 
 the slices of bread can be cut of an even thickness 
 without any slant. 
 
 Cut a piece of pine board to about 9 x 13 inches. 
 Near one end, on either side, insert firmly two 
 
 BREAD CUTTING BOARD 
 
 pieces of very stout wire, bent double, as suggested 
 in the cut. These wire supports should be at least 
 7 inches high, and should have another inch of 
 length firmly inserted in the wood. The wire 
 should be as stout as No. 12, or larger still, and 
 ■should stand exactly at right angles to the board. 
 Put them far enough apart so the largest loaf will 
 readily go between them, and have the opening in 
 each wire standard just wide enough so the knife 
 will slide up and down without " wobbling " The 
 dotted lines show the position of the knife when 
 
6o 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 in place. Screw a little strip of wood in front of 
 the wire, just far enough ahead to make the slice 
 of bread the right thickness. Press the loaf up 
 against this guide and cut off a slice, then press 
 the shortened loaf up again, and repeat the process. 
 
 HOMEMADE WATER COOLER 
 
 It's a mighty nice thing to have a good supply 
 of cold water at the barn when threshers, corn 
 
 buskers, or hay 
 harvesters are at 
 work. A simple 
 and effective ar- 
 rangement can be 
 made by using a 
 flour barrel and a 
 lo-gallon stone jar. 
 Place the jar in- 
 side the barrel and 
 surround it with 
 charcoal, sawdust, 
 or chaff, if nothing 
 else is available. . 
 With a tight lid 
 and a wet cloth 
 spread over the 
 top, water will 
 keep ice cold in 
 WATER COOLER this arrangement. 
 
 The uses of such a cooler may be multiplied to in- 
 clude keeping many things cool in the house. 
 
 KEEP FOOD COOL IN SUMMER 
 
 A very convenient and serviceable place to keep 
 dairy products may be formed by sinking a large 
 
IN AND AROUND THE HOUSE 
 
 6l 
 
 barrel in the ground. A shady spot should be 
 chosen, or the heat of the sun will affect the tem- 
 perature. Fill in around the barrel with small 
 stones, gravel and sand, dampened in order to 
 maintain coolness. 
 
 Construct a box around and above the top of the 
 barrel, and bank up with solid earth, preferably 
 
 FOOD COOLER 
 
 clay. This drains off the water when it rains. It 
 also makes th^ bottom of the barrel farther down 
 from the top of the opening, which further pro- 
 motes coolness. Next shape a light, inner lid to 
 place on top of the barrel, and then make a strong, 
 hinged lid for the box, and arrange it so it may be 
 fastened down tightly. 
 
62 HANDY FARM DEVICES " 
 
 Sprinkle a little dampened sand on the bottom 
 of the barrel, and your little barrel cellar is ready 
 for use. By being careful several vessels may be 
 arranged one above the other in this handy little 
 receptacle. Air out occasionally to prevent mold 
 and odors from collecting. 
 
 A COOLER DUMMY 
 
 Where a deep, cool well is located near the house 
 an arrangement may be devised that will serve the 
 purpose of a refrigerator. Construct a frame of 
 strong boards with a groove in which a board on 
 the side of the box of shelves can run. Attach a 
 rope to the top of the box of shelves, pass it over 
 a wheel on the crank shaft and balance with a 
 counter weight. 
 
 If the frame is i6 feet long and extended down 
 near to the surface of the water the lowest tem- 
 perature may be secured. A nice looking top may 
 be constructed for the arrangement, with a door 
 opening into the shelves when they are drawn to 
 the top. Most wells are almost as cool as a refrig- 
 erator, and this sort of an arrangement serves the 
 purpose with a great deal less expense. 
 
 A wire clothesline will serve as a cable. Any 
 old pieces of iron will do for the counter weight, 
 and it is well to have a ratchet wheel, such as are 
 found on old chain pumps, to prevent the elevator 
 dropping when it is well filled. Make as many 
 parts as possible of wood to prevent rusting. One 
 such elevator is 42 inches high and 18 inches 
 square. 
 
 Turning the grindstone is hard work ; but if you 
 use it as a muscle developer it will help out. 
 
- IN AND AROUND THE HOUSE 63 
 
 AN OUTDOOR CLOSET 
 
 When the housewife has baked a pie or a pud- 
 ding for dinner and wishes to cool it quickly in 
 winter it has to be set out of doors; but there the 
 trouble begins. It cannot be set upon the snow, 
 since that would melt and engulf the hot dish. 
 Moreover, the cat or dog, or some neighbor's cat 
 or dog, is likely to be lurking about the door, ready 
 for pie. Let the handy man make a little out-of- 
 door cupboard for the use of the housekeeper, locat- 
 ing it beside the kitchen door. Get an empty 
 grocery box of the right size and hinge the cover 
 to the top, placing a knob on the other edge. Make 
 a support for this closet by driving two strips of 
 wood into the ground and screwing two crosswise 
 strips of board to the tops. Lay the grocery box 
 on its side on these supports and nail it to them> 
 from the inside. 
 
 Here anything hot can be placed to cool quickly, 
 and with the cover down there will be no danger 
 from cats or dogs or hens. If desired to give a 
 freer access to the cold air, several holes can be 
 bored in each end and in the bottom before putting 
 the box in position on the supports. If the ground 
 is frozen too hard to insert the strips of board, the 
 closet can be placed against the side of the house,, 
 close to the kitchen door, and supported in place by 
 two wooden brackets. Another plan to secure the 
 same result would be to make the ploset and screw 
 a wooden handle to the middle of the top, with- 
 holes bored in ends and back. When it is to be 
 used put the dish, or dishes, inside and set the 
 closet out onto the snow beside the door. 
 
 Taste the joy 
 That springs from labor. — Longfellow. 
 
64 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 HOMEMADE REFRIGERATOR 
 
 Take two largfe boxes, one 2 inches smaller than 
 the other every way, and bore two i-inch holes in 
 the bottom of each box for drainage. Fill up 2 
 inches in the large box with powdered charcoal or 
 coal ashes. Put the smaller box inside and fill the 
 space all around with the charcoal or ashes. Fix 
 the lids to both boxes to fit tightly. Put shelves 
 on both sides of inner box. Leave a place in the 
 center of the box of ice. A rack, made of lath, 
 can be laid at the bottom for ice to rest on. 
 
 ICELESS BUTTER AND MILK COOLER 
 
 The accompanying picture shows how a well may 
 be utilized during the warm months for cooling 
 
 butter, milk and 
 other perishable 
 articles. It will 
 be found very 
 handy as a sub- 
 stitute for a re- 
 frigerator when 
 the farmer has no 
 ice supply. Any- 
 one can make a 
 triangular - shaped 
 frame for the 
 windlass, which is 
 placed above the 
 well; and anyone 
 can also put the 
 trap doors in the 
 platform of the 
 well. These doors 
 should be pro- 
 
 COLD STORAGE FOR MILK 
 
IN AND AROUND THE HOUSE 65 
 
 vided with a lock, so children cannot fall in. A 
 pin may be placed on the handle side of the wind- 
 lass to prevent the crank from turning around when 
 the box is lowered to the desired depth. 
 
 The picture is only suggestive. The shape and 
 size of the various parts will depend upon the style 
 of the well. Preferably, the box should be made 
 of galvanized iron and have perforations in the bot- 
 tom, so it may be lowered right into the water. Of 
 course, this would not be feasible if the materials 
 to be kept cold were not first placed in sealed 
 receptacles. Where a well with a bucket pump or 
 the ordinary wooden pump is the only available 
 place to put such a cooler, the cooler may be at 
 one side of the well. If necessary, the position of 
 the pump may be shifted. 
 
 Knowledge is of two kinds. We know a subject 
 ourselves, or we know where we can find informa- 
 tion upon it. — Samuel Johnson. 
 
 Every addition to true knowledge is an addition 
 to human power. — Horace Mann. 
 
 But now my task is smoothly done, 
 I can fly, or I can run. — Milton. 
 
 A VENTILATED PUMP PLATFORM 
 
 Here is a way to keep the well clean and pure at 
 all times. Make the frame of the platform of 2 x 4's, 
 allowing a space 2 to 6 inches between the top and 
 bottom parts of the sides. This space is covered 
 on the inside with a fly screen to keep out dirt and 
 
66 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 insects, and outside of this with a larger meshed 
 screen to keep out large vermin. This gives good 
 ventilation to the well, which never becomes foul. 
 In the winter cover the platform with straw and 
 snow. 
 
 HELPS TO KEEP WATER PURE 
 
 CLEANING A WELL 
 
 To remove floating litter from a well, take an 
 ordinary sand sieve, and, after marking off the rim 
 into three parts, attach a wire to any of the two 
 points and to this improvised handle attach a rope. 
 Fasten the end of the rope to the third point in the 
 rim and a weight to the sieve, so that it can be 
 lowered into the well and will sink. When used, 
 sink the sieve edgewise into the water and pull the 
 
IN AND AROUND THE HOUSE 
 
 &7 
 
 rope with a single attachment and it may be lifted 
 out with all the floating sticks and timber on the 
 surface of the water. 
 
 DOG POWER FOR PUMP 
 
 This sketch shows an arrangement for making 
 use of the dog for carrying water. It simply con- 
 sists of a wheel 8 feet in diameter and i8 inches 
 
 DOG POWER PUMPING DEVICE 
 
 wide, with room enough inside for the dog to walk 
 around, where he acts as a tread power, which 
 causes the pump to revolve. In southern Califor- 
 
68 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 nia there are a number of these dog-power pumps, 
 which cost less than $15. A good-sized dog can 
 easily earn his living in an arrangement of this 
 kind. 
 
 FILTER FOR CISTERN WATER 
 
 The problem of keeping water in a cistern clean 
 is most easily solved by not allowing it to get 
 dirty, as can be done by the device shown in the 
 drawing on page 69. Two barrels, each with 
 a perforated false bottom, are set side by side be- 
 neath the water spout from the roof and connected 
 with a pipe leading to the cistern. Above the false 
 bottoms fine gravel and then sand are packed to 
 the depth of 8 or more inches. On top of the sand 
 rest stout floats as large as can be let down into the 
 barrels. From near the margin of the floats two 
 heavy wires extend vertically upward about 2 feet 
 to engage loosely near their centers with a tilting 
 spout by means of knobs on both the ends of the 
 spout and the wires. 
 
 When the barrels are empty the floats rest on 
 the sand. As the water begins to pour in one 
 barrel it strikes the float, but is prevented from 
 gouging a very deep hole at the outside of the 
 barrel by striking a strip of wood about i inch high, 
 2 inches wide arid i foot long. This spreads the 
 flow. A layer of gravel at this place would also 
 help prevent gouging. If the flow is too great to 
 filter away readily, the float will rise and the knob 
 on the wire will engage with the spout, which will 
 be tilted until the flow will suddenly start into the 
 other barrel. If the delivery pipe to the cistern be 
 large enough there should be no danger of either 
 barrel overflowing. When the sand becomes dirty 
 
IN AND AROUND THE HOUSE 
 
 69 
 
 a few minutes will serve to remove it and put in 
 fresh. This will insure clean water in the cistern, 
 and greatly reduce the number of times the dis- 
 agreeable job of cleaning out the cistern must be 
 done. 
 
 TWO-BARREL FILTER 
 
70 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 A HANDY WATER FILTER 
 
 Nearly every farm can boast of good water, but 
 no water, either from well, spring or stream, is 
 pure, as it all contains more or less animal of 
 vegetable matter. The only way to make it pure 
 is to filter it, just as is done in city supply reser- 
 voirs, or private filtering tanks. 
 
 A simple water filter is very easily made that 
 answers all purposes for domestic use. The plan 
 of its operations is identical with that employed 
 in large reservoirs where water is filtered on a 
 large scale for general distribution. This filter 
 consists, primarily, of two flower pots, set one 
 above the other. In the bottom of the upper pot 
 is stuffed a large sponge. A sponge is also stuffed 
 in the bottom of the lower pot, but it is more ade- 
 quately supplied with filtering material by placing 
 above the sponge a layer of smooth pebbles, then 
 a layer of coarse sand, and still above this a layer 
 of pounded charcoal 3 or 4 inches in depth. It is 
 also best to place another layer of smooth pebbles 
 above the charcoal, to prevent it from being stirred 
 up during the circulation of the water. 
 
 The upper pot should be the largest, and if the 
 lower one is strong, the upper one may stand in it, 
 or two strips of wood will serve as a base support. 
 The two pots thus arranged are placed on a three- 
 legged stool with a hole in it, through which the 
 water drips through the bottom of the lower pot 
 into the mouth of a jug set underneath. The upper 
 pot serves as a reservoir, and its sponge stops the 
 coarser impurities, and thus the filtering layers of 
 the lower one may be used for a year without being 
 renewed, though it is necessary frequently to clean 
 the sponge of the upper pot. 
 
IN AND AROUND THE HOUSE 
 
 71 
 
 The layers of sand and charcoal of the lower pot 
 are positively efifective in stopping all animal and 
 vegetable matter, as well as many smaller impu- 
 rities in the water. The only trouble one may ex- 
 perience with it is in neglecting the upper sponge 
 for too long a time, or in stuffing it in too loosely, 
 thus allowing the water to pass from the upper pot 
 faster than it can filter through the lower one. 
 Only a little attention, once or twice a month, is 
 sufficient to keep this simple filter in perfect run- 
 ning order. 
 
 DELIVERING MAIL BY TROLLEY 
 
 Where the house stands some distance back from 
 the highway a trolley can be rigged up to save 
 steps in getting the 
 mail. The box is 
 hung on two pulley 
 door hangers, as 
 shown in cut. A 
 strong post, with a 
 bent arm, is set 
 next the highway, 
 a, suspended be- 
 tween it and the 
 house, on which 
 the box runs. A 
 pulley is fastened 
 in or to, the post, 
 and over it runs a 
 cord, h, c, to pull the box back and forth between 
 the house and the road. The box is sent down to 
 meet the carrier, who places the mail in it, and 
 then it is quickly pulled back to the house. 
 
 TROLLEY MAIL BOX 
 
72 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 BEAUTY IN A BARREL 
 
 A very nice ornamentation for the lawn is shown 
 in the picture. It is made by sawing an oil barrel 
 
 in two as shown, 
 and mounting it on 
 legs. Paint it and 
 set one-half of the 
 barrel on each side 
 of the walk and use 
 them for growing 
 flowers in during 
 the summer. Care 
 should be taken to 
 have the hoops 
 thoroughly nailed 
 to the staves and 
 to have the heads 
 solid. Dark green 
 or dark red are 
 good colors for the 
 painting. If pre- 
 ferred, the barrel may rest upon the ground, but 
 should be securely braced or blocked to prevent 
 rolling. 
 
 STORAGE BIN FOR VEGETABLES 
 
 HALF-BARREL PLANT HOLDER 
 
 Instead of keeping the vegetables in barrels or 
 boxes scattered all over the cellar, have a set of 
 storage bins. Take six drygoods boxes and bolt 
 them together as shown in the drawing. Put legs 
 on them to hold them oflf the floor and a cover on 
 the top. Then paint on the boxes the names of the 
 
IN AND AROUND THE HOUSE 
 
 73 
 
 vegetables. It is most convenient to have the 
 vegetables most frequently used in the upper hoxes, 
 which would not be true of the bin shown in the pic- 
 ture. If the upper row of boxes is attached to each 
 other, but not to the lower ones, the top section can 
 easily be moved enough to make filling the lower 
 boxes a simple matter. Otherwise, the vegetables 
 
 VEGETABLE BIN 
 
 would have to be put in through the openings at 
 the top of each box a few at a time by hand, instead 
 of pouring them in. 
 
 Many people would not care to keep their pota- 
 toes in such a sectional bin, preferring a large sep- 
 arate bin. It certainly is all right for other root 
 vegetables, and many other products of the farm 
 that are stored might well be kept handy for use in 
 such a labeled sectional bin. 
 
74 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 AN INEXPENSIVE CELLAR 
 
 A temporary cellar is sometimes necessary in 
 cold countries where that under the house is not 
 
 sufficient for stor- 
 ing vegetables. A 
 very effective and 
 useful temporary 
 cellar may be con- 
 structed after the 
 following method, 
 as shown by the 
 drawings : Dig a pit 
 15 feet long, 10 feet 
 wide, 4 feet deep 
 in a solid, dry place where the drainage is good. 
 Put a gable roof of i-inch board over the hole, sup- 
 ported by 2 X 4-inch strips at the eaves, gable and 
 half way up the sides. Strengthen by crossbeams 
 and a central support if the lumber is not first 
 class. Over this place 8 to 10 inches of dry straw 
 
 CROSS-SECTION' 
 
 TEMPORARY CELLAR 
 
 well packed and over the entire structure, except- 
 ing one end, pack earth 12 to 14 inches deep. The 
 surface should be smooth to shed water. It is 
 better if plastered with mud covered with sods. 
 
IN AND AROUND THE HOUSE 
 
 75 
 
 The door end must be double-walled and the space 
 filled with straw. The door must also be double and 
 its margin packed with cloth strips, so as to be 
 practically airtight. If possible, the pit should be 
 drained by a tile, the end of which is covered with 
 a piece of wire netting to prevent the entrance of 
 rodents. Such a cellar will prevent freezing dur- 
 ing usual winter weather. The door should be 
 opened on mild days and the interior aired thor- 
 oughly. The size and depth of the pit may be 
 varied according to needs. 
 
 CLOTHESLINE UP AND DOWN 
 
 Heavy posts should be set for the ends, 3 feet in 
 and 3 feet out of the ground. It is not necessary 
 for the center post to be as heavy as the end ones. 
 Have the posts clean and smooth, so they will not 
 soil the clothes when blown against them. Take a 
 
 .^^rm^^^^ 
 
 ELEVATED CLOTHESLINE 
 
 piece of 2 x 4-inch hard wood 5 feet long for the 
 lever. Fasten to the post near the top with a ^- 
 inch bolt, 2 feet next to the line and 3 feet for the 
 lever. A block holds the lever in position while 
 the clothes are being put on. A button holds the 
 lever upright when the line is hoisted. 
 
76 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 A CLOTHES HORSE 
 
 There is no little thing that will save the house- 
 hold so much as a revolving clothes horse, so near 
 the back stoop that the clothes may be hung on it 
 without stepping out in the snow. A solid post 
 should have a hole bored in the top and the arms 
 may be beveled and spiked to a piece of plank 
 through which a bolt passes into the post, or each 
 arm may be bored to let the bolt pass through it. 
 Three, four or five arms may be used as desired, 
 and of any length, provided all are of one length. 
 No skill is required in making it, as the rope holds 
 the arms up simply by being tight enough. It is 
 well to set the post before measuring for the arms, 
 so that they may be sure to reach the veranda. 
 Some laths may be nailed together at first to make 
 a model, if you are not sure of your ability as a 
 carpenter. 
 
 A TOILET CLOSET 
 
 A small closet in a home, for keeping medicines 
 and toilet articles, is a great convenience. One 
 consists of ^-inch pine, 4 inches wide, planed and 
 put together so as to be 2 x 3 feet. It has four 
 shelves. The door is of thin pine, free from knots, 
 planed, hinged and with a back catch. The out- 
 side of frame and door is varnished. Being in the 
 toilet room, it is indeed a very useful as well as 
 ornamental piece of furniture. It has no back cas- 
 ing or boards ; simply rests against the wall. It is 
 held in place by four short pieces of band iron, one 
 end of each band being fastened to back of frame, 
 the other end fastened to the wall by a screw. All 
 
IN AND AROUND THE HOUSE "J"] 
 
 kinds of medicines, shaving materials, soaps, wash 
 rags, can there be kept. If there is no other look- 
 ing-glass in the room, one may be fastened on the 
 otitside of door. 
 
 REVOLVING CELLAR SHELF 
 
 A handy cellar shelf that will save the house- 
 keeper many steps may be arranged at the side of 
 the cellar stairs, within easy reach upon descend- 
 ing a few steps. The shelf is contrived from an 
 old axle and wheel. The axle is fastened to hang 
 from the nearest beam to the stairway. The wheel 
 is covered with thin, smoothly planed boards and 
 the axle is kept well oiled, so the wheel will revolve 
 readily, bringing all parts of the shelf within reach 
 at need. 
 
 WATER SUPPLY FOR FARMHOUSE 
 
 Farmers can have running water, hot or cold, 
 in their dwelling houses at a cost of fifty dollars 
 and up, depending upon the size of the house and 
 the kind of equipment needed. This makes pos- 
 sible the bath and toilet room, protection from fire, 
 the easy washing of windows and walks, the sprin- 
 kling of lawns, the irrigating of gardens, and all 
 the other conveniences which a few years ago were 
 thought possible only in cities, where big water 
 systems were available. This is one of the things 
 that makes farm life attractive. It lessens the work 
 in the house, insures a fine lawn and garden, re- 
 duces danger from fire, adds greatly to comfort and 
 convenience in every direction. 
 
 The way to secure this is to install a water sup- 
 ply system, with a pressure tank in the basement. 
 
78 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 This pressure tank is so arranged that by pumping 
 it full under strong air pressure the water is forced 
 all over the house, and is available for the bath- 
 room, toilet room and the garden or fire hose. The 
 water is distributed about the house exactly as it 
 is in city homes, by means of galvanized iron pipes. 
 [Where a small building is to be supplied and the 
 
 HOUSE WATER SYSTEM 
 
 amount of water to be used is not large, the sys- 
 tem can be installed for $50. For the average 
 house $90 is a better figure. Where the house is 
 large, and where considerable amounts of water 
 are needed for the lawn and garden, and possibly 
 also for washing carriages, automobiles and horses, 
 a larger system should be installed, costing up to 
 $150. 
 
 Installation and Operation 
 
 Its installation is easy, and its operation is ex- 
 ceedingly simple. Any pipe fitter or plumber can 
 
IN AND AROUND THE HOUSE 79 
 
 put in the plant so that it will work perfectly. All 
 that is needed for operating is to keep the tank 
 pressure up to the desired point. This may be 20, 
 40, 60 or 100 pounds. A few strokes of the pump, 
 if the work is done by hand, is sufficient. If a lot 
 of water is used, of course the amount of pumping 
 will increase. By being economical irt the use of 
 water, that is to say, wasting none, this matter 
 of pumping is not at all a serious problem. 
 
 The most satisfactory, method of pumping, how- 
 ever, is to use a windmill, or what is much better, 
 a gasoline engine. Every up-to-date farm ought 
 to have a small gasoline engine, which can be 
 utilized not only for operating this water supply 
 system, but for churning, sawing wood, cutting 
 feed and doing a dozen and one other jobs about the 
 farm. It would take only a few minutes of pump- 
 ing to raise the pressure in the tank the desired 
 height. With the engine it will not be necessary 
 to be economical in using water, provided the well 
 is a good one, and the supply of water large. 
 
 Experience with Water Supply System 
 
 C. A. Shamel of Illinois, editor of the Orange 
 Judd Farmer, has a system of this kind in his coun- 
 try home. It cost $75. He put in a bathroom, a 
 toilet, has a hot water tank in connection with 
 the kitchen range, and no money ever expended 
 on that farm has given anything like the amount 
 of satisfaction and comfort as that paid for this 
 water supply system. Arrangement is made to 
 take care of the waste water and sewage by run- 
 ning a large tile from the bathroom, one-quarter 
 of a mile distant, to a large cistern, located in the 
 center of a big field. This is disinfected about 
 
80 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 twice a year, and is easily handled. There is never 
 any trouble with the water pipes, even during the 
 coldest weather. Neither has there been any dif- 
 ficulty with the waste system. In fact, the water 
 supply is practically perfect, and the people on that 
 farm don't see how any farmer who can get to- 
 gether $75 or $ioo can afford to be without it. 
 
 Up to date all the pumping has been done by 
 hand. With the pump in perfect condition, this is 
 not a laborious problem. On two occasions the 
 pump valve became slightly defective through 
 wear, and it was not convenient to fix it for a few 
 weeks, being somewhat distant from the factory. 
 With this condition it required a great deal more 
 labor to do the pumping, but even with this dis- 
 advantage, it was not a serious proposition. 
 
 The illustration indicates the arrangement of a 
 water supply system, and, as can be readily seen, 
 it is very simple. Notice the hand force pump tank 
 in the basement to hold the water under pressure, 
 and the arrangement of lavatories, bath and kitchen 
 hot water service. The system can also be used 
 for supplying water to stock tanks, and these may 
 be located anywhere on the farm. The pressure 
 developed in the tank is sufficient to force the water 
 anywhere wanted. This use will, of course, depend 
 entirely upon the wishes of the owner and is simply 
 a matter of cost of pipes. It can very readily be 
 used for delivering water to dairy or other stock 
 barns, where it can be run into water troughs in the 
 stalls, or elsewhere, as desired. 
 
 WARNING AGAINST FIRE 
 
 A handy device that will give an alarm in case 
 the roof catches fire close to the chimney is shown 
 
IN AND AROUND THE HOUSE 
 
 8i 
 
 O 
 
 L 
 
 a 
 
 1 
 
 II 
 II 
 II 
 
 A FIRE ALARM 
 
82 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 on the opposite page. Drive a nail in two rafters 
 on a line with the face of the chimney, to which 
 stretch a cord close to the chimney, so that, in case 
 of fire, the cord will burn off and release the weight 
 hanging to it, which in turn will drop on an electric 
 button and ring a bell. A dry battery will cost 
 20 cents and a bell 50 cents. Place these on a shelf 
 above the fireplace. Place a piece of heavy wire, b, 
 10 inches long, as shown, and fasten to the wall or 
 chimney for the weight, a, to slide on. The weight 
 need be suspended only an inch or two above the 
 bell. 
 
 WHERE TO HANG A FIRE LADDER 
 
 A necessity on all farms and near all farm build- 
 ings are ladders and other means of getting on the 
 roofs, and in and out of upper story windows in 
 time of emergency. A scuttle should be left or 
 made in the highest part of the house roof and a 
 ladder should be at hand that will reach the eaves 
 of the highest roof. A good place to store a ladder 
 of this kind is under the eaves of the L or along 
 the rear wall of the house. Have two hooks to 
 hang it on. Make a good ladder and keep it 
 painted. 
 
 -f your cellar is dark, there is danger of accidents 
 when going down the stairs. Have the last step 
 whitened so that you may easily know when you 
 are at the bottom. You can see this step plainly 
 even in a dim light. 
 
MEN<^(^<rroeB 
 
 A HANDY FEED BASKET 
 
 ROVIDE a feed basket like this to 
 strap upon the nose of a horse 
 when giving the animal feed while 
 away from the stable. It is simpler 
 to make than the round basket, 
 and has an added advantage. When 
 not in use, the two sides press to- 
 gether and occupy scarcely any room. Cut out two 
 semi-circular pieces of wood from a ^-inch board 
 in the shape suggested in 
 the cut. Setting them at 
 the proper distance apart, 
 tack a strip of canvas, or 
 other stout cloth, around 
 the curved partition, as 
 shown in the accompany- 
 ing picture. Nail a strap 
 and a buckle at the sides, 
 to go over the head, and 
 the feed basket will be 
 complete. 
 
 The form of this basket 
 more nearly fits the shape 
 of a horse's head, and be- 
 sides, because of its oblong shape, gives the horse 
 more freedom in opening his mouth than does the 
 close-fitting round basket. 
 
 FEED BASKET 
 
 He who will not be counseled cannot be helped 
 
 83 
 
84 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 MAKE THE HORSE EAT SLOWLY 
 
 If your horse has the habit of bolting his feed you 
 can easily remedy it by making a self-feeder on his 
 box. The accompanying drawing 
 shows how a feeder may be made 
 similar to a poultry feed hopper. 
 The contrivance may be made of 
 inch boards large enough to hold 
 one feed. The horse can get the 
 HOLDS ONE FEED grain only in small quantities and 
 so cannot eat it more rapidly than 
 he should. The bottom must be made with enough 
 slant to insure all of the feed coming out in the 
 trough. 
 
 I am only one, 
 
 But I am one. 
 
 I cannot do everything, 
 
 But I can do something. 
 
 What I can do I ought to do; 
 
 And what I ought to do 
 
 By the grace of God I will do. 
 
 STALLS BETTER THAN STANCHIONS 
 
 The only point in favor of stanchions is that they 
 take up less room than stalls, but the increase in 
 milk is a reward for allowing more space and con- 
 venience to each cow. The cut shows one kind of 
 stall. The rack, a, is of hardwood 30 inches high, 
 with the slats wide enough so the cow can thrust 
 her nose through up to her eyes. 
 
 The bottom of the rack is 18 inches wide, ex- 
 tending into the stall toward the cow. The feed 
 
BARNS AND STOCK 
 
 85 
 
 box, b, slides through an opening in the stall on the 
 barn floor. It can be drawn into the feedway, 
 cleansed out and a new feed put in without being 
 disturbed by the cow. The halter strap, c, is just 
 long enough to allow the cow to lie down comfort- 
 ably. The gutter, d, is 8 inches lower than the 
 
 PLAN OF cow STALL 
 
 stall floor. When she lies down she will put her 
 head under the rack in kneeling* and when she gets 
 up, she will move backward so that she can look 
 through the rack. The length and width of stall 
 can be made to suit the cows. Small breeds, like 
 Jerseys and Ayrshires, will need about 6 inches 
 less each way than Holsteins and Shorthorns. 
 
 Knowledge is proud that he has learned so much; 
 Wisdom is humble that he knows no more. 
 
 — Cowper. 
 
 The man who is always poking his nose into 
 other folks' business rarely has any of his own 
 worth attending to. 
 
 There is no knowledge that is not power. — 
 Emerson. 
 
86 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 GOOD TIES FOR COWS 
 
 The merits of stanchions and other forms of cow 
 ties have been debated by dairymen for a long time. 
 _ The mass of expe- 
 
 rience is in favor of 
 the tying arrange- 
 ment which will 
 give the cow the 
 most freedom of 
 movement. The 
 old-fashioned solid 
 stanchion fails in 
 this respect. In 
 many cases it is 
 difficult for the cow 
 to lie down or get 
 up with her head 
 fast in one of these 
 stanchions. 
 
 The heavy swing- 
 ing stanchions have 
 advantages over 
 this, but it also 
 must be criticised in many cases, because of its 
 weight and of the consequent lack of freedom on the 
 part of the cow. A very light swinging stanchion is 
 the best type of that form. It is easy to fasten, as the 
 cows will in most cases put their heads in position 
 as they go into the stall. There is not so much 
 danger of the dairyman being struck by the horns 
 of the cow in fastening these stanchions. Many 
 modern barns are equipped with this kind. 
 
 The chain tie is favored in many sections. This 
 consists simply qf a crosschain with consider- 
 able slack, attached to a ring at each end which 
 runs over a perpendicular iron rod about i8 
 
 SWINGING STANCHIONS 
 
BARNS AND STOCK 
 
 87 
 
 inches long. In the 
 center of this chain 
 is a loop with a snap 
 which goes around 
 the cow's neck. This 
 arrangement gives 
 the greatest free- 
 dom, and allows the 
 cow to lie down and 
 get up without dif- 
 ficulty. If light par- 
 titions are used be- 
 tween the heads of 
 the cows no difficulty 
 will be experienced 
 in their striking 
 each other with their „^^„ ^„,,„ 
 
 , rr^, ■ ■ , NECK CHAIN 
 
 horns. Ihis is by 
 
 far the least expensive of cow ties, and is at the 
 
 same time one of the most satisfactory. 
 
 HANDY CALF-FEEDING DEVICE 
 
 To feed a half-dozen calves at once is entirely 
 possible if one uses the device shown here. A man 
 
 STANCHIONS FOR CALVES 
 
 who has one reports no more trouble with calves 
 since he has used this. He rattles a couple of 
 
88 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 buckets together, the calves come running up to 
 the fence and soon have all their heads through the 
 stanchions, to which they are easily fastened by 
 throwing down lever, a, which draws the bar, b, 
 into position. Then one may feed each calf with- 
 out difficulty. 
 
 Leave a 4-inch space for the calves' heads. Make 
 the rack of i-inch lumber and it can be moved from 
 one pasture to another and attached to the fepce 
 or a couple of posts. It can also be used for hold- 
 ing ewes at lambing time. 
 
 MANAGEMENT OF KICKING COWS 
 
 Make a slatted stall just high enough so the cow 
 can't jump out, and wide enough to hold her com- 
 fortably, with nothing to spare, and narrower at 
 the end, where her feed box should be placed as 
 high from the ground as is comfortable for her to 
 eat out of. This slatted stall should be long 
 enough to have cleats through which a bar or two 
 should be run behind the cow to keep her from 
 backing out, and also places to run a bar in front 
 of her hind legs about the hock joint, or as high 
 up as possible so as not to interfere with milking. 
 A hole about 18 or 20 inches wide is left open for 
 this purpose from the ground up to the cow's flank, 
 which allows easy and safe access to the udder, 
 while the cleat and post prevent the cow from kick- 
 ing outwardly at the milker, thus insuring safety. 
 
 A HANDY MILKING STOOL 
 
 Milkers who have trouble with restless cows that 
 invariably either upset the pail or get a quantity of 
 
BARNS AND STOCK 
 
 89 
 
 dirt in it will find the stool 
 shown here a remedy for 
 their troubles. It is also 
 very serviceable in fly time. 
 The upright pieces form- 
 ing the legs and ends of 
 stools are made of 2 x 8- 
 inch pieces about i foot 
 long. The supports for the 
 bucket and the seat are 
 made of inch boards. To secure rigidity it is well 
 to put three-cornered blocks under the seat and 
 bucket board as brace stays. The most restless cow 
 is not likely to upset the bucket from this stool. 
 
 STOOL TO HOLD PAIL 
 
 THE EVER READY STOOL 
 
 A very convenient stool for use in milking the 
 cow in yard or field is shown in the cut. It is 
 merely a one- 
 legged stool to 
 which is attached 
 four straps con- 
 n e c t i n g with a 
 broad strap that is 
 buckled around the 
 waist. The stool is 
 quickly fastened to 
 the milker and is 
 always in a posi- 
 tion so one can sit 
 down anywhere. 
 Such a stool with 
 a short leg would 
 also be useful in 
 the garden. Of 
 course, if one pre- milking stool 
 
go HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 ferred four legs instead of one, the stool could be so 
 made, but experience proves that the one-legged 
 kind serves well. 
 
 CHEAP MILKING STOOL 
 
 A cheap and very useful milking stool is made 
 of the reel from which barbed wire has been re- 
 moved. Saw off the ends so it will set level and 
 
 REEL STOOL 
 
 cut a board to fit on top. Make a hand hole through 
 the board as shown in the illustration and the stool 
 is ready for use. 
 
 KEEP STOOLS CLEAN 
 
 Much milk contamination is undoubtedly due to 
 the careless handling of the milk stools. When the 
 milker is through milking one cow he gives the 
 stool a toss, then he picks it up again when he 
 starts to milk the next cow and his hands become 
 more or less contaminated from the stool and from 
 
BASNS AND STOCK 
 
 91 
 
 them the dirt drops into the milk pail during the 
 milking. 
 
 When the milking is over, the stool is left in the 
 yard or on the barn floor. It is so easy to make a 
 small rack and to bore holes in the legs of the 
 
 STOOL RACK 
 
 stool, so that they may be hung up. This keeps 
 them out of the dirt and it is only necessary to 
 brush them off carefully once in a while to keep 
 them scrupulously clean. 
 
 The man who -is constantly changing his mind 
 usually has little to change. 
 
 A USEFUL STOCK CART 
 
 Here is a handy transfer cart, made with wheels 
 and crossarch of an old corn plow to carry a hog 
 
92 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 or sheep, pigs or a calf. Raise the tongue, which 
 lets the rear end on ground, then drive in the animal, 
 
 TRANSFER CART FOR SMALL ANIMALS 
 
 shut the gate, pull tongue down and you have your 
 load ready to fasten to a wagon. 
 
 HOW TO STAKE OUT STOCK 
 
 A convenient and simple contrivance so that no 
 harm can come to the animal is to drive two stakes 
 several feet apart and stretch a rope or wire on 
 
 cow TIED OUT TO FEED 
 
 which a ring is placed. To this ring fasten haltef 
 strap. . The animal can graze up and down on both 
 sides without tangle or injury. The ring slides, 
 and the stretched wire will give some. 
 
BARNS AND STOCK 93 
 
 FEED BOX FOR FIELD 
 
 A handy feed box for use in open lots or when 
 steers are being fed upon grass is shown in the 
 
 cut. Cut a barrel in 
 two and strengthen 
 the halves by plac- 
 ing a frame of two 
 boards across the 
 inside, as shown in 
 this sketch. This 
 will prevent the tub 
 being" smashed and 
 will allow four 
 animals to eat out 
 of the trough with- 
 out bothering each 
 " -' — ' ' '"" other unnecessarily. 
 
 TUB FEED BOX Ti • • ^ ^ ^i / 
 
 It IS important that a 
 very strong barrel be selected and that the hoops 
 be nailed to each stave. 
 
 Be advis'd; 
 Heat not a furnace for your foe so hot 
 That it do singe yourself: we may outrun, 
 By violent swiftness, that which we run at. 
 And lose by over-running. — Henry VHI. 
 
 Have more than thou showest. 
 
 Speak less than thou knowest. 
 
 Lend less than thou owest. 
 
 Ride more than thou goest. 
 
 Learn more than thou trowest. 
 
 Set less than thou throwest. — King Lear. 
 
 Use or practice of a thing is the best master. 
 
94 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 CHEAP SHEDS OF STRAW 
 
 It would pay every farmer to put up in the pas- 
 tures some kind of protection for his sheep, hogs 
 and cattle. Where labor is scarce and hay and straw 
 is plentiful and cheap, a condition which prevails 
 in many large sections, straw sheds and barns are 
 very profitable. Put up a framework of posts 8 
 feet high, i6 feet wide and as long as needed; 30 
 feet is a good length. 
 
 The posts are hewed evenly on two sides and set 
 so that a bale of straw will fit snugly between them. 
 They are cut off at a uniform height and a 2 x 6 
 spiked securely on top. Rafters are nailed to this 
 and covered loosely with poles. Baled straw is 
 used for the sides. 
 
 After the sides are up the roof is covered 2 feet 
 deep with loose straw held in place with a few 
 poles that are tied together in pairs and placed over 
 the ridge. Several of these sheds have been built 
 for five years and have not needed any attention. 
 
 Life is made up not of great sacrifices or duties, 
 but of little things, in which smiles and kindness, 
 and small obligations given habitually, are what 
 win and pre.=erve the heart and secure comfort. — 
 Sir H. Davy. 
 
 You must cut your coat according to your cloth. 
 
 FEED TROUGH FOR SHEEP 
 
 For a sheep trough procure two 6-inch boards, 
 a, about 3 feet long and at the bottom of each fasten 
 another board, b. Make a flat trough and let the 
 
BARNS AND STOCK 
 
 95 
 
 ends project above the top. Bore a hole through 
 each end and also through the standards, a, and 
 hang the trough on bolts. After the sheep eat and 
 
 SWINGING SHEEP TROUGH 
 
 leave the cobs, or if it rains, the trough can be 
 turned bottom side up and quickly cleaned. 
 
 The luck that I believe in 
 
 Is that which comes with work. 
 
 And no one ever finds it 
 
 Who's content to wish and shirk. 
 
 The men the world calls lucky- 
 Will tell you, every one. 
 
 That success comes, not by wishing, 
 But by hard work, bravely done. 
 
 A NOVEL FEED RACK 
 
 An overhead manger, as shown in the sketch, 
 is excellent for sheep or calves. It should hang 
 just high enough so that they will pass under with- 
 
90 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 out rubbing their backs. When filled with hay 
 from above they will eat of it at their pleasure, and 
 at the same time it will not take up floor space. 
 
 HANGING RACK 
 
 Such a manger is not suitable for grains or fine 
 •cut fodders, as too much may be wasted. 
 
 A WHEELBARROW SHEEP TROUGH 
 
 It very often happens that one wishes to run 
 the sheep on several different pastures during the 
 
 PORTABLE RACK FEEDER 
 
BARNS AND STOCK 
 
 97 
 
 season. If heavy feed racks are used it is quite a 
 task to move them. The drawing shows a rack 
 that can be easily moved from one field to another 
 by one person. It is simply mounted upon a pair 
 of wheels and has handles on the other end. 
 
 If the rack is made very large, it can be easily 
 attached to a wagon, and thus drawn from place to 
 place. The one shown is mounted on old cultivator 
 wheels. 
 
 PACKING THE FLEECE 
 
 One of the best ways to pack a fleece is to lay it 
 upon a table, turn in the head and tail, then the 
 
 FLEECE TYING BOX 
 
 flanks. After this roll it up into a neat roll and tie 
 firmly, using such a device as here illustrated. 
 
 The tying box is made from light lumber with 
 slots, as shown, through which the rope is passed. 
 The fleece is placed upon this rope and the roll 
 easily tied. Wool buyers prefer to have the fleece 
 
98 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 loose, light to handle and elastic and tied up so 
 that it can be opened if needed. 
 
 EASY TO HANDLE HEAVY HOGS 
 
 The old fashion of having a lot of help around 
 at hog-killing time is going out, owing to the use 
 of better appliances for handling the animals after 
 killing. You may rig up a simple arrangement so 
 
 ONE-MAN BUTCHERING RIG 
 
 that you can handle heavy hogs without assistance. 
 Build a fire box with a flue, b, of three joints of old 
 stovepipe. The vat is made of heavy galvanized 
 iron 4 feet long by 2 feet vvide and 18 inches deep. 
 Over this erect a frame of 2 x 4-inch strips, upon 
 which place an old traveler from a hay carrier, or 
 construct one similar to d. With the windlass ar- 
 rangement, o, and the tackle, e, to which are at- 
 tached the four feet of the hog, you can convey it 
 from the vat to the bench. A rope, c, passing over 
 the pulley at g, serves to pull the carrier, d, over the 
 bench from the vat. 
 
BARNS AND STOCK 99 
 
 HEATING WATER FOR HOG KILLING 
 
 A device which is superior to the old iron kettle 
 for heating water is shown in this sketch. Take a 
 piece of 2-inch iron pipe 8 feet long and have it 
 securely screwed into the bottom of a stout vinegar 
 barrel. In the other end of the pipe screw a large 
 wooden block. 
 
 SIMPLE WATER BOILER 
 
 By arranging the affair as shown in the sketch 
 water in the barrel will be heated rapidly and can 
 be removed as desired without bothering the fire. 
 Do not make the mistake of putting a metal cap 
 on the end of the pipe, or the steam may sometimes 
 burst the piping before the cap will come off. The 
 wooden block acts as a safety valve and will fly out 
 if pressure is too great. 
 
 A FARM SLAUGHTERHOUSE 
 
 If one butchers his own stock on the farm he 
 would do well to fix up a small building for a 
 slaughterhouse. This can be done so easily and 
 at such small expense that almost any farmer can 
 afford one. It is generally most convenient to have 
 
100 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 it near the hog yard, for then the refuse can be 
 easily conveyed to the hogs. Indeed it would not 
 be a half bad idea to have it in some instances a 
 part of the hog house. The room in which to kill 
 
 isLV'. 
 
 CARCASS DERRICK 
 
 cattle and hogs should not be less than 15 feet 
 square. This will give plenty of space for the 
 work. As much of the room should be kept cleat 
 from fixtures as Dossible. 
 
BARNS AND STOCK lOI 
 
 The floor should be made of concrete graded 
 so that it will all drain to a central opening. A 
 pipe should carry the liquid from this opening to a 
 trough in the hog yard. The ideal way would be 
 to make the walls of concrete for about 3 feet from 
 the ground. This will make it much easier to keep 
 the place clean. It is quite necessary that a good 
 supply of water be close at hand. If possible, a 
 water pipe with hose attached should be in the 
 house. This will enable one to flood the floor at 
 any time. 
 
 On page 99 is a picture of a very good device 
 for handling the carcasses. It is made of a heavy 
 roller, r, 5 to 6 inches thick, and long enough to 
 reach across the width of the room. It is sup- 
 ported in the middle by a bracket, d, detail of which 
 is shown in the drawing. This makes it possible 
 to lift a carcass of any weight. A drum, b, is at- 
 tached to the roller at one end, over which is run 
 the rope that communicates with the crank, a, at 
 the floor. Any man handy with tools can make 
 this derrick. 
 
 In order to simplify matters one may use a barrel 
 cart water heater. This barrel has a valve attached 
 at the bottom. To this is fastened a rubber hose 
 that communicates with a small coil of pipes. This 
 coil of pipes in turn communicates with the top of 
 the barrel by another rubber hose. The coil of 
 pipes is placed over a fire built in a hole in the 
 ground, and the valve is opened. 
 
 As soon as the water in the coils becomes hot it 
 is forced through the rubber hose, and a circulation 
 is started. This device will heat water very rapidly 
 and easily. When the water is heated the rubber 
 hose is detached and the barrel wheeled under the 
 
I02 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 derrick on which the hog is hung. By means of a 
 crank the carcass is let into the water to be scalded. 
 With simple devices one man can very easily do 
 the butchering alone. It will be found convenient 
 to have a table that folds up against the side of the 
 building on which to cut up the meat. 
 
 KEEP PIGS OUT OF FEED TROUGH 
 
 To prevent hogs crowding and getting in the 
 trough with their feet the accompanying plan will 
 be found practical. You can nail the Vs, or rick- 
 
 PARTITIONED HOG TROUGH 
 
 rack work, on any shaped trough. They fit on a 
 pointed qr flat-bottomed trough equally well. Nail 
 a strip lengthwise along the top of the Vs to 
 strengthen them. Stakes driven at intervals and 
 nailed securely to the angles will hold the Vs and 
 trough both solid. 
 
 MOVABLE HOUSE FOR BREEDING SOWS 
 
 Individual hog houses may be constructed with 
 four upright walls and a shed roof, as shown beloW. 
 The walls and the roof are separate and can be 
 easily taken down and replaced. These small 
 
BARNS AND STOCK IO3 
 
 houses can be moved about very easily. The size 
 of the house will depend upon conditions. The 
 
 CONSTRUCTION OF THE HOUSE 
 
 construction is shown, so that any farmer with tools 
 can easily put up one of these houses. With the 
 individual houses the sow at farrowing time may be 
 kept alone and away from all disturbance and 
 there will not be too large a number of pigs in a 
 
 THE HOUSE SET UP 
 
J04 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 small lot if kept in this way. The danger of spread- 
 ing diseases among the animals is also reduced to 
 a minimum where swine are kept more isolated. 
 When properly bedded and cared for no disastrous 
 disease need be feared. Much depends upon the 
 sanitary conditions. 
 
 WELL-ARRANGED HOG LOTS 
 
 An Indiana farmer keeps his pigs in long houses 
 which are divided into compartments opening into 
 small lots. The sketch shows how they stand. 
 Breeding hogs and fattening shotes are allowed 
 the run of their own lots, as well as occasional 
 
 PIG HOUSES AND PENS 
 
 changes into the larger field, shown at the bottom 
 of the sketch, which is a timothy and clover pas- 
 ture. It is better to have pigs in separate quarters 
 in small bunches, for in this way they can be better 
 attended to and the growths are more uniform. 
 
BARNS AND STOCK 
 
 105 
 
 HANDY PIG CATCHER 
 
 Here is a homemade device for catching small 
 pigs which saves much time and annoyance. The 
 net may be made from a 
 discarded lawn tennis 
 net, the rim from a 
 bicycle wheel, and the han- 
 dle is a heavy rake handle. 
 The net is securely fas- 
 tened to the rim with some 
 copper wire, while the rim 
 is fastened to the handle 
 with two pieces of 
 band iron. Small pigs 
 caught in the net will not 
 squeal and struggle as 
 when chased around the 
 pen and caught by one leg. 
 The element of excitement 
 is greatly reduced by use of 
 the net, and some would 
 find less fun in the net 
 method. On the whole, however, we recommend it. 
 
 PIG NET 
 
 The weakest arm is strong enough that strikes 
 with the sword of justice. 
 
 Our knowledge is the amassed thought and ex- 
 perience of innumerable minds. — Emerson. 
 
 STAIRS FOR THE BARN 
 
 A lot of time is saved if one has handy stairs 
 which can be used for throwing down hay as well 
 as a passageway. These steps are made of light 
 
lOO 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 material and instead of putting on a lower step, use 
 a block, c, and attach the stringers of the stairs to it 
 at each end with a pin. A rope passes over the 
 
 CROSS-SECTION WITH STAIRS 
 
 pulleys at d, to a weight, which allows the stairway 
 to be held upright while the hay is being put down. 
 The rope, e, is handy to pull the stairs into position. 
 
 HANG UP THE LANTERN 
 
 Here is a good idea for hanging a lantern over 
 the barn floor. Get two pulleys with screw stems, 
 and screw on in beam over head, the other at top of 
 post. Have a bracket lower on the same post. 
 Take a piece of small but strong cord, and at 
 
BARNS AND STOCK 
 
 107 
 
 one end fasten a snap and pass 
 
 Put 
 
 your 
 
 the other 
 lantern on 
 
 end 
 the 
 
 through the pulleys 
 snap and draw it 
 high enough so it 
 will be out of reach 
 of forking hay, and 
 you can see all over 
 the barn floor. You 
 can raise the lan- 
 tern high enough 
 to pitch hay from 
 the top of the mow 
 with no danger of 
 turning the light 
 over and burning 
 the building and 
 contents. 
 
 The end of the 
 cord opposite the 
 lantern may be 
 fastened with a snap, or more length may be al- 
 lowed for adjusting the height of the lantern, and 
 the cord may be secured by a hitch or a few turns 
 around a button or two spikes driven halfway in 
 and bent over in opposite directions. 
 
 PULLEY-HUNG LANIERN 
 
 ARRANGEMENT FOR WEIGHING 
 
 A homemade balance may be constructed with a 
 joist loosely attached, so as to just balance over the 
 rounded top of a heavy block. It will be useful in 
 weighing hay and other bulky substances for feed- 
 ing purposes. For weights, use small wooden 
 boxes or bags of stone and sand which have been 
 weighed on other scales. Place the required weight 
 upon the balance and then place feed on the other 
 
io8 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 end until it balances the weight, and it will be ac- 
 curate enough for all ordinary purposes. 
 
 A BARN WINDLASS 
 
 It is easily made of iron pipe or a bar fastened 
 to the ladder or other suitable support by means 
 
 of eyebolts or stout sta- 
 ples, as shown at a in the 
 drawing. It may be used 
 for raising grain, wagon 
 boxes and other heavy 
 things to the upper part 
 of the barn, and, if desired, 
 may be rigged with block 
 and falls, so as to increase 
 the power without increas- 
 ing the effort. A loose bolt 
 placed in a hole will pre- 
 vent unwinding. The pic- 
 ture shows how simple this device is. Every farmer 
 knows how useful a barn windlass may be. 
 
 GRAIN BOX EASY TO EMPTY 
 
 
 WINDLASS 
 
 The trouble with most grain boxes is to get out 
 the last third of the grain. Bending over the edge 
 jackknife fashion is neither pleasant nor healthful. 
 A box or bin may be made with half its front on 
 hinges, so that it can be let down and all the con- 
 tents scooped out without difficulty. The bin may 
 be made from a piano box with a partition in the 
 middle for two kinds of grain. 
 
 Leave your son a good reputation and an ems 
 ployment. 
 
BARNS AND STOCK lOQ 
 
 EASILY CONSTRUCTED GRAIN BINS 
 
 Grain bins with compartments for different kinds 
 of feed are handy in barn or stable. By procuring 
 a number of dry-goods boxes, all of the same size 
 and shape, and nailing them together side by side, 
 so that they will appear as one, the bin is easily 
 made. The cover should extend the entire length 
 of the bin, and though leather hinges will answer, 
 it is better to attach it with iron ones, for then, with 
 a good staple and hasp, the contents can be kept 
 under lock and key if desired. 
 
 A CONVENIENT BARN TRUCK 
 
 No dairyman can afford to ignore that which 
 will lighten his labor in any way whatever. Be his 
 stable ever so conveniently constructed, he has 
 enough to do. Hence the importance of his con- 
 sidering a feeding truck or car if he does not have 
 one. Made of good lumber, the only iron about it 
 need be the handle at each end, by which to push or 
 pull it along the feeding alley in front of the cows 
 which are to be fed, and the small trucks on which 
 it is mounted. The wheels procured, any good 
 blacksmith can make these, so that the truck is by 
 no means difficult to construct. The box body 
 should be about 2 feet wide, 20 inches deep and 
 4j4 feet long. Silage can be conveyed in it from 
 the silo to the mangers very readily. If the silo 
 is some distance away, it will save much hard 
 work. 
 
 If little labor, little are our gaines : 
 
 Man's fortunes are according to his paines. 
 
 — Herrick. 
 
no 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 TAKES A MAN'S PLACE 
 
 In most cases it takes two men to fill a sack of 
 
 grain, but by using 
 the sack holder 
 one man can do it 
 alone. Make a 
 platform, b, 20 
 inches square, and 
 fasten to it a 2 x 4, 
 c, with notches cut 
 in. The arms, a, 
 should be 18 inches 
 long. Make the 
 upright piece 3 
 feet long so that 
 long bags can be 
 handled. Some 
 bags will require a 
 still longer upright 
 piece. A device that 
 takes the place of a 
 
 man or enables a man to work twice as fast as he 
 
 could without it is worth while. 
 
 SACK HOLDER 
 
 A wise old owl sat on an oak, 
 
 The longer he stayed the less he spoke. 
 
 The less he spoke the more he heard. 
 
 Why are not more of us like that wise old bird? 
 
 There are but two ways of paying debt : increi 
 of industry in raising income, increase of thrift 
 lavinf out. — Carlvle. 
 
 laying out. — Carlyle. 
 
 increase 
 in 
 
 If it were done, when 'tis done, then 'twere well 
 It were done quickly. — Macbeth. 
 
BARNS AND STOCK 
 
 III 
 
 A HANDY BAG HOLDER 
 
 It is constructed with two good boards I inch 
 thick and 15 inches wide. The perpendicular one 
 is 3>4 feet long, and the horizontal one 2 feet 
 long. These are joined together and braced as 
 shown in the draw- 
 ing, and the hopper 
 is attached, wedged 
 out from the per- 
 pendicular board so 
 the bag may wrap 
 it all the way 
 round. The hooks 
 for holding the bag 
 in place can be se- 
 cured at a hardware 
 store. As the whole 
 affair, if composed 
 of thoroughly sea- 
 soned lumber is 
 light to handle, it 
 can easily be 
 carried to any 
 spot where grain 
 is to be put up. 
 
 Here is another scheme that saves time and labor 
 and makes it possible for one man to do the work 
 that usually requires two. This one is as good and 
 perhaps better than any device that has been in- 
 vented in the bag-holder line. In making it, an 
 important point is to attach all parts very securely 
 where they come together, especially the hopper and 
 the braces. Otherwise, with hard usage the holder 
 will get loose and break down. 
 
 BAG HOLDER 
 
112 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 A CORN HUSKING RACK 
 
 Many who husk their corn by hand find it very 
 tiresome to sit on the floor or ground in a cramped 
 position. A rack made as shown in the drawing 
 
 RACK FOR CORN HUSKING 
 
 will hold two or three shocks and gives a better 
 place for the husker to sit. Place the stalks cross- 
 wise of the bench in front of you. 
 
 A HOMEMADE FEED CUTTER 
 
 An old lawn mower can be arranged to make a 
 fairly satisfactory straw or feed cutter. One must 
 
 WORKING THE LAWN MOWER 
 
BARNS AND STOCK 
 
 "3 
 
 rig up a hopper, as shown in the sketch, and at- 
 tach the mower to the lower end of it so that the 
 straw or grain will just strike the knives where 
 the grass usually comes into the mower. A crank 
 and a belt arrangement makes it easy for one man 
 to feed and turn the cutter. This is a good use for 
 a lawn mower in the winter time when it is not 
 working outdoors. 
 
 SAW ROOT CUTTER 
 
 Those who have cut roots in the winter time 
 with a butcher knife or hatchet will fully appreciate 
 
 something better 
 ll.J for a root cutter. 
 A Wisconsin 
 farmer has found 
 a serviceable 
 homemade lever 
 cutter very efS- 
 cient for all roots. 
 For hard ones, 
 like rutabagas, it 
 is about the best 
 thing available. 
 His is made out of an old hand saw, sharpened on 
 the back, fastened by means of a bolt passing 
 through a hole punched at the small end, and held 
 by a guide formed of two pieces of wood secured 
 upright, so as to have a slit for the saw to work in. 
 This contrivance is a success, and with a little prac- 
 tice the roots may be cut very rapidly. See accom- 
 panying illustration. The cutter may be mounted 
 upon the wall wherever it will be most convenient. 
 The bench or platform should be at about the height 
 of a common table. 
 
 ROOT CUTTER 
 
114 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 HOMEMADE CABBAGE CUTTER 
 
 A cheap and easily made cabbage and root 
 cutter is shown in the drawing. Take two 
 
 12-inch boards and 
 nail them strongly- 
 together. With di- 
 viders mark around 
 a circle, then saw 
 out and mark in 
 quarters. Cut four 
 slots 7 inches long 
 on a slant, as shown 
 by dotted lines, so 
 the cabbage will fall 
 through easily. Next 
 cut two circles 4 
 inches in diameter. 
 Nail one to the large 
 wheel on the back 
 and leave the other 
 loose on the shaft 
 to act as a bearing. 
 Make a frame to 
 admit the wheel, leaving 2 inches clear, and just 
 wide enough so the knives do not strike the side. 
 Make a top over the wheel and put a hopper on the 
 opposite side from the crank. The knives are 8 
 inches long and can be made from an old bucksaw 
 and ground down sharp, with a bevel on one side. 
 "Screw these on the wheel at a slant according to the 
 thickness the cabbage is wanted. A square hole 
 should be cut through the center of the wheel for 
 the shaft. 
 
 CABBAGE CUTTER 
 
 Kindle not the fire that you cannot extinguish. 
 
TARMS AND STOCK 1 15 
 
 A SUBSTANTIAL DRIVEWAY 
 
 A plank driveway to the barn is usually made 
 steep in order to save planks. It is continually 
 wearing out and breaking. A substantial driveway 
 with an easy grade can be made by driving down 
 stakes close together on either side, and filling in 
 between with stones, rubbish and earth, packing all 
 down firmly. When full to the top, pack some 
 earth against the outside of the stakes and sod over 
 the sides. This driveway will form an easy rise 
 and will prove very durable. 
 

 FEEDING DRY GROUND GRAIN 
 
 OME of our friends have found that 
 a poultry feed hopper for feeding 
 ground grain has proved very- 
 satisfactory. Malte a box i8 x i8 
 inches and 6 inches deep, then take 
 off one end and fasten to the back 
 with hinges, which forms the cover. 
 Nail a strip, a, 3 inches wide across the open side 
 at bottom, which forms the box for the poultry to 
 eat from. Take a board, h, the width of inside of 
 box, 14 inches long, and insert in front of box, nail- 
 ing as shown in cut, with the upper end even with 
 front edge of box and slanting in until a space of 
 2 inches is left between bottom of 
 board and back of box to allow the 
 feed to pass through. 
 
 The feed is poured into this hop- 
 per and runs down into the box at 
 the bottom as fast as needed. The 
 size of the hopper can be varied to 
 suit the size of the flock. It should 
 be screwed to wall of poultry 
 house about 12 inches from floor. By using this 
 hopper one may keep a dry mixture consisting of 
 wheat bran and middlings and occasionally corn 
 meal, or a small amount of linseed meal, always 
 before the fowls. In addition, some people feed a 
 mixture of whole corn, oats and wheat in the litter 
 morning and evening, also ground green bone and 
 beef scraps. 
 
 116 
 
 FEED HOPPER 
 
POULTRY AND BEES II7 
 
 KEEPING THE WATER CLEAN 
 
 Few drinking fountains are more successful than 
 a large bottle or jug filled with water and inverted. 
 It can be fastened wherever convenient with straps. 
 If a small pan is placed close beneath it the water 
 will flow out as it is used and will remain clean and 
 cool. Place it high enough above the floor of the 
 house so the fowls will not scratch litter into the 
 pan. 
 
 A WATERING RACK FOR HENS 
 
 Build a crate of lath 2 feet square, 3 feet high, 
 with a slanting cover to keep the hens off the top. 
 Then tack an 8-inch 
 board in front, level 
 with floor of crate. 
 Nail the rack to post 
 or side of henhouse 
 about 2>4 feet from 
 floor, and put your 
 water pan in crate. 
 The hens will quickly 
 learn to fly up and 
 drink by putting corn 
 on the lighting board. 
 This contrivance 
 keeps the hens from 
 spilling their water 
 or scratching dust or 
 chaff into it. Be sure 
 to nail the rack securely to the wall or post where 
 it is put up. 
 
 RACK 
 
 PLACE 
 
 Keep your shop and your shop will keep you. 
 
Ii8 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 DRINKING FOUNTAIN 
 
 The best drinking fountain, in that it is impossible 
 for small chicks to get drowned, and they cannot 
 stand in the water 
 to befoul it, is made 
 by inverting a can 
 or pail in a pan a 
 trifle larger. To- 
 mato cans with the 
 edges pounded 
 down, leaky pails 
 with the ears bent 
 up, in fact anything 
 with a smooth top 
 and in which a hole 
 can be made, can 
 be used. Punch a hole or holes in the side just a 
 little less distance from the top than the depth of 
 the pan to be used. Fill with water, invert the 
 pan over the top, and turn over quickly. 
 
 CHICKEN FOUNTAIN 
 
 FOLDING CHICKEN ROOST 
 
 This roost is made of 3-inch boards cut any de- 
 sired length. A small bolt fastens the upright 
 
 MOVABLE ROOST 
 
POULTRY AND BEES 
 
 1191. 
 
 pieces at their top ends, and the horizontal pieces 
 are fastened on with nails. This roost can be kept 
 at any angle, and may be quickly taken out of the 
 house when it is time to clean up. This sort of 
 roost will accommodate more fowls in the same 
 space than the flat kind, but it should not be made- 
 very high. 
 
 A GOOD POULTRY NEST 
 
 A useful trap nest can be made of grocery boxes. 
 They should be at least 12 inches each way. The 
 illustration shows 
 how they are made. 
 In the cut the trap 
 is set ready for the 
 hen to enter. A 
 cleat, c, is fastened 
 to a small piece of 
 cord, which is tied 
 to a nail on the 
 side of the box. 
 Set the trap by 
 raising it and rest- 
 ing the cleat on the 
 nail, with the other 
 end under the arm marked a. This leaves an open- 
 ing from 4 to 6 inches wide, which is not enough 
 for the hen to enter. In going into the nest she 
 will be obliged to raise the trap door, which will let 
 the cleat fall, thus closing the trap after the hen 
 has gone in. 
 
 The trap door, the arms and the cleats may be 
 made out of lath. Leave a little space between the 
 boards in the walls, so the heat can escape, other- 
 wise it will be too warm in summer. The bottom 
 
 TRAP NEST 
 
120 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 board, b, in front should be 3 or 4 inches wide, and 
 the lower piece of the trap door should rest against 
 this so the hen cannot get her head through, raise 
 the trap and get out. 
 
 TWO COOPS FROM A BARREL 
 
 Very good coops can be made at small cost from 
 empty barrels, as shown in this picture. First, 
 drive shingle nails through the hoops on both sides 
 of each stave and clinch them down on the 
 inside. Then divide the barrel in halves, if it is 
 big enough, by cutting through the hoops and the 
 
 BARREL CHICKEN COOP 
 
 bottom. Drive sticks into the ground to hold the 
 coop in place, and drive a long stick at each side 
 of the open end just far enough from coop to allow 
 the front door to be slipped out and in. The night 
 door can be made of the head from the barrel or 
 any solid board, and the slatted door, used to con- 
 fine the hen, by nailing upright strips of lath to a 
 ■crosslath at top and bottom. 
 
 Weak men wait for opportunities; strong men 
 make them. — Harden. 
 
POULTRY AND BEES 
 
 A BOX CHICKEN COOP 
 
 121 
 
 The diagram shows a convenient way to make a 
 coop for the poultry yard, of which the special fea- 
 ture is its door. Procure a box of the right 
 dimensions and saw a hole, d, in one end. Then 
 strengthen the box with narrow strips of wood, 
 i, c, on each side of the hole h, c. This acts as a 
 
 HINGELESS DOOR IN COOP 
 
 groove for the door, a, to slide in. Thus you have 
 a sliding door, which opens and shuts with the 
 greatest ease. The front of the coop is inclosed 
 with lath, or narrow strips, placed 2^ to 3 inches 
 apart. The top should be covered with a good 
 grade of roofing paper to make it waterproof. A 
 coop of this sort should be 2 to 23^ feet long, 16 
 inches deep and 2 feet high. 
 
 A LOW POULTRY RUN 
 
 A safe and secure run that requires less material 
 than a high pen can be made from laths sawed in 
 two, which would make the sides 2 feet high, mak- 
 ing the frame of scantlings and the top of sawed 
 laths, box boards or similar material. The top of 
 
122 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 the run should consist almost entirely of trap doors, 
 using bits of old harness for hinges, which will look 
 well if cut neatly. The picture shows one of the 
 doors propped up to show the construction more 
 plainly. The doors are 4 feet long, the lengfth of 
 a lath, and may be 8 to 10 feet the other way and 
 still not be clumsy, being constructed of such light 
 material. This trap door is an important feature. 
 
 TRAP-DOOR POULTRY COOP 
 
 as it permits the tender to enter easily for remov- 
 ing top soil and replacing with fresh earth, or 
 otherwise caring for the birds. The frame material 
 is of 2 X 2-inch scantling at the corners, while the 
 side strips are made of inch boards sawed 2 inches 
 wide. The earth under this run should be slightly 
 mounded for the sake of dryness. 
 
 Whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing 
 well. — Earl of Chesterfield. 
 
POULTRY AND BEES I23 
 
 A PORTABLE CHICKEN COOP 
 
 One of the annoyances about an ordinary chicken 
 coop is that it is not easily moved from place to 
 place, nor provided with a yard. To obtain a yard 
 the coop must be moved separately, and thus re- 
 ■quire the loss of more or less time. In the draw- 
 ing shown herewith is a simple, homemade coop, 
 
 COOP EASILY MOVED 
 
 which can very easily be moved by the aid of the 
 handles at the apex at each end. The coop is built 
 •of ordinary material on a base frame, and with a 
 V-shaped roof and side frames. The ridge pole is 
 extended, as shown at each end, to form a handle. 
 A convenient length is about 2 feet for the coop 
 and 3 or 4 feet for the yard. If desired, the hen 
 may be allowed the freedom of the yard or may be 
 held in by slats, as shown in the drawing. 
 
 A HOMEMADE BROODER 
 
 The material costs about $2 and a handy person 
 can build one in a day. The gas from the lamp 
 'does not go into the chick apartment at all, but 
 filters around under the floor, making it dry and 
 mrarm. The lamp flame is about 3 inches from the 
 
124 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 sheet iron. The heat flows up gently through the 
 drum, /, which is perforated with holes in the side, 
 thus letting part of the heat out into the hover 
 and the balance in the brooder above. The 
 heat reservoir, g, between the sheet iron, k, and the 
 floor, c, is about i inch deep. The tube, /, should 
 not touch the sheet iron, merely extending through 
 the floor, c. It takes very little oil. 
 
 
 fJ^f^^J^^^/^^/77 
 
 v///^^^^/^7rh 
 
 4' 
 
 DETAILS OF BROODER 
 
 In the cut, a, is the paper roofing over inch- 
 matched boards, b; c is board floor of same material ; 
 d are small windows, e is the hover, h are holes in 
 each side of the brooder for the escape of gas and 
 fumes, / shows door to reach the lamp, n air space 
 below the floor. 
 
 MOVABLE BROODER HOUSE 
 
 The type of house shown in the cut is one of the 
 best for raising poultry. It may be built on run- 
 ners, with a tight board floor of matched boards. 
 A convenient size is 6 feet wide and lo feet long, 
 6 feet high in front and 4 feet at the rear. The 
 
POULTRY AND BEES 
 
 125 
 
 ■door is in the middle, and there is a window on each 
 side, with two openings below. The roof should 
 be covered with a good quality of prepared roofing. 
 
 HOUSE ON RUNNERS 
 
 The same material used to cover the sides will 
 make the house warmer. Roosts may be put in 
 after the brooders are taken out, and the chickens 
 easily protected from foxes and other animals. 
 
 A VERY CHEAP HENHOUSE 
 
 It was built by a " down east " Yankee. The 
 studs and rafters were made of two pieces of i x 2- 
 inch stuff nailed together T shape. These were set 
 up 2 feet ID inches apart on centers and covered 
 with wire netting drawn taut. This was then cov- 
 ered with tarred paper, which made the only ma- 
 terial between the fowls and the outside air. They 
 have wintered in these houses without discomfort, 
 and gave a good egg yield. The wire netting pre- 
 vented the paper from sagging when the house was 
 covered with snow. 
 
 They can who think they can. 
 
126 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 A DAYLIGHT CHICKEN CATCHER 
 
 Do you, when you want fried chicken on short 
 notice, run it down, provided it doesn't run you 
 down? Here is a better way. Fasten a barrel hoop' 
 securely to a handle about 6 feet long, and to it 
 fasten a bag about 3 feet deep. A piece of an old 
 hammock is fine for a bag, or horse net or fish net 
 — anything the chicken cannot get out of. Lay it 
 on the ground, call the chicken and throw the com 
 over the bag, and when one suitable goes on lift 
 up the hoop and you have it. If the bag is made 
 not over i foot deep it can be dropped down over 
 the chicken while eating. 
 
 A SIMPLE HAWK TRAP 
 
 Make a box 4 inches deep, 6 inches square and nail 
 to a 4-foot pole with cleats at the bottom to keep 
 from turning over. Cover top of box with i-inch 
 mesh wire. Place a little chicken in the box; then 
 put a steel trap on top of box and set it out under 
 the trees where the hawks lodge to watch for the 
 chickens. If there are hawks around, it is pretty 
 sure to catch them. 
 
 SCARE AWAY CROWS AND HAWKS 
 
 For keeping hawks and crows away from the 
 poultry yards, get a few bright tin shingles, link 
 them together with wire, and hang upon an arm 
 extending from the top of a high pole, where sun 
 and wind strike fairly. The jingle and glitter is 
 sufficient to keep these pests at a safe distance. 
 You will also find them useful in the corn and 
 melon fields where crows are troublesome. 
 
POULTRY AND BEES 
 
 127 
 
 Wi 
 
 5« 
 
 
 
 PRACTICAL HIVES AND HIVE MAKING 
 
 ^VERY apiarist knows that there is 
 no item in bee keeping of more 
 practical importance than the hive 
 and brood frame. The Langstroth, 
 or Simplicity size of frame has be- 
 come almost standard, for there 
 are more frames of this size in use 
 than all others combined. The frame proper is 
 17^ inches long, g}i inches deep, and the top bar 
 is 19 inches long. There are several styles made, 
 but many prefer what is known as the Hoffman. 
 This has a heavy top bar in depth, as well as width. 
 The ends, or end bars, are made 1% inches wide 
 for about 3 inches down and one side is worked off 
 to a knife edge, which comes against the square 
 edge of the next frame, making them self-spacing, 
 but not a closed-end frame, and allowing the proper 
 bee space between the top bars. This works fairly 
 well without the use of the honey board, though 
 one is preferable. 
 
 The hive for this frame, to be best adapted 
 to the production of comb or extracted honey, 
 should contain 10 frames, the in- 
 side dimensions being 15 inches 
 wide, 10 inches deep and i8}i 
 inches long. A follower can be 
 used at one side to assist in re- 
 moving frames by first removing 
 the follower or division board. 
 This arrangement leaves % inch 
 between the top of the frames 
 and the top of the brood nest, so , 
 
 that when the surplus cases are double-wallei> 
 put on the proper bee space is hive 
 
128 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 preserved. This hive is made of scant ^^-inch lum- 
 ber for the outside, ship-lapped together in a man- 
 ner to make a perfect joint. It is 20 inches wide, 
 24 inches long, about 20 inches high to the eaves, 
 or roof, outside measurements, and weighs complete 
 about 50 pounds. The inside dimensions of the brood 
 nest should be the same as any 8 or lo-frame hive, 
 as the bee keeper may prefer. The brood nest is 
 raised sufficiently to admit of packing between it 
 and the hive proper, also a space for packing at 
 ends and sides. 
 
 DOVETAILED HIVE 
 
 The lower portion of the hive being well pro- 
 tected against the cold, the warmth of the bees 
 will care for the upper portion. To avoid conden- 
 sation cover the brood nest after removing the 
 surplus cases with a porous substance, or chaff 
 cushion. Make a wooden rim about 4 inches deep, 
 covering the top and bottom with burlap and fill- 
 ing with wheat chaff or cut straw. Many prefer 
 the cut straw both for cushions and packing the 
 
POULTRY AND BEES 
 
 129 
 
 hives. This rim should be made a little smaller 
 than the inside of the hive. 
 
 In extremely warm v^reather the cover can be 
 raised a few inches in front, giving a circulation 
 of air all around the surplus department, and shad- 
 ing it at the same time. The cover is hinged at 
 the back end, and when raised, as shown in cut, 
 makes two shelves for the use of the operators, 
 which are highly appreciated; besides, there is no 
 lifting on or off of covers, as is the case in other 
 liives. The alighting board is hinged and can 
 touch the ground, which is of great advantage to 
 the bees during a heavy flow of honey. 
 
 Perhaps there are more single-walled hives used 
 in the United States than double-walled or chaff 
 hives, but in northern states a double-walled hive 
 is preferable. 
 
 DEVICE FOR EXTRACTING BEESWAX 
 
 Wax, as produced by the bees and worked into 
 comb, is almost pure white, but, on being melted 
 
 SOLAR WAX EXTRACTOR 
 
 and cooled, is yellow. A man who knows advises 
 every beekeeper to use the solar wax extractor. 
 
130 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 All that is necessary is to have a box with glass to 
 fit over it, as shown in the drawing. To melt 
 combs, put in the box an old dripping-pan, having 
 a hole at one corner, and that corner the lowest, 
 with some kind of a dish set under to catch the 
 wax. Set in the sun. To get the most out, break 
 up the combs into fine pieces, then soak in water 
 for a day or two Iqnger before rendering. 
 
 SELF-FEEDER FOR BEES 
 
 A very simple device for feeding bees on syrup 
 may be made if you take an ordinary fruit can, fill 
 it full of syrup and over the top tie a thick rag with 
 a string. Then invert the can in a small pan or 
 dish. The syrup will seep out through the rag 
 around the edges of the jar just fast enough for the 
 bees to keep it cleaned up. 
 
r^. 
 
 GARDEN AND 
 ORCHARD 
 
 r \ 
 
 AN IRON HOOP TRELLIS 
 
 HIS trellis is made of the iron 
 hoops that are now used so com- 
 monly upon sugar and other bar- 
 rels. They are of stout wire, 
 welded into a complete circle, and, 
 as barrels are constantly going to 
 pieces, one can get together quite 
 a collection of these, when they can be assorted 
 into uniform sizes. 
 
 An attractive trellis is shown. Three strips of 
 wood, pointed at the lower end 
 and finished with a knob at the top, 
 are provided, the length being a 
 matter for individual taste. A 
 trellis for tomato plants will need 
 not more than two hoops, 
 while one for sweet peas may re- 
 quire a half dozen. The strips of 
 wood should be of inch board, 2 
 inches wide. The hoops are se- 
 cured to the uprights by small 
 staples made for putting up wire 
 fencing. The wooden posts may 
 be oiled or painted some attrac- 
 tive color. This trellis will be 
 greatly appreciated both in the vegetable and 
 flower gardens, for its strength and attractiveness. 
 
 w-v-ii^x^'krv 
 
 THE TRELLIS 
 
 Diligence is the mother of good luck. — Franklin. 
 
 131 
 
J32 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 PLANT SUPPORTS OF BARREL HOOPS 
 
 The ordinary wooden hoops from barrels may be 
 made into an attractive trellis for grapes or a sup- 
 port for smaller twining plants by being arranged 
 
 HOOP TRELLISES 
 
 as shown in the sketch. Attach them firmly to 
 heavy stakes with some No. 7 smooth wire and you 
 have an arrangement which will last for several 
 years and is not unattractive to the eye. 
 
 A FOLDING TRELLIS 
 
 A good way to pole beans is to make a folding 
 trellis out of plastering lath, as shown in the cuts. 
 Bore three small holes through 
 each lath, as shown in the first cut 
 and fasten them together with 
 
 TRELLIS FOLDED ■ -i n i- i. j 
 
 common wire nails well clinched. 
 
GAEDEN AND ORCHARD 
 
 133 
 
 Five-foot posts are set i foot in the ground and a 
 wire strung at top and bottom. The lath are fastened 
 to the wires with string, as shown in the second 
 cut. The trellis is made in sections so as to be 
 
 TRELLIS IN PLACE IN THE GARDEN 
 
 easily handled. When not in use it is folded up 
 and laid away under shelter. The posts are spaced 
 evenly so that one section of trellis will just go be- 
 tween two posts. 
 
 EASY WAY TO POLE BEANS 
 
 Set posts at convenient distances apart and 
 stretch a wire at the top. This may be done as- 
 soon as ground is plowed. Plant and cultivate one 
 row each side of line until beans begin to vine, then 
 
 TRELLIS FOR BEANS 
 
 set poles slanting, tying them together where they 
 cross at the wire. This braces the whole row and 
 beans can be cultivated with hoe. Hills 3 feet apart 
 in row with one vine to hill are better than two' 
 vines. 
 
134 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 TRELLIS THAT STANDS ALONE 
 
 A plant support or garden trellis, such as shown 
 in the drawing, is very handy in the garden. This 
 
 double form of 
 trellis can be fold- 
 ed up and takes 
 very little room in 
 storage. All trel- 
 lises and stakes 
 should be gath- 
 ered as soon as 
 the crop is har- 
 vested and stored 
 under cover until 
 the next season. 
 ' They are useful 
 
 for tomatoes, beans, peas, cucumbers and other 
 plants that need some support. The double trellis 
 is built of narrow ^-inch slats and pieces of 2 x 3, 
 which are bolted together for the legs. The top 
 may be held in place by pieces of string or wire 
 attached at the points indicated in the drawing. 
 The length, width and height of this trellis should 
 depend upon the use to be made of it. A large one 
 will be wanted for a large spreading plant and a 
 small one for a small plant. It is important to 
 have trellises just the right size to give proper 
 support. 
 
 PROTECTING NEWLY SET PLANTS 
 
 DOUBLE FORM OF TRELLIS 
 
 Plants newly transplanted always demand more 
 or less protection from the blighting effects of too 
 much sun and wind. It is best achieved by inak- 
 ing a shelter such as is shown in the cut. Two 10- 
 
GARDEN AND ORCHARD 
 
 135 
 
 foot poles and two 3'foot pieces of any convenient 
 thickness for the crosspieces, with four 14-inch 
 weather-strips for the legs, constitute the frame. 
 In the middle of it two hooks should be inserted on 
 each side, and upon these the covering fastened, 
 which can thus be adjusted very quickly. The cov- 
 ering may consist of burlap or any kind of rough 
 sacking. 
 
 FRAME OPEN AND COVERED 
 
 Being so simple and economical to make, it is 
 advisable to have enough frames to protect the 
 number of tender plants that are set out in a gar- 
 den at one time. They possess other advantages 
 than sheltering the young things from the direct 
 rays of the sun. They allow slow evaporation, and 
 so keep newly watered ground moist for hours, 
 whereas if exposed to the sun and wind it would 
 soon become dry and caked. On windy days it is 
 only necessary to let the sacking down on the wind- 
 ward side of the shelter. In case of frost the pro- 
 tection that they afford is of inestimable value. 
 
 Love thy neighbor, yet pull not down thy hedge. 
 
136 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 MAKING THE HOTBED 
 
 The value of every vegetable garden can be 
 greatly increased and the time during which a 
 supply of fresh vegetables may be secured for the 
 table greatly lengthened by the use of the common 
 manure hotbed and the cold frame. These indis- 
 pensable adjuncts of the good garden are so easily 
 made and cost so little that it is surprising they 
 are not more common. A good hotbed made the 
 latter part of February or in March can be made 
 to yield an abundant supply of lettuce, radishes, 
 spinach, etc., for table use by the time such crops 
 are being planted out of doors, and the supply of 
 cabbage, tomatoes and other plants for the home 
 garden can be secured ready to transplant several 
 weeks earlier than if plants grown in the open were 
 depended upon. 
 
 As a source of heat fresh horse manure is used. 
 About half manure and half fine straw mixed to- 
 gether should be piled in square piles 2 or 3 feet 
 in depth, and 4 or 5 feet in width and long enough 
 to contain the amount necessary for the beds de- 
 sired. After heating has well started, the piles 
 should be forked over, turning the outside of the 
 old pile to the inside of the new, and when heating 
 again is well under way the material is ready for 
 use. In the meantime select a well-drained spot, 
 sloping to the south, if possible. 
 
 Dig a trench 6J^ feet wide, 2 feet deep and as 
 long as desired, running east and west. Now place 
 the manure in the trench, tramping and packing in 
 thin, even layers until level with the surface. Make 
 a frame 6 feet wide and as long as desired, but 
 some multiple of three, because the hotbed sash are 
 always made 3 feet wide. The end piece should 
 
GARDEN AND ORCHARD 137 
 
 be 9 inches high in front and 15 inches high in the 
 back. The front side board should be 9 inches 
 wide and for the rear it will require two boards, 
 preferably 12 and 3, with the wide one at the top. 
 
 A frame 12 or 15 feet in length will be quite large 
 enough for the ordinary farm garden. Set this 
 frame on top of the manure with the slope facing 
 the south and secured by stakes. On top of the 
 manure put 6 inches of good garden soil and cover 
 the frame with common sash or windows 6 feet long 
 by 3 feet wide. At first the heat will run very 
 high, but in a few days it will fall to 80 or 90 
 degrees, when it is safe to plant the seeds. 
 
 MAKING PERMANENT HOTBEDS 
 
 Hotbed sash should be constructed of white pine 
 or of cypress, and the sash bars should run in one 
 direction only, and that lengthwise of the sash. The 
 bars may be braced through the middle by a trans- 
 verse bar placed through the long bars below the 
 glass. The two ends of the sash should be made 
 of sound timber, 3 inches wide at the top and 4 
 inches wide at the bottom end, mortised to receive 
 the ends of the sash bars, and with a tenon at the 
 ends to pass through the side pieces, which should 
 be 2j4 inches wide. 
 
 A permanent hotbed should be so constructed as 
 to be heated either with fermenting manure or by 
 radiating pipes from the dwelling or greenhouse 
 heating plant. For a permanent bed, in which 
 manure is to supply the heat, a pit 2 to 2j^ feet 
 deep, according to the latitude in which the work 
 is to be done, should be provided. 
 
 The sides and ends may be supported by a lining 
 of plank supported by posts 4 feet apart, or, what 
 
138 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 is better still, a brick wall 9 inches thick, as shown 
 in the drawing, may be used. In either case the 
 pit lining should come flush with the surface of the 
 soil. The site for the pit should be on naturally 
 well-drained land, and a tile drain from the bottom 
 of the excavation should be provided to prevent the 
 
 
 ■i^5#4!& SOIL ^':;m?&M^: 
 
 
 HOTBED WITH BRICK WALLS 
 
 water from accumulating in the pit and stopping 
 the fermentation of the manure during the period 
 the hotbed is in use. 
 
 Standard hotbed sash are 3 by 6 feet. The pit, 
 therefore, should be some multiple of 3 feet in 
 length, and the width should be the same as the 
 length of the sash, 6 feet. The plank frame, or the 
 brickwork of the pit, may be extended above the 
 surface of the ground sufficiently to allow for plac- 
 ing the sash immediately upon these permanent 
 structures. 
 
 HEAT FOR HOTBEDS 
 
 Make an excavation 5 x 16 feet on the surface, 
 and about a foot deep. Lengthwise along this 
 
GARDEN AND ORCHARD 1 39 
 
 space lay three rows of tiling, one along the center 
 and one about a foot from each side. The tiles 
 should be 4 inches inside measure, and i foot long. 
 These are placed end to end so as to fit closely, 
 and earth is pressed around them so as to hold 
 every piece exactly in place. Then the excavation 
 is filled with rich soil until level with the surface, 
 excepting at the end the tiles are left bare for 
 a few inches. The board frame, 5 x 15 feet, is 
 next put in place so as to leave 6 inches of each 
 row of tiles projecting beyond the ends of the 
 frame. 
 
 At the east ends of the bed, a hole should be dug 
 3x4 feet on surface and 2 feet deep; in this hole 
 a crude fireplace may be made of loose brick and 
 the flue connected with the three ends of projecting 
 tile. At the west end of the frame a brick cham- 
 ber should be made into which the three tiles 
 enter, giving them a common flue for outlet. 
 Cover the top of this chamber closely, excepting a 
 6-inch circular hole, into which a single length of 
 stovepipe is fitted. A sloping door is hung over the 
 fireplace cavity to keep out the rain ; and the earth 
 raised high enough around to prevent surface water 
 from running into the hole. Bank soil about the 
 frame. You may happen to have on hand six old' 
 storm window sashes of that size. Of course the 
 sashes slope to the south in the usual way. 
 
 When the fire is kindled in the fireplace the 
 smoke comes freely from the stovepipe. The tiles 
 are covered with soil to a depth of aljout 6 inches. 
 With a good fire, you can quickly warm vtp the 
 earth on the coldest days of spring. And when 
 once well heated, the earth and tiling hold the heat 
 for a long time, provided the draft is closed. Unlike 
 beds heated with manure, the heat supply can thus 
 
140 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 be regulated to suit the demand of the prevailing 
 weather. 
 
 COLD FRAMES AND THEIR MANAGEMENT 
 
 In the South cold frames are in use all winter. 
 The principal winter crops grown are lettuce, 
 radishes, beets, cauliflower and occasionally cab- 
 bage, while these crops are commonly followed in 
 spring by cucumbers, cantaloups and sometimes 
 Irish potatoes. The frames are easily made. 
 Rough inch lumber (heart pine is best in the South, 
 and hemlock in the North) and 2 x 4 or 2 x 3-inch 
 scantling are all that is required. For the double 
 frames, strips 3 inches wide and % or J/^ inch thick, 
 long enough to extend across the frame, should be 
 provided for rafters. The back or north side of the 
 single frame should be 12 or 15 inches high, while 
 the front should slope down to 8 inches. In South- 
 ern practice, where canvas covers are used, the back 
 should be 2j4 feet and all cracks should be well 
 covered with building paper, held in place by laths 
 tacked over it. 
 
 Good treatment for the posts used in construc- 
 tion is to dip them in kerosene over night. This 
 will preserve them indefinitely. Drive the posts 
 into the ground 18 inches and let them extend up- 
 ward to the top of the boards, putting a post at the 
 union of each pair of boards and nailing them to it. 
 All ends and rafters may be made so that they 
 can be quickly removed, so that the frames can be 
 plowed and the ground prepared with a mule. The 
 sides of the double frames are best made i foot 
 high, with the ends sloping upward to 2j^ feet 
 Down the center of the frame, a row of 2 x 4-incff 
 posts 2^ feet above ground are set 8 feet apart. 
 
GARDEN AND ORCHARD 14! 
 
 Over each one of these a rafter is bent and fastened 
 to the sides of the frames. 
 
 For cold frames in the North, glass is the only 
 covering to be thought of. By all means, put the 
 frames up facing the south or southeast and to 
 afford protection against the north and northwest 
 winds, cold the country over, a high wall, a thick 
 hedge, or a piece of thick woodland should be close 
 at the back of them. 
 
 The soil in the frames should be thoroughly pre- 
 pared, rich and pulverized thoroughly. An abun- 
 dance of well-rotted stable manure should be used- 
 if thoroughly decomposed, at the rate of 75 to loo 
 tons an acre is not excessive, unless the soil is 
 already very rich. Whether glass or canvas is used, 
 as a covering great attention must be given to 
 water and ventilation. The land should be well 
 drained that no water will stand, or the soil become 
 water logged ; that is one side of the water ques- 
 tion, but in addition, the plants should be carefully 
 watered from time to time to provide sufficient for 
 their needs. 
 
 If the coverings are kept down too constantly, 
 the growth of the plants will be weak and spindling 
 and such diseases as damping off, Botrytis and drop 
 will work havoc with them. Careful attention to 
 watering, ventilation and keeping the surface of 
 the ground stirred are the genuine secrets of con- 
 trolling these pests. Watch the temperature, do 
 not let it rise too high, lower it by raising the sash 
 or drawing back the covers. The canvas covers 
 should be drawn back a portion of every day when 
 the temperature is not too low, and at other times 
 the ends may be raised, to allow the air to circulate 
 under them. A sharp eye must be kept on the 
 
142 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 frost item. Sometimes steam heat is provided, oil 
 stoves may be used and glass covered frames should 
 be covered with burlap or straw mats, securely held 
 down either by tying them in place or by weighting 
 them down. Both canvas and the glass covering 
 should be well fastened to prevent their being lifted 
 off by strong winds. 
 
 The upper end of glass sash may be held down 
 with a hook and staple, a hook being placed on the 
 back of the frame at the center of each sash with 
 the stEtple in the end of the sash. Canvas covers 
 are best held down by nailing along the center to a 
 board run lengthwise on the center of the rafters, 
 in the case of double coverings, or along the 
 back in the case of single ones and by placing 
 marbles or small pebbles in the cloth and tying 
 about these every 4 or 5 feet, along the ends and 
 sides, slipping the looped ends of the twine used 
 in tying them over nails driven into the ends and , 
 sides of the frame. 
 
 A HAND GARDEN CULTIVATOR 
 
 Now that garden crops are planted almost ex- 
 clusively in rows a tool that will clean out the 
 weeds, stir the soil around the plants, and, by mak- 
 ing a good surface mulch, prevent the loss of 
 moisture to some extent, is essential for the proper 
 care of the garden. The wheel hoe of our cultiva- 
 tor is usually used for this purpose by the pro- 
 fessional gardener, but the price is generally 
 considered rather high by the ordinary farmer or 
 amateur. 
 
 This machine, although homemade and not very 
 handsome in appearance, does the work as well as 
 .a $6 or $8 tool, and cost not more than 40 cents 
 
GARDEN AND ORCHARD I43 
 
 to make. For a wheel, take the fly wheel of an old 
 sewing machine, about i foot in diameter, and put 
 a round bolt tightly through the axle. Then a 
 piece of plank, a, 20 x 10 inches, and cut as shown, 
 boring holes for the axle where marked. After the 
 wheel is set in place, it should turn easily and 
 steadily, if balanced properly. For the handle, c c, 
 cut out and round from a piece of plank two pieces, 
 or use any that may be otherwise obtained. Thea 
 get a blacksmith to make three teeth, b, out of a 
 
 HAND CULTIVATOR 
 
 piece of spring steel i inch wide and 8 inches long, 
 bent as shown. Two-inch holes are drilled through 
 them for screws. 
 
 One tooth should be placed about 6 inches behind 
 the wheel and directly in the center, the other two 
 being 4 inches behind the first, and the same dis- 
 tance from the center tooth. When this cultivator 
 is pushed through the rows it should run with 
 little pressure from the operator, clearing out the 
 weeds and stirring the soil at the same time. This 
 contrivance does the work well, and if given two 
 coats of brown and green paint it will be improved 
 in appearance. 
 
 Know thy opportunity. — Pittacus. 
 
144 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 A CONVENIENT GARDEN STOOL 
 
 This device will prove useful in doing hand work 
 in the garden. It is made from two barrel staves 
 upon which is mounted a low stool. 
 This, should be narrow, so that it 
 may be drawn between the rows of 
 vegetables. The holes in the seat 
 
 WEEDING STOOL °, u r ^i, c ^,„ <.^ 
 
 are large enough for the fingers to 
 go through and render the stool more easily han- 
 dled. The device is especially convenient for the 
 women. 
 
 WATERING SEED SOIL MADE EASY 
 
 To avoid disturbing small seeds by watering, 
 when planted in forcing boxes, a plan has been 
 devised which not only insures against the dis- 
 turbance of the seed, but keeps the soil of the en- 
 tire box in a moderate state of moisture, which is 
 an essential feature in early growth. 
 
 Make a box of any desired size to suit the occa- 
 sion, and about 3 inches deep. Then get a few 
 small unglazed flower pots and place same on stove 
 until quite hot. With a short piece of candle, seal 
 drain hole in bottom of pots, taking care not to put 
 wax over the entire bottom of pot. Place pots in 
 box about 9 inches apart on a thin layer of sand, and 
 overlap pieces of broken pots, to convey by capillary 
 attraction the water to the entire soil of the box, 
 which soil should be sifted and box filled to within 
 }i inch of the top of the pots. 
 
 Cover the box with glass, and heat from above 
 will draw the water up to the roots. By this method 
 you will not have surface baking, which is so 
 troublesome with surface watering. If so desired. 
 
GARDEN AND ORCHARD 
 
 145 
 
 you can cover the pots with circular pieces of paste- 
 board or tin, and avoid surface evaporation from the 
 pots. Always fill pots with warm water. 
 
 CATCHING OWLS AND HAWKS 
 
 A friend of ours captured a large owl and fas- 
 tened him securely with a small chain to a stake 
 in the middle of an open field. He 
 set three posts 5 feet tall and 4 to 
 5 inches in diameter 20 to 30 yards 
 from the owl, and on each post 
 placed a small steel trap with a 
 bunch of hay or grass tied to the 
 post just under the trap, to hide it, 
 as shown in cut. At night, the 
 owl called. Others came, and see- 
 ing nothing near, alighted in the 
 trap on the post. During the day 
 hawks came, and were caught in 
 the same way. In two months two 
 owls and 17 hawks were caught. 
 In some places a bounty is paid, 
 §0 there is a profit in two ways. 
 The owl may be fed on the hawks 
 caught and on rabbits or chickens 
 that may die around the premises. 
 The most difficult part of this scheme is often the 
 capture of the first owl, but if you are a good hunter 
 you will find a way. 
 
 TRAP ON POST 
 
 Make no absolute promises, for nobody will help 
 you to perform them. 
 
 Money is a good servant, but a bad master. 
 
146 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 MOVING A LARGE TREE 
 
 To move a large tree one may find it very satis- 
 factory to use a rig similar to that shown in the 
 picture. Make a three-sided standard of 2 x 4-inch 
 stuff. Loosen the dirt around the roots of the tree 
 
 RIG FOR MOVING TREE 
 
 and wrap the tree firmly at the base with old 
 carpet or burlap to prevent injury. Place the 
 standard firmly in the ground and tie the cross- 
 piece to the body of the tree with strong rope to 
 each side of the standard and hitch a horse to the 
 
GARDEN AND ORCHARD 
 
 147 
 
 Other end. With a slow pull the tree can be drawn 
 onto the drag and then hauled to the new location. 
 It can be placed in the ground ^gain by using the 
 standard in the same way it was used to load it 
 upon the drag. 
 
 A penny saved is two pence clear, 
 
 A pin a day's a groat a year. — Benjamin Franklin. 
 
 The man who builds, and wants wherewith to pay, 
 Provides a home from which to run away. — Young. 
 
 TRANSPLANTING TREES 
 
 Here is a way to transplant large trees that is not 
 so difficult as such transplanting is by many sup- 
 posed to be. The 
 first move to make 
 is to dig all round 
 the tree, leaving a 
 large ball of soil, 
 which is carefully 
 wrapped in sacking 
 or canvas to hold 
 it on the roots and 
 prevent drying. 
 When this is well 
 tied in place a 
 chain is passed 
 round the ball two 
 or three times and 
 hooked, as shown 
 in Figure i. 
 
 Then with a pair figure i — ^balled 
 
148 
 
 HAiNDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 of heavy wheels on a short axle and a strong pole 
 laid across it, with a massive iron hook fastened to 
 
 the pole, it is easy 
 to back up to the 
 tree. The sketch. 
 Figure 2, shows the 
 truck with its lever 
 raised ready to 
 hook into the 
 chain. The rope 
 at the end of the 
 pole brings it down 
 and the tree up, 
 when the pole is 
 fastened under a 
 second pair of 
 wheels. The young 
 trunk must be 
 kept from contact 
 with the machinery 
 by the free use of 
 blankets and bags. 
 The secret of suc- 
 cess in transplanting trees is to injure the roots 
 as little as possible. 
 
 FIGURE 2 HOOK AND TRUCK 
 
 The manly part is to do with might and main 
 what you can do. — Emerson. 
 
 Many things difficult to design prove easy to 
 performance. — Samuel Johnson. 
 
 HOMEMADE FRUIT PICKER 
 
 This is a device that is hard to beat for reach- 
 ing fruit at the top of tall trees. After a little 
 
GARDEN AND ORCHARD 
 
 149 
 
 practice, a man can operate it rapidly, far out- 
 stripping hand piclcers and at the same time not 
 
 WIRE DETAILS 
 
 injuring the fruit. 
 The construction is 
 shown in the upper 
 drawing. The main 
 frame is of heavy 
 copper wire, to 
 which is attached 
 the strong spring, d. 
 The end, a, is in- 
 serted into a wooden 
 handle as long as 
 needed. When the muslin sack is attached, as 
 shown in the picture of the picker in use, the jaws 
 of the picker are easily closed by pulling slightly 
 on the cloth. The fruit falls through the sack or 
 long cloth tube into the hand of the operator. Many 
 
 THE PICKER IN USE 
 
•ISO 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 devices have been made for this sort of service, but 
 it will be hard to find one that works better than 
 this one if constructed in the exact shape indicated. 
 
 A TRUSS LADDER 
 
 For a 14-foot ladder select four pieces of i x 2 
 hard wood, using two pieces for each side. Place 
 rungs of I X 2 between the side 
 pieces. Make ladder 12 inches 
 wide at top, 14 inches at center, 
 and 30 inches at the bottom. Put 
 a j4-inch bolt through the side 
 pieces just below the rungs, and 
 a 6d nail through the end of each 
 rung to prevent them from slip- 
 ping out. Keep all bolts tight. 
 A ladder made as above, of Ore- 
 gon pine, 14 feet long, supported 
 on trestles at each end, deflected 
 but I inch when 150 pounds were 
 placed on the center. It is light, 
 yet strong, and it is almost im- 
 possible to spring it. The special 
 advantage of a truss ladder is 
 lightness, which is a very great 
 
 THE LADDER 7 . , ^ _ii • 
 
 advantage, when strength is com- 
 bined, as in the case of this particular ladder. 
 
 Let us have faith that right makes might ; and in 
 that faith let us to the end do our duty as we under- 
 stand it. — Lincoln. 
 
 Never spend your money before you've earned 
 it. Never buy what you do not want; it is not 
 cheap. 
 
GARDEN AND ORCHARD I5I 
 
 ORCHARD LADDER ON WHEELS 
 
 The accompanying sketch shows the manner of 
 construction. Any farmer or orchardist can build 
 it. Secure two old 
 mower wheels and 
 one piece of 2 x 4 
 scantling for an 
 axle. Place the 
 ladder upon this 
 scantling. To keep 
 it upright use 
 poles, two at the 
 bottom and one 
 near the top of the 
 ladder, extending 
 to the ground. 
 The upper one 
 should be forked at 
 the top so as to 
 hold the ladder 
 firmly. This ladder 
 
 n r , , . , , LADDER FOR FRUIT TREES 
 
 IS 18 feet high, and 
 
 as the foundation is broad, there is no danger of it 
 falling over. The brace is so made that it can be 
 adjusted, thus enabling one to place the ladder at 
 any angle. 
 
 CONVENIENT SORTING TABLES 
 
 Where fruit is packed from the trees a sorting 
 table will always be found convenient. It generally 
 saves time and labor to do the packing right in the 
 orchard. A handy table is one mounted on wheels 
 which may be of any size desired and should be 
 large enough to hold at least four barrels. The 
 
152 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 wheels can be picked up from discarded machinery 
 or quickly made by nailing together crosswise two 
 boards to prevent them from splitting, boring a 
 hole in the center for the axle and rounding them 
 off with a key hole saw. One end of the table 
 should be made several inches higher than the 
 other, so that the culls will roll into a pile at the 
 lower end. 
 
 0^ 
 
 OREGON SORTING TABLE 
 
 In the Hood river district of Oregon a table such 
 as shown here is commonly used. This is made to 
 accommodate two packers. To make such a table 
 take four standards about 3 feet high. It is made 
 3x4 feet in size, the top covered with strong bur- 
 lap or canvas and allowed to hang rather loosely. 
 Saw off the tops of the legs on a bevel so as not to 
 have the sharp corners push into the burlap, and 
 make points that will bruise or cut the fruit. 
 
GARDEN AND ORCHARD 153 
 
 A piece of old garden l^ose is generally nailed 
 around the top of the table to protect the fruit. 
 Besides the braces shown in the cut it is also well 
 to wire the legs and braces together firmly, as 
 there is a heavy load to support. The shelves on 
 each side are for holding the boxes, as all the good 
 fruit in this region is boxed. The height is only 
 relative, the point being to construct it so each 
 packer can work with the greatest comfort, avoid- 
 ing back bending in all cases. The top should not be 
 greater than 3x4 feet, as anything larger would 
 not allow two packers to reach all points of it 
 without unnecessary stretching. 
 
FIELD^ANIVWOOD 
 
 feet long. We put 
 an iron band 
 around the base 
 and insert the peg 
 upon which it 
 turns. About half- 
 way to the top is 
 an iron collar, 
 which has three 
 loops to it that 
 form an attach- 
 ment for the 
 braces, which are 
 fastened about 15 
 feet from the bot- 
 tom of the central 
 pole. This allows 
 the pole to turn 
 readily when in 
 upright position. 
 The top frame- 
 work is made of 
 2 X 6-inch pieces 
 
 PORTABLE HAY DERRICK 
 
 VERY satisfactory derrick for 
 stacking hay is shown in the 
 sketch. The base pieces are 6x6 
 inches by 16 feet. For the center 
 pole we use a straight round pole 
 7 inches in diameter at the base 
 and 5 inches at the top about 24 
 
 HAY DERRICK 
 
 U4 
 
FIELD AND WOOD 
 
 155 
 
 12 feet long. The rigging, consisting of three 
 pulleys and the hay rope, is attached as shown 
 in sketch. By having the lower pole attached near 
 the base of the upright the arms will make half a 
 turn when the hay fork is lifted, thus swinging 
 around from the ground or wagon onto the stack. 
 
 A WIRE TIGHTENER 
 
 Here is a device easily made and very convenient 
 to use in tightening barbed wire when stringing it 
 upon the posts. Cut 
 out a piece of inch 
 board in the shape 
 shown in the pic- 
 ture with a notch 
 to let in the face of 
 a hammer. Insert 
 a long bolt at the 
 point indicated by 
 the light dotted 
 lines, to prevent 
 splitting. Fasten on 
 the hammer with 
 leather straps. The 
 
 sharp brads should stick out about half an inch. 
 Carefully finish the handle so that it will be smooth 
 and not hurt the hands when you are using the 
 device. It should be made of tough hardwood. 
 
 FENCE WIRE REEL 
 
 Here is a device on which one can wind barbed 
 wire that is much better than an old barrel. The 
 reel is mounted on a truck made of old buggy 
 wheels with short shafts. The cart may be drawn 
 
 TIGHTENER IN USE 
 
156 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 along by a man while a boy steadies the reel to keep 
 it from unwinding too rapidly. For winding up 
 wire, the machine is best pushed just fast enough 
 
 WIRE REEL ON WHEELS 
 
 to keep up with the wire as it is being wound on 
 the reel. A crank placed upon the reel proves 
 serviceable in winding up. 
 
 Never sign a writing till you have read it; 
 neither drink water till you have seen it. 
 
 One part of knowledge consists in being ignorant 
 of such things as are not worthy to be known. 
 
 Get the work habit. 
 
 SAFE WAY TO STRING BARBED WIRE 
 
 One of the most satisfactory ways to unreel 
 barbed wire is to make a contrivance similar to 
 the one shown on page 157. Fasten a short 
 piece of plank to the front end of a stone boat. 
 Bore a 2-inch hole in this plank and set the spool 
 
FIELD AND WOOD 
 
 157 
 
 of barbed wire on top. Run a piece of gas pipe 
 about 5 feet long through the spool and let the 
 bottom end rest in the hole made in the plank. 
 
 Attach the stone boat to the rear end of the 
 wagon and have an assistant sit in the wagon and 
 hold the top end of the pipe. If the wire becomes 
 kinked the assistant simply lets go of the pipe and 
 the spool rolls off the boat without breaking the 
 wire. 
 
 WIRE REEL ON BOAT 
 
 A BOXED STONE BOAT 
 
 A flat stone boat or drag is convenient for many 
 purposes, but its uses are limited because it has no 
 great capacity. On page 158 is shown an arrange- 
 ment for increasing the utility of a stone boat 
 100 per cent. It is made of plank and has sides 
 I foot high. It may be used for the purpose for 
 which the ordinary drag is employed, and in ad- 
 dition is very convenient for hauling apples, pota- 
 toes, or other root crops from the field. 
 
 By increasing the size of the box, manure can be 
 
158 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 hauled out from stables as it is dumped into it from 
 wheelbarrows without having to reload or wheel up 
 an incline. It is low on the ground and very con- 
 venient for loading. All light, bulky articles, as 
 vrell as heavy stones, bags of fertilizers and seed, 
 can easily be haulfed on this contrivance. 
 
 CAPACIOUS DRAG 
 
 A HOMEMADE ROAD ROLLER 
 
 If you need a road roller get a heavy sheet iron 
 cylinder, stand it on end and place a length of i^ 
 
 ROAD ROLLER 
 
 or 2-inch pipe through the center. The end should 
 be placed on planks which are well soaked or are 
 
FIELD AND WOOD 159 
 
 well oiled, knd the pipe braced to keep it exactly 
 in thfe center. Fill the cylinder with good concrete, 
 and when it has set tip it over and build a frame 
 for it, so you can hitch a removable tongue at 
 either side. The frame should be made of good 
 strong hardwood well braced. The cuts show 
 plainly just how the roller is made and put 
 together. 
 
 AN OLD-FASHIONED DROGUE 
 
 Drogue is an old-fashioned word applied to a low 
 drag or sled, something like the stone boat in gen- 
 eral use now. The word is seldom heard today. 
 
 HOMEMADE HANDY DROGUE 
 
 So accustomed are we to the regulation stone boat 
 that most of us do not know that there is still a 
 more handy arrangement that is fully as easy to 
 build and better to use, because it cannot slide 
 sidewise on a hill. Select a small tree that has a 
 bend in it the shape of a sled runner and split it 
 with a sharp saw while it is green. It saws fastest 
 and easiest while frozen. Saw or hew the bottom 
 and top flat, so planks about 4 feet long may be 
 pinned to it. Bore the front ends so a heavy .stake 
 with a shoulder may be inserted to prevent the 
 runners from drawing together, and the drogue is 
 done. It is handy for all work, but may need side 
 rails spiked to it, if small stones are to be drawn. 
 
l6o HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 Regular boat planks are not easy to obtain now 
 that the old up and down saws are not in use. 
 
 A DITCHING SCRAPER 
 
 There should be a ditching scraper on every 
 farm. They can be purchased made of steel, but 
 a homemade one costs little and is quite service- 
 able. Take two planks, each lo inches wide and 
 3 feet long, of good 2-inch hardwood. Bolt to them 
 securely a pair of old plow handles. To the bot- 
 tom bolt an old crosscut saw blade which will 
 make a sharp edge. Let this project about an inch 
 at the bottom. Attach two singletree hooks near 
 each end of the lower board and your scraper is 
 ready to use. With this scraper and two men a- 
 ditch can be cut one-quarter mile long and as deep 
 as it could be plowed with a turning plow in two 
 days' time. It is also very useful in filling holes in 
 the highway. 
 
 BRIDGE FOR A SMALL STREAM 
 
 For crossing a small creek or deep ditch a cheap 
 bridge can be built as shown in the illustration. 
 The lumber used is 6 inches wide and 2 inches 
 thick, except for the floor and four side braces. 
 
 
 A BRIDGE OF TRIANGLES 
 
SAVE THE BARRELS 
 
 Barrels, barrel hoops and barrel staves may be worked 
 into many useful things upon a farm. From the few 
 described in this book your ingenuity will lead you to others. 
 
AS IN DAYS OF YORE 
 
 Modern harvesting machinery has come to take the place 
 of old-time hand tools on the big farms; but many a reaper 
 of the ancient type still swings through the golden grain, a 
 relic of the days when men worked harder and accomplished 
 less than they do today. 
 
FIELD AND WOOD 
 
 i6i 
 
 Saw II pieces the length required for each of the 
 two sides, then bore bolt holes ij4 inches from each 
 end. Use ^-inch bolts 8^ inches long where four 
 pieces come together and 6j4-inch bolts where 
 
 FRAMEWORK OF BRIDGE 
 
 three pieces meet. The A-shaped supports and the 
 pieces for the approaches are bolted on at once, 
 and then the side braces are put on. The sides of 
 the bridge are made entirely of triangles. The first 
 triangle is made of pieces, a, h and c. The second 
 triangle of the pieces, b, d and e. The piers may 
 be posts, stone or concrete. 
 
 DAM FOR FARM POND 
 
 A small pond held by a good-sized hydraulic 
 dam supplies water for house, barn and two acres 
 
 EASILY BUILT DAM 
 
1 62 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 of garden and fruit, also floods a cranberry meadow 
 when needed. A section of the dam is placed 6 
 feet apart and covered with plank fitted tight. The 
 apron is of i2'foot plank spiked to the sills so as to 
 break joints. The bottom is made tight with 
 brush and clay. Stofies ate piled in behind the 
 plank coverings, as shown in cut. 
 
 SOWING SEED EVENLY 
 
 These drawings show thfe construction of a wheel 
 seeding device that can be easily made at home. 
 
 The axle is tightly 
 fitted into the 
 wheels so that it 
 turns whfen the 
 wheels do. This 
 agitates the grain 
 or other seed and 
 THE SEED BOX helps to keep the 
 
 seed running out of the holes at the lower back 
 side of the box. The quantity of flow , may be 
 regulated at pleasure by making the holes large 
 or small and increasing or diminishing the number 
 of holes. 
 
 A SOWING MACHINE 
 
FIELD AND WOOD 
 
 163 
 
 It may be found desirable to have a considerable 
 number of holes and then having plugs, for alter- 
 nate ones, perhaps, which may be removed to 
 make the seeding thicker. From 4 to 6 feet is sug- 
 gested for the length of the box. Any old wheels 
 will do if they are not too heavy to be easily drawn 
 by hand. 
 
 BERRY CRATE CARRIER 
 
 One of the most convenient appliances for use in 
 the strawberry field is illustrated in the picture 
 shown herewith. It showB a novel use for the 
 old-fashioned yoke used so commonly on the old- 
 time farms. The 
 picture is so 
 readily under- 
 stood that no 
 description need 
 be given. This 
 also suggests the 
 many purposes 
 for which a yoke 
 may be used on 
 a farm. Every 
 farmer ought to 
 have one, to 
 make more easy 
 the task of car- 
 rying things. In 
 some places yokes may be found for sale, but if 
 you cannot buy one, make one yourself. Take a piece 
 of strong, tough wood, shape it out to fit around 
 the neck and shoulders and taper off the ends to 
 what you consider the right size. Usually a groove 
 is cut around about ij^ inches from each end and 
 
 YOKE CRATE CARRIER 
 
l64 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 a rope is securely tied. At the other end of the rope 
 a hook is attached the rfght size to go around the 
 bail handle of any ordinary pail. The hook may 
 be iron or may be formed from a strong, branched 
 stick. 
 
 HANDY LOADING DEVICE 
 
 Here is a rig simple and strong that works well 
 for loading corn in the field. The picture shows 
 
 LOADING RIG IN USE 
 
 the construction of the rack and hoisting device 
 with pulley attachment. Such a rig will be found 
 useful for loading many things on a farm. 
 
 RACK FOR HAULING FODDER 
 
 A handy rack for hauling fodder from the field 
 is shown in the drawing. It may be used for any 
 kind of corn, of course, for sorghum, and may be 
 found useful in moving brush. Each end of the 
 
FIELD AND WOOD 
 
 165 
 
 rack is hung from the axles by two straps of iron 
 that can be obtained from any blaclssmith at very 
 little expense. 
 
 FODDER RACK 
 
 PULLING FENCE POSTS 
 
 An easy and practical method of pulling fence 
 posts, by which all digging and hand labor is elim- 
 inated, is here shown. Take a plank 4 feet long, 
 
 POST PULLER IN POSITION 
 
 
 I foot wide and make a V-shaped notch in one end, 
 nailing on several crosspieces to prevent splitting. 
 This plank is used to change the horizontal draft 
 to the vertical. 
 
I66 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 Place one end of chain around the post close to 
 ground. Incline the plank against the post so the 
 lower end of the plank will be about i^ or 2 feef 
 from the base of the post. Place the chain in the 
 notch of the plank, start the team and the post in 
 a few seconds will be clear of the ground. 
 
 In moving fences the chain should be attached 
 to the rear axle of the wagon, so the posts may at 
 once be loaded and hauled to the new location oi 
 the fence. 
 
 ONE WAY TO PULL STUMPS 
 
 A Connecticut man has a very handy device foi 
 pulling peach stumps from old orchards, and can 
 
 TACKLE FOR STUMP-PULLING 
 
 pull 200 or more a day by this means. The limbs 
 are cut oflf and the stumps, E, left as long as pos- 
 sible. A short rope or chain with a single pulley 
 is attached to the top of the stump. The anchor 
 rope, B, which runs through the pulley, is fastened 
 to the bottom of a stout stump, A. 
 
 A pair of steady horses is attached to the rope 
 and always pull toward the anchor stump. With 
 
FIELD AND WOOD I67 
 
 a steady pull there is no jumping or jerking, and 
 they will walk right oflF as if pulling a loaded 
 wagon. Use about 60 feet of i-inch rope, which 
 costs $2.40, and the pulley, $1.75, making a total 
 cost of $4.15. 
 
 SIMPLE LAND MEASURE 
 
 Having much land measuring to do that requires 
 ^^reater accuracy than just " stepping it off," make 
 a simple affair like this. 
 The manner of construc- 
 tion is made plain. Use 
 hardwood pieces; ^ or 
 ^ X I inch is heavy 
 enough. Have lower 
 points exactly 5 feet 6 
 inches apart. Make a 
 round head on the han- 
 die Grasp the top lightly the measure 
 
 in hand, holdmg at the 
 
 side, whirl handle to bring rear point to front, mov- 
 ing off in direction tq be measured. Continue to 
 revolve measure, changing points in advancing. It 
 takes three lengths to the rod. 
 
 STORING WATER 
 
 An easy way to make a reservoir at the spring 
 is to throw up a bank, perhaps laying a wall first, 
 founding it below the surface. Should the soil be 
 such that water percolates through it, face the soil 
 with loam on top and puddle.it well. If this leaks, 
 face it with clay and puddle the clay. These rules 
 apply to all dams made of stone and earth. 
 
 Pipes entering reservoirs should enter at the 
 bottom and the soil be well puddled around them 
 
Ib8 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 to prevent the water working through beside the 
 pipe. Each pipe must have a strainer over its sup- 
 ply end and have no air holes in its entire length. 
 A good strainer can be made from a piece of large 
 lead pipe punched full of holes. One end may be 
 flattened or turned over and the other drawn on 
 over the end of the water pipe. Let nobody sup- 
 pose that simple, inexpensive arrangements are 
 faulty because primitive. If constructed correctly 
 and in line with natural laws, they are not only all 
 right, but are preferable to fancy, complicated 
 devices that get out of order easily or in a year or 
 two and require a master mechanic to put them 
 into working condition again. 
 
 GETTING A SUPPLY OF FUEL 
 
 PLAN for getting up the year's 
 supply of fuel is suggested as fol- 
 lows : Fell the trees on the ground 
 with a small sapling under them, 
 so a log chain can be passed 
 beneath. Then a logging bob 
 (Figure i) is tipped up on its side 
 near the end of the log; a chain is hooked to the 
 bolster near the ground, passed under the log and 
 over the top runner of the bob and the team hitched 
 to the end of the chain. A quick pull of the team 
 and the bob comes down on both runners, with the 
 log on the top of the bolster. 
 
 The log is now drawn to some sheltered place 
 near the woodhouse and sawed into stove lengths 
 with a 6-inch crosscut saw on the skidway shown in 
 Figure 2. The limbs are trimmed in the woods, 
 drawn on a pair of bobs to the shop, where there 
 
FIELD AND WOOD 
 
 169 
 
 is a three-horse power boiler and two-horse power 
 engine, and are sawed at the rate oi ij4 cords an 
 
 FIGURE I — LOGGING BOB 
 
 hour with a buzz saw. A handy device can be 
 made of two crotched limbs, as shown in Figure 3, 
 to saw large limbs on. A 2-inch auger hole is 
 
 FIGURE 2 SKIDWAY 
 
 bored where the limbs branch, and a hardwood 
 limb driven tightly into the hole. 
 
 The following described device (Figure 4) is 
 very handy to hold and lower the tree after sawing 
 
170 
 
 HANDY FAKM DEVICES 
 
 the stuii!tp off. [a, pilanks with holes boTed hi thetn ; 
 fe> log ; c, chain ; S, crotche'd limb ; ee, lever ; /, iron 
 pins.] It is made of two hardwood planks about 
 8x5 inches and ij4 inches thick bolted together 
 at the top and bottom, with a 2-inch space between 
 
 FIGURE 3 — iSANDY SAWHORSE 
 
 i6)r the lever to work in. One-inch holes are bored 
 through the sides of both planks, in which iron pins 
 art plfeced for the lever to pry over. The lever is 
 made of white ash, and has two notches near the 
 large end, with a chain link attached midway be- 
 
 FIGURE 4 — LOG JACK 
 
FIELD AND WOOD 
 
 171 
 
 tween notches. A stout chain is hooked in the 
 link, passed under the log, and attached to a 
 crotched limb leaning slightly against the opposite 
 side of the log. By working the small end of the 
 lever up and down and moving the pins up one 
 hole at a time, a good-sized tree can be raised from 
 the ground high enough to be sawed easily with- 
 out a backache. 
 
 SIMPLEST OF ALL CAMPING TENTS 
 
 The great trouble with camping-out tents is the 
 weight of the frame, but the weight of the latter in 
 
 IJIUirilUJinUUIUIf/JlllUIIMtMMMMtUMmM* 
 
 T.^ 1 
 
 the case of the tent figured herewith will hardly 
 prove a burden to anyone, as only two light sticks 
 are used, such as are shown in Figure i. These 
 
172 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 are pressed into the ground 8 or 10 feet apart, ac- 
 cording to the size of the tent, and brought to- 
 gether and fastened at the upper ends with such 
 a joint as is shown, or with a string pasaing through 
 a screw-eye in each pole, if a simpler method is 
 preferred. 
 
 The tent is made from four triangular pieces of 
 cloth, as suggested in Figure 2. One of these is 
 cut up. the center and hemmed, to afford an en- 
 trance to the tent. The triangular pieces are sewed 
 together at the edges and at two of the opposite 
 
 THE TENT SET UP 
 
 corners pieces of stout cord are sewed into the 
 corners of the cloth, the cloth being reinforced as 
 suggested in the cut. 
 
 Two stout pegs of wood and two lighter ones 
 are provided. To pitch the tent, put up the two 
 frame poles A-fashion and draw the tent cloth over 
 them, opposite seams and corners fitting over the 
 poles. Draw out the other two corners and tie 
 by the ropes to the stout pegs which have been 
 driven into the ground. The two lighter pegs are 
 
FIELD AND WOOD 173 
 
 used to fasten back the flaps of the front. It may 
 be found well to hem a light cord into the bottom 
 of the side having the opening, leaving the flaps 
 free from the cord. The position of the cord is 
 shown by the dotted line. It will not be in the way 
 when lying across the opening of the tent on the 
 ground and will strengthen the whole when the 
 outer corners are drawn tightly up to the stout 
 pegs. 
 
 This makes a practically square tent and the 
 size can be as large or small as may be desired. 
 To cut the side pieces, decide on the width of the 
 sides and the height you wish the tent to be. Then 
 draw a triangle (Figure 2), having the base as 
 long as desired for the side of the tent, and a per- 
 pendicular 2 feet longer than the height desired for 
 the tent, since the four sides of the tent are to be 
 inclined, and must, therefore, be enough longer to 
 make up for this. 
 
 This will prove a very satisfactory tent for boys 
 who are camping out, and it has the merit of being 
 easily made and very easy to carry about. 
 
GATO^r AND 
 
 KEEPING A GATE FROM SAGGING 
 
 HE average farm gate is heavy, and 
 after a little time it sags. When 
 they get this way it takes a strong 
 man to open and shut one. Here 
 is a remedy. Get a wheel, either 
 big or little, from an old piece of 
 machinery, and bolt it to the front 
 end of the gate in such a way that the gate will 
 be held level. Now the smallest child can open 
 
 OLD PLOW WHEEL DOES THE TRICK 
 
 the gate for you. Try it, for it is a saver- 
 your patience, your back and the gate. 
 
 174 
 
 -saves 
 
gate;s and doors 
 AN EASILY OPENED GATE 
 
 ^7S 
 
 Take an old buggy wheel and fasten it as shown 
 in. the drawing to the gates, that are opened often. 
 The piece of board indieated by c drops between 
 
 GOOD USE FOR A WHEEL 
 
 the spokes of the wheel and holds the gate either 
 open or closed. A child can easily operate the 
 heaviest gate with this attachment. 
 
 A GATE THAT NEVER SAGS 
 
 A farmer has used' this gate for many years and 
 never spent five minutes repairing it. Countersink 
 two pieces and pin them together. 
 Then set up two 2x4 pieces 2 
 feet higher than the gate so it can 
 be raised in winter. Mortise 
 and set in between the cross- 
 pieces, which are 12 inches apart, the board, a, and 
 fasten a cap to the top of the frame. The gate is 
 16 feet long, 12 feet being for the gateway and 4 
 feet for the weights to balance it. The frame is of 
 2 X 4s. Cover the 4-foot end with boaords and fill 
 with enough stones to balance it wheti hung. 
 
 &" 
 
 1' 
 
 CROSSPIECE 
 
176 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 
 BALANCED WIRE GATE 
 
 Cover the gate with wire fencing and hang by a 
 chain. Put a bolt through the lower part of the 
 frame into the crosspiece, o. 
 
 WIRE GATE THAT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF 
 
 A CHEAP GATE 
 
 A light, useful and durable gate can be made of 
 sassafras poles and barbed wire, as shown in the 
 
GATES AND DOORS 
 
 177 
 
 cut. Set a strong post 4 feet in the ground in the 
 middle of the gateway and balance the gate on it. 
 
 POLE AND WIRE GATE 
 
 The lower rail is made of two forked sassafras poles 
 securely nailed together so as to work around the 
 post. 
 
 A SIMPLE FARM GATE 
 
 Many like such a gate as that shown in the cut. 
 Material to be used depends largely on the purpose 
 for which the gate is made. For a paddock or pas- 
 ture gate, make it out of seasoned boards 1x6 
 inches, 12 or 14 feet long. The posts supporting 
 
 xio: 
 
 • >'*,*'''^*w*3i 
 
 GATE SIMPLE AND STRONG 
 
178 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 the gate are about 5 inches apart, the one on the 
 inside being about 8 inches ahead of the pther. 
 They are joined together by cleats or rollers which 
 support the gate and allow it to be pushed back and 
 sw^ing open. If rollers are not obtainable, cleats 
 made of any hard wood are good. They need not 
 be heavier than 1x4 inches. If the gate is to be 
 used for a hog pasture, the lower cleats on both 
 sets of posts should be placed just above the lower 
 board to prevent the hogs from lifting it up. 
 
 AN EASILY REGULATED GATE 
 
 The gate hanger illustrated in the drawing is 
 very handy for use where it is desired to let hogs 
 
 pass from one pasture to 
 another while cows are 
 confined to one. As 
 shown, the hanger is a 
 piece of strap iron bent 
 around the post and sup- 
 > ". \ ported by pegs. These 
 
 * — ^~- "— ^ pegs may be inserted in 
 
 holes at varying heights. 
 1 " '1 Raise the gate to let the 
 
 " °'' hogs through and lower 
 
 it to keep them in, of 
 course. This is also a 
 good device for raising 
 the gate above the snow 
 in winter. Many would 
 find this use of the ad- 
 justable hanger prefer- 
 able to the gates made to raise only one end for 
 snow. Of course it is desirable that there should 
 be the least play as possible while the hanger 
 
 ADJUSTABLE HANGER 
 
GATES AND DOORS 
 
 179 
 
 slides up and down freely, and special care should 
 be taken to set the post firmly. Otherwise the gate 
 would sag. 
 
 GATE TO OVERCOME SNOWDRIFTS 
 
 In the picture is shown a gate which can be 
 readily adjusted to swing over snowdrifts. It is 
 easily made from ordinary lumber. A i x 6-inch 
 upright is used for the lower boards, i x 4 for the 
 upper ones. The uprights at the hinge post are 
 double 1x4, one piece outside and the other inside 
 
 GATE SHUT AND OPEN 
 
 the bars. The upright at the latch side may be the 
 same weight of stuff or slightly lighter, and fas- 
 tened in the same way. Instead of nailing the bars 
 to these uprights, bolts are used, one for each bar 
 at each end. The lowest board is notched as 
 shown, and the double brace used from the top 
 of the latch post to the bottom of the hinge post. 
 For the brace, 1x3 stuff is strong enough. They 
 are joined near the bottom with a bolt, which en- 
 gages with the notches when the gate is raised, as 
 shown at the right. 
 
i8o 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 A TIME SAVER 
 
 To open and close gates that stock may be kept 
 within bounds the year round is one thing which 
 uses up a great deal of time, and makes no rjeturn. 
 Every gate should be so made that it will fall into 
 
 TURNSTILE GATE 
 
 place of its own weight and stay closed and open 
 without hitch or bother. The cut illustrates a con- 
 venient thing that should be in larger use on farms. 
 It is always open and always closed against stock. 
 Put up and well painted, it will last for many years. 
 
 He who keeps company with great men is the 
 last at the table and the first at any toil or danger. 
 
GATES AND DOORS 
 
 KEEP THE GATE OPEN 
 
 i8i 
 
 A simple and handy device which serves to hold 
 the gate open is shown in the cut. To make it, 
 procure a board, o, i x 4 x 12 inches 
 and saw out a portion in the cen- 
 ter, leaving a space on each- side 
 Yz inch wide, and bore holes for a 
 bolt. Next get an 8-inch stick, &, 
 and bore a hole through it 3 inches 
 from the top. Bevel the top so , , 
 that the gate will pass over it, and H 
 it will then fall back and hold the 
 gate open. When one's hands and 
 arms are full of things, as they 
 often are on a farm, it is a great 
 convenience to have a gate or door 
 held open automatically. No sim- 
 pler or more effective device for the 
 purpose can be found. A similar device can 
 adapted to use as a latch to catch and keep a gate 
 or door closed. 
 
 GATE CATCH 
 
 be 
 
 GOOD BARS FOR THE FARM 
 
 It is an important matter to the farmer that his 
 farm should be well equipped with good, substan- 
 tial bars. Some farmers go to as much trouble in a 
 year's time in moving a poor gate or bars back and 
 forth as they drive in and out of fields, and in chas- 
 ing cattle about, as making dozens of such bars as 
 are represented here. Use round poles about 2j^ 
 or 3 inches in diameter. Set two good-sized posts 
 one on either side of the barway, and to each one, 
 an equal distance apart, nail large horseshoes, al- 
 
lS2 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 lowing the round part to stand out far enough from 
 posts to admit the bar poles easily. 
 
 .•IV'**'] 
 
 BAR WITH HORSESHOE CATCH 
 
 DURABLE FLOATING FENCE 
 
 This is a cheap and easy way to make a good, 
 strong cable on which to hang a water gate, when 
 it becomes necessary to have a fence cross a stream : 
 Set two good, large posts about 3 feet deep in the 
 ground and about 6 feet from the banks of the 
 stream. -Get a piece of wire (barbed wire will do, 
 but smooth wire makes a much better looking job), 
 long enough to go from one post around the other 
 and back again about six times, being careful to 
 fasten each end securely at the proper height from 
 the ground. Then get a strong piece of wood about 
 1x3 inches and about 4 feet long, stand as near the 
 ttiiddle of the space between the two posts as pos- 
 sible, and place the stick between the two sets of 
 wires. Turn around until all the wires are well 
 twisted together, being careful not to twist too much. 
 
 On withdrawing the stick, the wires will only 
 untwist two or three times. After the gate is hung, 
 the stick may be again inserted in the same place 
 
GATES AND DOORS 
 
 183, 
 
 and several more twists given to take up the sag 
 caused by the weight of the gate. Then fasten one 
 end of the stick to the top of gate and it will be im- 
 
 SUSPENDED GATE 
 
 possible for the cable to untwist any more. This- 
 has been found to answer all the purposes of an 
 expensive cable and looks and lasts just as well. 
 
 FENCE ACROSS A STREAM 
 
 To construct a fence across a creek or small 
 stream, set a post on each bank and brace well. 
 If a tree happens to be near at the right place, so 
 much the better. Then fasten wire securely on 
 posts, leaving enough slack so a weight in the 
 middle will draw the wires toward the bed of the 
 stteam, thus making it impossible for stock of any 
 size to get through. A large stone makes a good 
 weight. It can be blocked up to desired height and 
 fastened in position with smooth wire. 
 
 TEMPORARY SHEEP FENCE 
 
 One of the best portable fences for use in soiling 
 sheep is made in panels with supports, as shown on 
 next page. Panels are 10 feet long, made of 4-incIi 
 board solidly nailed together. After this fence is 
 once' put up, sheep are not likely to overturn it. A 
 fence 3j^ feet high will turn most flocks. 
 
l84 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 
 U | l U 
 
 C- l, 'r1 
 
 MOVABLE FENCE AND PARTS 
 
 FASTENING HEAVY DOORS 
 
 There is little diiference in the effectiveness of 
 these two locks for heavy doors. The left-hand 
 
 1 1 
 
 J 1 
 
 T 
 
 • • o 
 
 , . 
 
 ISO 
 
 
 
 
 
 o • O 
 
 o a • 
 
 ^- f|T 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 e o o * ''1 1 
 
 3 
 
 
 ^U 
 
 ^ 
 
 1 1 1 M J 
 
 ■.-.•. •.-.•.•.I 
 
 
 i" 
 
 V.-.-.-4-«.i 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 • o » O 6 • 
 
 • A • « ' ^ 
 
 '„ II 
 
 TWO BIG DOOR LOCKS 
 
GATES AND DOORS 
 
 185 
 
 device is extremely quick and handy; the other 
 very neat and substantial. The lock to the left 
 has both bars pivoted to a lever handle, which is 
 pivoted to the door midway between the ends of 
 the arms. Moving the lever handle up moves both 
 arms out of slots above and below the doors. The 
 fastening may be also worked from the inside by 
 cutting a slot through the door and setting a pin 
 in one of the arms, so that it can be moved in 
 the slot. 
 
 The right-hand fastening is worked by raising, 
 the lower arm so that the notch incloses the middle 
 staple at d. Then the upper arm can be pulled 
 down. Both arms stay firm and snug whether the 
 door is shut or open. 
 
 HOLD THE BARN DOORS SHUT 
 
 A latch that will hold double doors shut is showm 
 in the cut. This is put on the inside of the door 
 that is closed first. It is made of hardwood 4. 
 
 LATCH FOR DOUBLE DOORS 
 
i86 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 inches wide and i inch thick. To open the door, 
 turn the piece, o, to the right and pull down on the 
 crosspiece which is fastened to the door by a bolt 
 in the middle. This will raise the latch, c, and 
 lower the latch, d, as shown in the cut to the right. 
 
 Open your doors to a fine day, but make yourself 
 ready for a foul one. 
 
 Prosperity is the thing in the world we ought to 
 trust the least 
 
 « 
 
 CSp3> 
 
 FASTENING THE STABLE DOOR 
 
 A handy stall door fastener is shown in Figure I. 
 It consists of a piece of oak or other hard wood 
 
 4 inches wide by % 
 inch thick and 2 
 inches, longer than 
 the width of the 
 door. It is fastened 
 to the door by a ^- 
 inch bolt through 
 the middle and it 
 ■works like a button. 
 Cleats, b, are sawed 
 out and fastened to 
 the door jamb on 
 each side to hold 
 the fastener in place. 
 Another handy 
 fastener that can be 
 worked from either 
 side of the door is 
 shown in Figure 2. 
 
 a 
 
 FIGURE I LONG FASTENER 
 
GATES AND DOORS 
 
 187 
 
 There are three upright pieces, a, two of which 
 are on the door and one on the door jamb or casings. 
 Another piece, b, 
 
 a 
 
 B 
 
 SPRING 
 
 II 
 
 I 
 
 slides through 
 these and holds 
 the door shut. A 
 pin, c, goes 
 through the bolt 
 and through the 
 door to open or 
 shut it from the 
 opposite side. 
 The bolt is kept 
 shut by the 
 spring, which can 
 be made from a 
 piece of hickory, 
 or other tough 
 hardwood, whit- 
 tled down to the 
 proper thickness. 
 The spring fea- 
 ture is the chief 
 advantage, and a 
 very important one it is, of this excellent fastener. 
 It is also a good point that the fastener works 
 nicely from the opposite side of the door. 
 
 -O. 
 
 'W^ 
 
 3 
 
 FIGURE 2 — SPRING FASTENER 
 
 Sell cheap and you will sell as much as four 
 others. 
 
 They must hwnger in frost that will' not work in 
 heat. 
 
 'Tis easier to build two chimneys than to main- 
 tain one. 
 
i88 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 HOMEMADE DOOR LATCH 
 
 This consists of three pieces of oak or other 
 good hardwood, as shown in the drawing. For 
 
 the handle use a piece 
 8x2x1 inches. Shape 
 a flattish knob on one 
 end 3 inches long. Work 
 down the rest so as to 
 pass through a i-inch 
 auger hole. Shape a 
 knob on the other end 
 by flattening the sides. 
 The latch is made of a 
 The catch is 8 x 2 x ^ 
 
 (aTCH 
 DETAILS OF LATCH 
 
 piece 5 X I X % inches 
 inches. Bore a i-inch hole for the handle 3 inches, 
 from the edge of the 
 door. Push the handle 
 through the hole and 
 mark on it the thick- 
 ness of the door; then 
 bore in the handle a 
 ^-inch hole for the 
 latch. Now assemble 
 the parts according to 
 the finished figure, 
 which shows the latcK 
 thrown back. A little 
 peg may be used to 
 keep the latch from 
 falling down when the 
 door is open. By tak- 
 ing pains to shape and 
 finish this latch nicely it will look well enough to 
 please the artistic eye of the most fastidious. 
 
 
 
 / 
 y 
 
 .(. 
 
 
 
 ^m" 
 
 LATCH IN PLACE 
 
^ Tl' 
 
 
 IMPORTANT POINTS IN HOUSE BUILDING 
 
 HE following points in building a 
 house are considered of the greatest 
 importance by a well-known archi- 
 tect: Carefully watch that the 
 foundation walls are substantially 
 laid, and accurately leveled on their 
 upper surfaces, so that the doors 
 shall not strike the floor or carpets in opening, nor 
 the tables, chairs, or other furniture be obliged to 
 stand on three legs. 
 
 The framework, when raised, should be plumb, 
 so that all on or in the building can be cut square, 
 and applied without tedious fitting. The siding 
 should be thoroughly seasoned in the open air be- 
 fore using, and carefully applied with close joints, 
 and well nailed. The edges of all water tables, 
 corner boards, and window frames should be 
 painted before setting. 
 
 The shingles should be carefully laid, breaking 
 their joints at one-third of their width and double 
 nailed. The flooring should be dry, close laid, and 
 nailed with two nails to each beam. The parti- 
 tions should be set with studding of selected width, 
 and their angles or corners should be anchored 
 firmly together to prevent the walls from crack- 
 ing in those parts when finished. The chimneys 
 should be carefully constructed, all points between 
 the brickwork should be well filled with mortar 
 to prevent sparks from passing through to the 
 framework. 
 
190 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 AH mortar for plastering should be properly 
 mixed, and allowed sufficient time (at least a week) 
 for the thorough slacking of the lime, and a com- 
 plete permeation of the caustic properties. Thin 
 coats of plastering are better than heavy ones. 
 A mortar that does not cradk in setting or drying 
 is sure to be good. 
 
 The interior wood finish should not be begun 
 Hiffltil the plastering is completely dried out, and all 
 loose mortar is remioved from the building. All 
 woodwork usually painted should be primed as soon 
 as in position. 
 
 A VERY CONVENIENT HOUSE 
 
 The accompanying picture and plans show the 
 outside and interior arrangements of a very con- 
 venient home built the past year by one of our 
 
 AN ATTRACTIVE HOME 
 
 agricultural editors. It is 34 feet wide by 30^^ feet 
 deep, with a 7-foot cellar underneath. The house 
 
WHEN WE BUILD 
 
 191 
 
 contains 10 rooms, including two in the attic, be- 
 sides a storeroom in addition to those shown. All 
 the rooms are of good size and have two or more 
 large windows, which make them light and sunny 
 and supply plenty of good air. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ¥-^^ II 
 
 PLAN OF FIRST FLOOR 
 
 Ecoliomy of construction, as well as o'f doin|; the 
 <^Ork, was kept in mind in the planninig. the 
 location of the stairs is somewhat unusual in a 
 house of this sort, but is such that only one light 
 
192 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 is necessary from first to second floor. There are 
 plenty of large closets on the second floor, which 
 are greatly appreciated. 
 
 The porch is not roofed except over the door, but 
 
 PLAN OF SECOND FLOOR 
 
 an awning, which is taken down in the fall, makes 
 it cool and shady in summer, and allows the sun- 
 shine to reach the living room in winter. The 
 first story is 9 feet from floor to ceiling, the second 
 8 feet and the third 7 feet 6 inches. The house 
 
TO KEEP THE WHEELS GOING AROUND 
 
 If your wagon jack Isn't a good one, make a good one. 
 You can do it yourself. Have the right kind of things to 
 take care of the wagons easily, and use them often. 
 
 COSTS LITTLE AND SAVES MUCH 
 
 If you can't afford an expensive spraying outfit, rig one up 
 like this. 
 
A HANDY DEVICE OF THE ORIENT 
 
 QUICK DELIVERY FROM THE FARMS 
 
 Hundreds of farmers are today making profitable use of 
 automobiles, although their first appearance upon country 
 roads caused only fear and anger. 
 
WHEN WE BUILD 
 
 193 
 
 is piped with gas and wired for electricity, pro- 
 vided with the best quality of sanitary plumbing 
 
 DINING ROOMi 
 
 la'xiz' 
 
 SITTING ROOM 
 
 is'xia' 
 
 COAT „ALL 
 ICLOS. 
 
 VERANDA 
 6^6'wiDE 
 
 FIRST FLOOR COTTAGE PLAN 
 
194 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 and heated with hot air furnace. A similar house 
 can be built for about $4,000, more or less, accord- 
 ing to finish and locality. Occupancy proves it to 
 be a model of convenience. 
 
 If a bigger kitchen is desired, it can be obtained 
 by going back farther. Many would prefer a 
 
 
 ROOF 
 
 BED R( 
 
 DOM 
 
 I 
 
 J BED ROOM 
 
 U-6 X9 
 
 iixie 
 
 .'X, 
 
 CLOS. I HALL 
 
 y 
 
 \ 
 
 ICLOS. 
 
 BED ROOM 
 I5'XI2 
 
 CLOSET 
 
 ROOF 
 
 SECOND FLOOR COTTAGE PLAN 
 
WHEN WE BUILD 
 
 19S 
 
 wider bathroom. A foot taken from the back cham- 
 ber on the right would greatly improve the bath- 
 room and still leave a large chamber. If desired, a 
 large roofed piazza can be added. 
 
 BUILDING A BLOCK HOUSE 
 
 A Kansas farmer needed a house on his farm, but 
 had very little money. He found that only a little 
 was needed for a cement block house. He ordered 
 a cement block machine and bought 12 boards 10 
 inches wide and 12 feet long, which were cut in 
 seven pieces of equal length. Two cleats were 
 
 $400 CEMENT BLOCK HOUSE 
 
 nailed on each, about 3 inches from the ends. These 
 were for pallets and cost about 7^2 cents each. The 
 cement blocks were 8 x 9 x 18. As the block ma- 
 chine had no attachments, some contrivances were 
 made for making half stone, three-quarter and 
 others. 
 
 For caps and sills for doors and windows 9-inch 
 boards were taken, using three for each mold, and 
 
196 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 two holes 2 inches from the edges and 3 or 4 inches 
 from the ends of two of them were bored. Then 
 the farmer made cement blocks for the ends 9x8 
 inches, laid the other board on the ground, placed 
 one of the others on each side of it edgewise, put in 
 the end blocks, and through the holes put long 
 bolts and bolted it tight together. Then it was 
 ready to fill with concrete. These boards were as 
 long as were needed to make the caps or sills. A 
 sprinkler, sand shovel, plasterer's trowel, and a 
 wire sieve of j4-inch mesh were obtained. 
 
 
 
 ix,a' 
 
 
 HACL 
 
 
 lo'xii ' 
 
 FIRST AND SECOND FLOOR PLANS 
 
 The sand cost nothing except hauling. The 
 machine was set up near a spring. A box some- 
 thing like a wagon bed with both ends out was 
 made of boards, the block machine placed in one 
 end and the pile of sand at one side. Three shovels 
 of sand and one of cement were placed in a tub 
 and mixed thoroughly. Then a boy took the 
 sprinkler and sprinkled it while another mixed, 
 until it was dampened evenly all through. Then 
 they spread 35 shovels of sand in the mixing box 
 and shook one sack of cement over it, which made 
 a five-to-one mixture. This was thoroughly mixed 
 
WHEN WE BUILD I97 
 
 by shoveling and sprinkling until it was good and 
 damp, but not wet. This quantity made ten blocks. 
 
 A pallet was placed on the open machine, the 
 machine closed, and some of the richer mixture of 
 concrete placed on the face about i inch thick. 
 iThe mold was then filled with the five-to-one mix- 
 ture, while one of the boys tamped it, put in the 
 core, and smoothed off the top with a trowel. The 
 core was then carefully lifted out, the machine 
 opened, and the pallet with the stone on it placed 
 on a level piece of ground. 
 
 In three or four hours the blocks were ready to 
 sprinkle. When 30 hours old they were placed on 
 end and the pallets used for more stone. After 
 standing for two days, during which time they 
 were sprinkled frequently to keep them damp, they 
 were dumped in the creek, where they were left 
 until ready for use. The foundations were made 
 by first putting into a trench about 6 inches of 
 broken rock, then 4 inches of concrete. 
 
 The house is 26 feet square, the walls 12 feet 
 high, with gables north and south. The picture of 
 the house and arrangement of the two floors are 
 shown in the illustrations. We used 12,400 pounds 
 of cement, which cost 6oc per 100, or $74.40. Doors 
 and windows were brought at a cost of $33.75. Chim- 
 ney, plastering and lumber for floors, roof, parti- 
 tions and finishing, all of the best, cost $240. The 
 hardware was $30, making the total cost of house 
 $378.15, not counting cement machine or labor, all 
 of which was done by the family. 
 
 Art imitates nature, and necessity is the mother 
 of invention. — Richard Franck. 
 
 Consider the end. — Chilo. 
 
igS HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 A PRACTICAL ROUND BARN 
 
 There is no economy in building a round barn, 
 that is, strictly round. The barn here illustrated has 
 26 sides nearly 12 feet long, making a barn 94 feet 
 in diameter. The sills, plates and roof in a strictly 
 round barn are very expensive, and the work will 
 not last as well as when built as shown. The floor 
 space of the first floor is nearly the same as if 
 round, and the hay loft is very little smaller. If 
 the building is round, the walls should be lathed 
 
 CROSS-SECTION OF BARN 
 
 with metal lath, over rough boxing, and plastered 
 with two coats of portland cement. In fact, this 
 finish is to be preferred in building any shaped 
 barn, as it requires no paint and practically no 
 repairs. 
 
 The floor plan of the barn shown is self-explan- 
 atory. It has stalls for 40 milch cows, three bull 
 peiis, two hospital stalls, pen for baby beef that will 
 accommodate about 2j^ cars of calves, stalls for 
 seven horses, including the two box stalls, and the 
 feeding room and silo. The silo is 16 x 34 feet, 
 will hold about 140 tons of silage, and requires 
 about ten acres of average corn to fill. 
 
WHEN WE BUILD 
 
 199 
 
 The hay loft has 166,500 cubic feet of space, and 
 deducting the silo and bins for ground feed will 
 hold 300 tons of loose hay. The ground feed is 
 stored in hopper-shaped bins above the feed room, 
 and drawn down through small spouts as wanted. 
 The hay is handled with hay forks, and to locate 
 
 FIRST FLOOR PLAN 
 
 the trolleys as near the roof as possible, trap doors 
 are left in the loft, floor, and the hay hoisted from 
 the driveways. A circle trolley may be installed, 
 or two straight ones. Several large hay doors are 
 also built in the outside walls above the loft floor. 
 The silo, the floors of the cow stalls, including 
 
200 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 the gutters and mangers, also the 8-foot driveway 
 around the silo, are of cement, and, while it is iii- 
 tended to install litter and feed carriers, it is also 
 intended to drive around the entire barn, or the feed 
 floor with a cart if desired. The interior arrange- 
 ment of first floor may, of course, be changed in 
 several ways, and the cows faced in the opposite 
 direction, etc., or stalls and other equipment ar- 
 ranged for different stock. 
 
 The barn, as shown, has about the same floor 
 space as a barn would have 36 feet wide and 180 
 feet long. The ventilation is always much better 
 in the round barn, the work of caring for and feed- 
 ing may be accomplished with less labor, there are 
 never any drafts on the stock, the building may be 
 built for less money, and is much stronger. As 
 shown, the barn has a stone foundation, the roof is 
 covered with asbestos roofing felt, and the walls 
 covered with 6-inch drop siding. Everything is of 
 the best, and all exposed woodwork painted two 
 coats. This building would cost about $4700 with- 
 out the cow stanchions. Where home labor is 
 used, and the lumber can be secured for less than 
 $30 per thousand, the barn may, of course, be 
 erected for less. 
 
 A WELL-ARRANGED BARN 
 
 This Kentucky barn has a frame of oak, 6x6 
 inches. Center posts 23 feet 9 inches; shed posts 
 16 feet tall; studding and braces 2 x 6-inch poplar; 
 joists 2 X 10-inch poplar, oak and pine. The sheet- 
 ing is of poplar, beech and ash. The bevel siding 
 is select poplar. Cornice and base, white pine. 
 All doors are two thicknesses, front is dressed 
 cypress and the back dressed white pine. The 
 
WHEN WE BUILD 
 
 20 1 
 
 lower windows are 10 x 12-inch, 12 lights and upper 
 ones inside the building. The joists are set 20 
 inches from center to center. The loft is 8}^ feet 
 from lower floors. 
 
 The floor plan shows the arrangement as follows : 
 Number i, icehouse, 18 feet deep, walled up with 
 stone; 2, carriage house, 16 x 18 feet; 3, stairs,, 
 leading to lumber room over carriage room ; 4, corn 
 
 
 « 
 
 
 
 a 1 5 1 a 
 
 48 
 
 •♦ 
 
 
 1 JIMJI 
 
 
 a 
 
 i^ 
 
 H\Si6r7--+ /2 fT. 
 
 GROUND PLAN OF A KENTUCKY BARN 
 
 crib, 8 X 16 feet, over which are the grain bins for 
 wheat and oats. These bins have chutes running 
 down into the corn crib, from which grain is filled 
 into sacks. Numbers 5, 5, are box stalls, 8 x 12 
 feet ; 6, driveway, 12 x 38 feet ; 7, 7, 7, 7, box stalls, . 
 6^2 X 12 feet; 8, harness room, 6x8 feet; 9, feed 
 mixing room, 6x8 feet, with spouts running frpm, 
 cutting box and bran bins overhead; 10, alleyway, 
 running from driveway to feed alley; 11, 11, 11, hay; 
 
202 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 chutes, with openings near the bottom, 1x2 feet. 
 These openings are directly over the feed boxes and 
 any hay that falls while horses are feeding goes 
 into the boxes and none is wasted. Number 12, 
 feed boxes, 1x2x2 feet ; 13, feeding alley, 4 x 38 
 feet. 
 
 Overhead at X is an opening from the hay loft 
 where alfalfa, clover, cowpeas and hay are kept for 
 the cows; 14, cow shed, 8 x 38 feet. Cows are 
 fastened with stanchions and fed out of boxes on 
 alley floor. The cow shed has concrete floor, with 
 a fall of 2 inches from stanchion to Number 15, 
 the drain basin, which is i foot 2 inches wide and i 
 foot deep at A, where it runs into a basin made of 
 concrete, 6x6 feet and 2 feet deep; 16, driveway 
 into carriage room; 17, openings in which siding 
 doors hang when open; 18, windows. 
 
 The roof is of tin, standing seams, with Yankee 
 gutters made on the lower edge of the roof. An 
 opening 10 x 10 feet in the center of the driveway 
 loft is allowed for hay and other feed taken up by 
 an unloader that runs on a track in comb of roof. 
 The barn will cost about $1500 — more or less, ac- 
 cording to cost of building material where it is 
 erected. 
 
 A HANDY SMALL BARN 
 
 This barn is arranged to meet the needs of a 
 small farm. It can be built in most localities at a 
 cost not to exceed $500, and if a farmer has his 
 own timber, at even less cost. The outside dimen- 
 sions are 36 x 48 feet, and it is 16 feet to the eaves, 
 with a curb roof. The stables should be about 8 
 feet high, which allows plenty of loft room above 
 for hay. 
 
WHEN WE BUILD 
 
 203 
 
 In the floor plan the cow stalls, A, can be made 
 of any width desired, 3^/2 feet being best for gen- 
 eral purposes. At B are two large box stalls for 
 cows with young calves. The mangers, C, are 18 
 inches wide, with a rack for hay or fodder above. 
 At D is the feed room and alley, which is 8 feet 
 wide. At E are the mangers for the horses, with 
 
 \ 
 
 '^"' 
 
 
 r 
 
 r 
 
 ■ M 
 
 ■■ 
 
 A aIaIa 
 
 B 
 
 B 
 
 
 L 
 
 c cicic 
 
 P 
 
 c 
 
 / 
 
 1 
 
 ] 
 J 
 
 ] 
 
 L 
 
 E 
 
 ^1 
 
 e| 
 
 E 
 
 H 
 
 
 F 
 
 F 
 
 F 
 
 G 
 
 /_ 
 
 
 ^^^^ 
 
 1 
 
 
 ■ M 
 
 
 GROUND PLAN 
 
 a feed box at the right side. At F are three horse 
 stalls 4 feet wide, in which horses can be tied. At 
 G is a large box stall for mares and colts. 
 
 At H is provided the granary, which can be sub- 
 divided into bins as necessary. The portion I is 
 the driveway, which affords ample storage space 
 for tools, wagons, etc., and is used as a driveway 
 when hay is being elevated into the loft above. 
 
 There is a large corn crib, J, at the end, which 
 can be filled from the outside and emptied from 
 the inside. It is narrow and so arranged that the 
 
204 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 •corn will dry out quickly. Chutes from this bin 
 should be provided at L. A ladder to the hay loft 
 at K is a convenience which should not be omitted. 
 
 VIEW OF COMPLETED BARN 
 
 THE FARMER'S ICEHOUSE 
 
 In a properly constructed icehouse, and when 
 the ice is properly packed and cared for, no waste 
 should take place from the inside of the pile of ice. 
 The melting from the sides, bottom and top is 
 caused by insufficient insulation. The waste from 
 the bottom is generally the greatest. The amount 
 of ice melted in the bottom of the icehouse varies 
 from I to 6 feet during the year, depending upon 
 the construction of the floor. If the icehouse is 
 provided with an airtight iloor, with the ice laid on 
 at least i8 inches of dry sawdust, the bottom waste 
 rarely exceeds 12 inches during the year; on the 
 ■other hand, if the ice is piled in the icehouse on the 
 bare ground without any insulation under it, or 
 any provision made for drainage, the meltage fre- 
 
WHEN WE BUILD 205 
 
 quently is 6 feet. The side and top meltage is not 
 so great, but it frequently ranges from i to 3 feet, 
 depending upon the insulation. 
 
 Location and Building 
 
 The location should be where the ice can be re- 
 moved and delivered with the least amount of labor ; 
 however, it is very important that the icehouse 
 should be located in the coolest place, in as dry a 
 place as possible, and always above ground. The 
 lowest layer of ice should always be at least 6 
 inches above the outside level of ground. 
 
 The size of the building must be determined by 
 the amount of ice used during the year. For in- 
 stance, a dairy farm upon which 35 cows are kept,, 
 and from which the milk is sold, needs an icehouse 
 16 X 16 and 14 feet high. If the cream is to be sold 
 and skim milk fed to the calves, immediately from- 
 the separator, an icehouse 14 x 14 and 12 feet high 
 is of sufficient size. In both cases we make allow- 
 ance for the use of 25 pounds of ice per day during 
 the summer months for household purposes. For 
 a man who keeps about 20 cows and sells, the milk,, 
 an icehouse 14 x 14 and 12 feet high is of sufficient 
 size; however, in no case should an icehouse be 
 smaller than 12 x 12 and 10 feet high, because the 
 outside surface is too great, compared with the 
 volume, and, therefore, too much ice is wasted in 
 proportion to the amount used. 
 
 The building should be as near the shape of a 
 cube as possible, for the cube contains the greatest 
 amount of volume with the least amount of surface 
 exposed other than circular forms. It is not air- 
 ways practical to build as high as we build square. 
 
206 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 owing to the amount of labor and the inconven- 
 ience of storing the ice; therefore, the dimensions 
 given are really the most practical. 
 
 If the icehouse is not built upon a sandy 
 surface and where rapid drainage is natural, it is 
 
 ^^' ■...-■....J.. . .. . L..-Ji. . ...J.^vv 'P 
 
 CROSS-SECTION OF ICEHOUSE 
 
 necessary to cut a space to a depth of 12 to 18 
 inches, where the icehouse is to be located, lay a 
 tile drain to drain this, and fill it with sand or 
 finely crushed stone. Put a 6-inch foundation of 
 concrete of the size you wish to build your ice- 
 house in this pit, and fill around the outside. 
 
WHEN WE BUILD 207 
 
 Framing the Icehouse 
 
 The framework is made by laying 2 x 4-inch sill 
 on the concrete foundation ; fasten this to the foun- 
 dation by cementing a few bolts into the concrete 
 and allowing them to extend through the sill ; 2 x 4 
 studding are then placed upon the sill, 16 inches 
 apart from center to center. The rafters for the 
 roof are likewise made of 2 x 4's, placed the same 
 distance apart as the studding, but the purlin plate 
 upon the studding should be at least 6 inches wide. 
 The outside of studding may be boarded either 
 with common sheeting and paper, upon which 
 poplar siding is nailed, or with patent siding or 
 ship-lap siding, the latter being the cheapest and 
 requiring only a single thickness of board. 
 
 The roof should be made with not less than one- 
 half to one-third pitch, and preferably covered with 
 shingles, for shingles are better insulators than 
 either slate or metal. Paper may sometimes be 
 used to good advantage. A cupola or flue should 
 be built upon the roof to allow for the removal 
 of the warm air from the top of the ice. A ven- 
 tilator may be placed in the gable end, 
 
 A continuous door should be cut in one end to 
 allow the ice to be put in. This door may extend 
 from the gable down to within 5 feet of the bottom. 
 
 Before putting in the ice place from 18 inches to 
 2 feet of sawdust or dry peat upon the floor. The 
 ice should be harvested in regukr shape, oblong, 
 rather than square, and not less than 18 inches in 
 width and 30 inches in length. 
 
 Ice and Milk Houses Combined 
 
 The side elevation of an icehouse with milkhouse 
 attached is presented in the drawing. It shows the 
 
208 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 advantage of utilizing the water from the icehouse 
 for cooling the milk. No ice needs to be removed 
 from the icehouse. It operates automatically. If 
 the weather is warm the ice melts more rapidly and 
 keeps water in the tank at the required temperature. 
 
 A GOOD COLD COMBINATION 
 
 SMALL GREENHOUSES 
 
 The farmer who would make his crops of vege- 
 tables rnost profitable, or the small gardener who 
 would have an early supply of early vegetables for 
 home use or market must employ some kind of 
 glass structures to hasten these crops. The hot- 
 bed or cold frame have been much in use in the 
 past, but the cost of sash, shutters and mats is 
 nearly as much as the materials needed for a per- 
 manent structure, while the labor of caring for 
 cold frames or hotbeds is often much more than 
 that of the small greenhouse. In the latter one 
 may work with comfort no matter what the 
 weather may be outside. It requires much more 
 skill to run hotbeds successfully. 
 
WHEN WE BUILD 
 
 209 
 
 Small greenhouses may be built against the south 
 side of the house or stable. Figures i and 2, or they 
 may be built entirely away from other buildings,, 
 but the shelter of larger buildings on the north or 
 west will be found of great advantage. If one has 
 a basement to the house or stable, a lean-to house 
 may be built, and heat from the open cellar in a 
 large measure will heat the greenhouse in the mild 
 weather of fall and spring. 
 
 Material for Construction 
 
 A cheap and efficient house may be made by 
 setting chestnut or cedar posts in the ground, cov- 
 ering the sides with lining boards, then two thick- 
 nesses of tarred building paper and sheathing 
 
 FIS^ 
 
 FIG. I. Tia.z. 
 
 DETAILS FOR SMALL GREENHOUSES 
 
 outside. Figure 3. Cement, stone or brick will be 
 cheaper in the end. The durability of glass struc- 
 tures will depend much upon the form of the ma- 
 terials. Clear cypress is now more used than any 
 other material. Sills should be of the form shown 
 in Figure 4. Plates may be made of plank as in 
 
2IO HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 Figure 3, or as in Figure 5. Sash bars should have 
 grooves along the sides to catch the drip from the 
 glass, as in Figure 6. 
 
 The glass for ordinary work may be No. 2 double 
 thick, large sizes, 16 x 20 inches or 20 x 24 inches, 
 being much used. Smaller sizes will be cheaper in 
 price, but more sash bars will be needed, and they 
 cut off much of the sunlight. The glass should be 
 put in with putty, made with about one-third white 
 lead in it, and firmly tacked with triangular zinc 
 tacks of large size, or the double-pointed tacks, 
 which are so bent as to prevent the glass from 
 slipping down. 
 
 Set Glass in Warm Weather 
 
 Glazing should be done during the summer or 
 early fall, as putty will soon become loose if frozen 
 before well hardened. 
 
 In building there should be no mortises, but all 
 Joints be made by toeing in with long, slender nails. 
 All woodwork should be thoroughly painted before 
 fitting, and all joints filled with white lead paint. 
 After all is done the frame should be painted before 
 the glass is put in. 
 
 The most important and expensive feature of the 
 small greenhouse is the heating. If one has a hot 
 water or steam heater in the house, to which the 
 glass house is attached, it will be a very simple 
 matter to carry pipes through, as at a, a, Figures i 
 and 2. Hot air also may be let into such houses, 
 or a small kerosene heater in very cold weather 
 may be used, if the house is built opening into the 
 cellar. 
 
 Ventilators must be located as shown in Figures 
 I and 2, at b, b. Very small structures may be 
 
WHEN WE BUILD 211 
 
 run without much heat if opening into cellars or 
 other heated rooms by, having shutters or curtains 
 to draw down at night and in very cold, cloudy 
 weather. 
 
 Covering with Hotbed Sash 
 
 Houses of small size may be made by building 
 a frame upon which hotbed sash may be screwed. 
 If one has the sash this is a cheap way of build- 
 ing, and such a house has the advantage that tKe 
 sash may be entirely removed during the summer, 
 but it is very difficult to make a close house with 
 such sash. 
 
 The woodwork of greenhouses and hotbed sash 
 should have a coat of thin linseed oil paint every 
 second year. Much of the success to be obtained 
 from any glass structure will depend upon the skill 
 of the operator, and the thermometer, both outside 
 and in, must be watched very closely. The tem- 
 perature should be maintained as nearly as possible 
 like that in the open air under which the plants 
 grown thrive the best. 
 
 WIRE FENCE CORN CRIB 
 
 In the drawing is shown a handy, inexpensive 
 corn crib, which possesses several advantages not 
 possessed by the ordinary slat corn crib. It is 
 made on 4 x 4-inch posts, with pans at their tops, 
 to prevent rats from climbing in. The sills are 4x4- 
 inch, the scantlings 2x4, and 2 feet apart. The 
 fencing is nailed to these on all sides, and the door 
 frame is similarly covered. The roof is made wide, 
 so as to shed all possible water. The height, length 
 
212 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 and width may suit the farmer's convenience. A 
 convenient width is about 5 feet at the floor, widen- 
 ing to 7 feet at the eaves. Owing to the very open 
 
 THE CORN CRIB 
 
 nature of this crib, corn dries more quickly than in 
 a slat crib, and as there is less chance for water to 
 lodge in the cracks, the crib will be more durable 
 than if built entirely of wood. 
 
 Want of cure does us more damage than want of 
 knowledge. 
 
WHEN WE BUILD 2I3 
 
 HOW TO LAY A FLOOR 
 
 To lay a floor or board ceiling just right, and do 
 the work fast, use a good lever, as in the illustra- 
 tion, taking for 
 the supports two 
 I X 4-inch pieces 
 as long as the 
 width of the room. 
 The upright arm 
 is 4 feet long with 
 a hole 4 inches 
 
 r ,, , FLOORING LEVER 
 
 irom the lower 
 
 and through which it is pinned loosely between the 
 ends of the supports. With a little practice, a good 
 carpenter's job can be done on floor or ceiling. 
 
 AN INEXPENSIVE VERANDA 
 
 A vine-covered veranda is a great comfort, but 
 in many cases the expense seems greater than the 
 owner of the plain little farmhouse feels able to 
 stand. A farmer in Arkansas wanted one, and he 
 set to work in this fashion. First he went to the 
 woods and got a load of straight poles about i^ 
 inches in diameter and from 8 to 12 feet long. He 
 next procured a number of nice, smooth boards for 
 the flooring of the veranda, making it about 6 feet 
 wide and 10 feet long and strengthening it with 
 the necessary timbers. He securely nailed the 
 poles about 8 inches apart around the flooring to 
 form an inclosure, leaving an opening in front about 
 5 feet wide. 
 
 The poles in front were 7 feet from the floor to 
 the roof and 12 feet at the house. About midway 
 of their height the poles were straightened by a row 
 
214 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 of poles nailed horizontally and another row was 
 placed at the top. To make all secure against rain, 
 the slanting roof poles were next carefully covered 
 with overlapping rows of bark. AH this required 
 but small outlay of cash and even less of work. It 
 was then ready for the vines. 
 
 Being in haste for immediate results, the builder 
 planted some roots of the hard native woodbine, 
 which will soon cover any space with its rapid 
 growth. It is an easy matter to sow seed of the 
 morning glory, hardy annual gourd, or any one of 
 several hardy climbers and the result will soon be a 
 mass of shade and lovely blossoms besides, all of 
 which makes the summer evenings pass far more 
 pleasantly. 
 
 CONCRETE ON THE FARM 
 
 The progressive farmer must not overlook the 
 economic value of portland cement concrete. To- 
 day is the age of concrete. It is crowding wood 
 and steel into the background, and bids fair to 
 become the most universal of building materials. 
 Concrete is extensively used by the largest land- 
 holders, and can be used by the men of more 
 moderate means to equal advantage. It is to be 
 recommended for general use by reason of its 
 durability, sanitary qualities and moderate cost. 
 Molded solid, it has no joints nor seams to afford 
 a lodging for dirt and foster the growth of noxious 
 fungi; it can be swept, washed, scrubbed and 
 scalded, without injury to its texture. Further, it 
 does not possess the disagreeable quality of absorb- 
 ing gases and odors. Add to these qualities, cool- 
 ness in summer, warmth in winter and we have one 
 
WHEN WE BUILD 215 
 
 of the most logical building materials in present- 
 day use. 
 
 Concrete is not expensive when compared with 
 other materials of construction, such as stone, brick 
 and wood. To be sure, the initial cost of wood is 
 less than that of concrete, but when we consider 
 the life and quality of the finished product, con- 
 crete is easily cheaper than wood. 
 
 Portland cement of the most approved brands 
 costs about $i.6o per barrel, Ij4 barrels of cement 
 being required for each cubic yard of concrete. 
 Sand and gravel may be had from the farm or 
 bought nearby at lo cents a load. Add the cost 
 of the forms and the labor of mixing and laying the 
 concrete, which should be done at an expense not 
 exceeding 75 cents per yard, and we have a 
 total expense ranging from $2.75 to $3 per cubic 
 yard, but under very favorable circumstances the 
 cost may be reduced close to $2. Experience both 
 in practical work and in the laboratory has proved 
 beyond a doubt that the best brands of cement, as 
 in all other goods, are the cheapest in the end, and 
 should be insisted upon by all prospective purchas- 
 ers. Atlas, Alpha, Saylor's, Edison and Giant 
 cements are among the leading brands. The sand 
 should be clean, coarse and sharp and free from all 
 foreign matter that would in any way tend to 
 weaken the concrete. Broken stone with sand and 
 cement makes an ideal, mixture, but it is objected 
 to on account of the cost of the broken stone. 
 Gravel may be substituted for the stone, however, 
 with excellent results. The gravel should be washed 
 and cleaned, and, if very coarse, passed through a 
 screen. The gravel should range from J4 inch to 
 2.y2 inches in diameter, but should not exceed 2>$ 
 
•2l6 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 feiches and to obtain the very best results the major 
 portion should be between the limits of i and i^ 
 inches. 
 
 MIXING THE CEMENT 
 
 In mixing concrete for general use the following 
 proportions are perhaps the best : One barrel cement 
 to 3 barrels sand and 5 barrels gravel. In this mix- 
 ture the spaces between the stones are entirely 
 filled and when hardened the concrete virtually 
 becomes a solid monolith. 
 
 To secure the best results mix the concrete as 
 follows: Have the gravel washed and in readi- 
 ness, usually on a platform of planking or boards, 
 to permit easy shoveling and insure against waste. 
 Add enough water to the cement and sand, which 
 have been thoroughly mixed in a mortar bed, to 
 make a thin mortar, not too thin, however, to per- 
 mit easy shoveling. Spread the mortar on the 
 gravel and thoroughly mix by turning with shovels. 
 Then, without delay, shovel the batch of concrete 
 into the forms or spread it on the floors as the case 
 may be, being careful not to exceed layers of 8 
 inches at each filling. Each layer must be tamped 
 and rammed till water flushes to the top. 
 
 Proceed in this manner till the forms are filled. 
 In hot weather damp cloths or boards should be 
 placed over the top of the concrete to keep it from 
 checking after the final layer has been placed in 
 the forms. The forms must necessarily be water 
 tight and the concrete worked back from the boards 
 with a spade, so the softer material may flow to the 
 outside and insure a smooth surface. If this last 
 is not done holes will surely result and the work 
 will be disappointing. Let the concrete rest four 
 to six days before removing the planking, concrete 
 
WHEN WE BUILD 217 
 
 being somewhat brittle until thoroughly hardened, 
 and while in the " green " state easily broken. 
 
 MAKING CONCRETE BLOCKS 
 
 Concrete building blocks are ideal as building 
 material on the farm. The cost to purchase these 
 blocks has been beyond the reach of the farmer 
 who desired to use them for all purposes; but by 
 the use of the simple machine or mold described 
 anyone can make the best quality of hollow con- 
 crete building blocks at an average cost of less than 
 6 cents each, the mere cost of sand and cement. 
 
 As the standard size block is 20 x 8 x 7J^ inches, 
 instructions are given for making the machine to 
 build that size, but it can be constructed to turn 
 out any size of block by changing the dimensions 
 accordingly. 
 
 Take two boards 20 inches long by 7J^ inches 
 wide and i inch thick. These are for the sides. 
 For the ends use lumber 10 inches long by 7>4 
 inches wide. Care must be used to have the boards 
 free from large knots and with an even grain, so as 
 to avoid warping. 
 
 The above four boards were joined at three 
 corners with six hinges; two hinges at top and 
 bottom of each corner. In putting together have 
 the two end boards set up against the sides as 
 shown in Figure i. At the fourth corner place a 
 strong hook and eyelet to hold the machine together 
 when making block, and by unhooking this allows 
 the machine to be folded back away from the fin- 
 ished work, etc. 
 
 This makes a mold or form that is, inside meas- 
 urements, 20 inches long, 8 inches wide and 7J4 
 inches high, with top and bottom open. 
 
2l8 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 For the core, take two boards of i-inch lumber, 
 cutting them 13 inches at the top and slanting to 
 iiyi inches at the bottom with a 
 width of 7^ inches. These make 
 the sides of core. For the ends, 
 use 2-inch strips cut yyi inches 
 long. These are fastened together, 
 FIGURE I — CORE as shown in Figure i. This makes 
 a slanting box which is set inside of 
 the machine, as illustrated in Figure 2, and forms 
 the hollow in the block. To the top of the core a 
 round stick is fitted into place the length of the 
 core, so it will set down level with the top for a 
 handle to lift the core from the block when oper- 
 ating the same. 
 
 To Operate the Machine 
 
 First set it on a board somewhat larger than the 
 machine, as shown in Figure 2. This makes the 
 bottom of machine and holds the block until dry. 
 Enough of these boards must be provided for the 
 
 FIGURE 2 — CEMENT BLOCK MACHINE OPEN 
 
WHEN WE BUILD 2ig 
 
 blocks made each day. Close the machine and 
 fasten catch, then set the core in the center and fill 
 the space around the same with the concrete mix- 
 ture, tamping it in thoroughly. When full level 
 off the top with a flat stick and carefully lift out the 
 core, setting it on another board ready for the next 
 block, unhook the catch and fold the machine back 
 away from the finished block and you have the com- 
 pleted block ready to dry and cure. This method 
 requires no handling and so has no danger of 
 breaking while the block is yet " green," as it re- 
 mains on the board or " pallet " until dry enough 
 to be piled up, which they will be in three or four 
 days. 
 
 When the blocks are to be laid in a side wall, 
 between corners, take two ij4-inch strips 7J/2 
 inches long and attach with screws to the center 
 of each end of machine on the inside. This molds 
 a groove in the block, which is filled with mortar 
 when laying the block in the wall and so securely 
 ties it. By fastening with screws these strips can 
 be easily removed when molding corner blocks. 
 
 Blocks of Different Shapes 
 
 A neat panel block can be molded by taking the 
 common half-round strips, cutting to the right 
 lengths and fastening to the outside of the face of 
 machine, as shown in Figure i. For corner blocks 
 they can be attached to either end of machine. By 
 using small screws these can be removed when not 
 desired and also enable you to panel either right 
 or left end of block as needs require. 
 
 For making half-size blocks, have a piece of 
 board that is exactly 8 inches wide and 7J^ inches 
 high, or so it will just fit into machine when core 
 
'220 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 is removed. Set this in place in the middle half- 
 way , between the ends and fill with material. This 
 will make two half-size blocks for use in breaking 
 joints when laying wall. If desired to have these 
 hollow, two small cores of proper size can be made 
 to set in place when molding blocks of this size. 
 
 Rock face effects can be produced very easily by 
 taking a 2-inch plank the size of the face of ma- 
 chine or the end as desired. On this draw a border 
 1)4 inches all around, then take several irons, heat 
 them red-hot and burn out the center in irregular 
 shape, at least ij4 inches deep. By making ridges 
 and hollows in this burning process of different 
 depths and as broken as possible, you will secure 
 a face plate that will mold a very excellent imita- 
 tion of a rock face. This, of course, can be made 
 to suit any fancy. 
 
 One may follow the practice of making several 
 faces and ends from plain and panels down to dif- 
 ferent rock effects, having these extra face plates 
 the same size as given for the machine above. 
 Then by using hinges as used on doors or any pin 
 hinge, you can easily change the style of block by 
 putting one face plate or end on machine in a 
 moment's time. One machine, can thus be used for 
 any style of block and a great amount of time be 
 saved in changing from one style to another. 
 
 This machine, in addition to being simple in con- 
 struction and operation, is very rapid. With but 
 little practice one man can make from 75 to 100 
 blocks daily and have each one perfect, as he does 
 not break any by handling them after they are 
 molded 
 
 According to her cloth she cut her coat. — Dryden. 
 
WHEN WE BUILD 
 
 221 
 
 ANOTHER STYLE OF MOLD 
 
 All the lumber necessary to make this mold 
 should be selected white pine or hardwood, free 
 from knots and sap. The platform on which this 
 mold rests should be 14 x 24 inches and be well 
 battened together. The sides are made as shown 
 
 ^ 
 
 S-r 
 
 /6' 
 
 s2?eJYl>m-^'"*^'^- 
 
 THE FINISHED MOLD 
 
 by the drawings, with a cleat on each end, which 
 overlaps the end pieces and holds them in place. 
 Both ends and sides are fastened to the platform 
 as shown, with hinges, which permit them to be 
 turned down to take out the completed block. 
 
 On each end is placed a flat iron bar with a 
 notch in to fasten the whole mold together. "These 
 
222 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 bars are the same as hooks, only tne ends are pro- 
 longed to act as handles for convenience. 
 
 Regulating the Height of the Blocks 
 
 The bottom board is intended to be fitted in the 
 bottom of the mold loosely and should be blocked 
 up from the bottom to give the required height of 
 
 J 
 e 
 
 JJJ 
 
 
 7>luf OK Ct 
 
 ore 
 
 ia= 
 
 PARTS OF MOLD 
 
 the finished block. The end pieces of mold have a 
 thin piece of board running up and down to form 
 a key between blocks and should run down to top 
 of bottom board. 
 
 The plugs are made as shown, with a taper both 
 sides, so that when they are removed they clear all 
 the way out. The pins in the bottoms of the plugs 
 
WHEN WE BUILD 223 
 
 are to fit in the holes in the bottom board, which 
 will steady them and hold them in place. 
 
 When the plugs are removed the board with the 
 two square holes is placed over the top of mold and 
 the handle of tamper is run through the rings in 
 top of plugs and they are lifted up. This board is 
 used as a guard and prevents the block from being 
 broken when plugs are removed, and should not be 
 used until the block is finished and ready to take 
 out of mold. The tamper is made of a large iron 
 nut and a piece of iron rod about i8 inches long. 
 
 Filling the Molds 
 
 To make these blocks use one part of portland 
 cement and three parts of good sharp sand, mix 
 well and put enough water on to simply dampen 
 the whole. Now close up the mold, put plugs in 
 place, fill the mold one-fourth full and tamp down 
 hard. Repeat this until the mold is filled. Scrape 
 ofif surplus material, remove the plugs, then turn 
 down sides and lift out finished block which is to 
 remain on the bottom board until hard enough to 
 lift off. 
 
 It will be necessary to have a number of these 
 bottom boards. After a number of blocks are 
 made they should be sprinkled from day to day for 
 from 15 to 20 days to properly cure them before 
 using. A barrel of cement will make about 50 
 blocks and one man can make a block in 12- 
 minutes. 
 
 MIXING CEMENT FOR BRICK 
 
 Many have found mixing the sand and cement 
 the hardest part of cement brick making. An old 
 
224 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 Vinegar barrel may be put to use by placing a grind- 
 stone crank on one end and a pinion on the other. 
 Two strong posts are set in the ground and the 
 barrel hung over two pieces of round iron driven 
 into the posts. ' A square hole is cut on side of 
 barrel and covered with a piece of sheet iron hinged 
 and a bottom to fasten. 
 
 The sand and cement are dampened, shoveled 
 into the barrel and a boy may turn the crank. The 
 mixing is done as fast as two men can mold, with 
 a boy to sprinkle the brick to prevent drying too 
 iast. 
 
 REINFORCEMENT FOR CONCRETE 
 
 For heavy construction work involving beams 
 and columns, reinforcement with steel rods is 
 needed. Reinforced concrete is rapidly coming to 
 i>e the mos^ approved kind of construction of large 
 
 sccTioa or FLsnt sub 
 
 FOOTING 0ETAIi5 
 
 DETAILS OF REINFORCEMENT 
 
WHEN WE BUILD 225 
 
 buildings. Our own great building is one of the 
 most noteworthy examples, being of reinforced con- 
 crete throughout. For any building where rein- 
 forcement seems desirable the following details will 
 be found useful: 
 
 Plan of the footing or foundation of each column 
 is shown in /; g, side view of footing and part of 
 column above. The steel rods that run up through 
 column are shown by dots in h, and the wire spiral 
 by diagonal lines in g. h is cross-section of column 
 filled with cement, the shaded part being the con- 
 crete, a, section of floor slab, 4)4 inches thick; it 
 is also shown on top of the floor girder and floor 
 beam (crossbeams between girders), b, girder; c, 
 cross-section of girder, the dots showing twisted 
 steel bars that take up the tensile stress — compres- 
 sion stress is carried by the concrete. The steel 
 bars, d, stuck into the column at an angle, are to 
 prevent the girders from breaking off or " shear- 
 ing" at column. 
 
 MAKING A FROSTPROOF CELLAR 
 
 Some farmers build their own concrete cellar 
 walls and chimneys with inexperienced help. Lay 
 out your foundation the same way you would for 
 any building. Have outside line of excavation 
 plumb. Then use 2 x 4-inch studs the length re- 
 quired. Point one end, drive in ground, on line of 
 inside of cellar wall, brace top of stud by driving 
 stake in ground, and nail brace to stake and each 
 stud. You must make everything firm. Then take 
 square edge boards and place horizontally against 
 the studs. (See illustration.) 
 
 Do not try to go around the whole cellar wall, 
 take one side at a time to the height of earth sur- 
 
226 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 face, but turn your corner. Pay no attention to 
 outside, let the stone and cement push up against 
 the earth. It is the best plan to finish the whole 
 wall up to the earth surface line before making the 
 elevation above the ground line. 
 
 Above the earth surface line do just the same on 
 the outside as you have been doing on the inside, 
 but now you must use boards and studs, as up to 
 
 VIEM 
 
 CONCRETE CELLAR WALL 
 
 this point the earth took the place of them. Plumb 
 every stud you drive, and place them 24 inches 
 apart. Have cellar window frames ready and place 
 them as you come to them. Be sure and make 
 extension for hatchway when building your main 
 wall. For the corners use baled hay wire in wads, 
 bending it around the center of wall, and a rein- 
 forced concrete corner will be the result. 
 
 Get cobblestones or any stone from the size of 
 a goose egg to the size of your head, and put them 
 in bottom of walfto depth of i foot. Make a mix- 
 ing bed, say, about 12 x 36 x 72 inches. One man 
 
WHEN WE BUILD 227 
 
 used an old wooden sink as near watertight as 
 possible. Use one water pail of cement to three 
 of fine gravel sand. Put one and one-half pails 
 water in the mixing bed, then add the cement. Be 
 sure and mix water and cement well before using 
 sand. Throw sand in one shovelful at a time. 
 Have one person mixing with a good-sized hoe, 
 while another throws in the sand. Mix well. 
 
 Have it about the same as thin mortar, so it will 
 leave the pail easily when pouring into the foun- 
 dation. Cover the stones and then put in another 
 lot and do the same to height of wall up to within 
 a couple of inches. Do not put stones to full height 
 of wall. To bring wall up to line, mix cement and 
 water together (or one part sand and one cement) 
 so it will run, and after wall is hard pour it on top 
 and it will find its own water level and your sills 
 will fit exactly. It is a good plan to have wall 
 thicker at bottom than at top — perhaps i8 inches 
 at bottom and 12 inches on top. 
 
 Now for hatchway steps. Put in the stones, as 
 they save cement. Before the cement gets hard, 
 drive in some large spikes, leaving them projecting 
 about 2 inches on line of hatchway sills. Your 
 hatchway doors will stay in place if sills are well- 
 fitted on to spikes. One of the most important 
 things is to be sure of the sand you use. If there 
 is more than 10 per cent loam in the sand, your 
 work will be a failure. 
 
 A SUMMER COOL ROOM 
 
 A simple method of constructing a cool, outdoor 
 cellar in localities where the common house cellars 
 are too warm for use during the summer time, is 
 shown in the accompanying sketch. It is a cellar 
 
228 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 made under the pump, so that the water pumped 
 by the windmill has a very cooling effect. In 
 places where it is difficult to obtain ice, it will prove 
 indispensable to the dairyman who keeps a few 
 cows. Another important item is the fact that a 
 man does not have to pull up all of the pipes every 
 
 CONCRETE OUTDOOR CELLAR 
 
 time that he finds it necessary to repair the pipes 
 and pump. 
 
 It is constructed of concrete. The top is rein- 
 forced with 5^-inch steel rods placed i foot apart 
 each way and the concrete work is about 6 inches 
 thick. The sides are made by using a form, and the 
 stairs are also made of concrete and are reinforced 
 by small steel rods. The cost, including the labor, 
 is about $50. In the west and southwest it will 
 also answer the purpose of a storm cave, which is 
 considered a fixture on all farms. 
 
WHEN WE BUILD 229 
 
 A CONCRETE SMOKEHOUSE 
 
 The structure is about 8 x lo feet and 7 feet high. 
 It will keep the meat inside and thieves out. 
 For a building of this sort 8-inch walls will be thick 
 enough. Excavate to the proper depth below frost, 
 which will be two feet or less, and use a mixture of 
 one part portland cement, three parts sand and six 
 parts gravel or broken stone. 
 
 Make the forms of matched boards, although 
 square-edged boards could be used for this pur- 
 pose. The forms must be well braced and may be 
 raised as the work of laying the wall progresses. 
 Space for a doorway must be left and two eye- 
 bolts inserted in the concrete for the door to swing 
 on. The door jamb can be molded in cement if it 
 is desired. An eyebolt for the lock and latch should 
 also be placed in the wall. 
 
 The roof will no doubt be of boards or shingles. 
 The plates should be placed on the concrete and 
 held to it with bolts properly imbedded. An 
 arched concrete roof can be made if desired, in 
 which case it will be necessary to leave suitable 
 vents in each end, or build a small flue to allow the 
 smoke to escape. To make the house absolutely 
 proof against fire a steel or iron door should be 
 used. 
 
 LAYING A CONCRETE FLOOR 
 
 A concrete floor should be level with the top of 
 the sill, where there is much passing in and out 
 with stock or wagons. There should be about 4 
 inches of concrete. If the earth is leveled off and 
 tamped down hard, it would be unnecessary to put 
 any crushed stone under the concrete in a building 
 
230 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 where frost or water does not get underneath. It 
 is generally recommended to put several inches of 
 stones, gravel or cinders on top of the earth, but 
 many floors are laid without such a bottom. Par- 
 titions for horse stalls and cattle stanchions can be 
 held in place on a cement floor by putting down 
 iron belts or pieces of gas pipe, when the floor is 
 laid. Let them project 2 or 3 inches above the floor. 
 
 MAKING A CONCRETE WALK 
 
 The best way is to dig a trench 16 inches deep, 
 put in a foot of loose gravel or stone, leveling it off 
 with fine material. On top of this spread 3 inches 
 of concrete made of one part portland cement, two 
 parts sand and four parts crushed stone or gravel. 
 On this put a granolithic finish I inch thick mixed 
 in the proportions of 1-2-3. Trowel it down smooth 
 and hard. Joints J^ inch thick and filled with sand 
 should be left every 5 feet to prevent walk from 
 cracking 
 
 CEMENTING A CISTERN WALL 
 
 In making a surface waterproof, a mixture of 
 about one part portland cement to two of sand will 
 shed water from a roof or wall, but to make a sur- 
 face perfectly watertight, so that it will keep out 
 standing water, it is better to use neat cement only, 
 that is, cement with no other material but the 
 water with which it is mixed, and it will cost less 
 to put on a coat J4 inch thick of neat cement than 
 one I inch thick, one-half or two-thirds sand, as 
 the neat cement mixed with plenty of water is 
 waterproof. 
 
WHEN WE BUILD 23 1 
 
 SPECIAL USES FOR CEMENT 
 
 A sack of Portland cement is a very useful thing 
 to have for making quick repairs about the farm. 
 A hole in a drain pipe can be stopped in a few min- 
 utes with a little cement, mixed with water, thick 
 as putty. A crack in a barrel can be stopped this 
 way. Hardwood floors may be patched and nail 
 holes filled so they will not leak. 
 
 A waterproof floor can be laid over an old board 
 floor in a short time. Sweep the old floor clean and 
 dry and nail down all loose boards. Cover with a 
 layer of heavy wire netting, tacking it down occa- 
 sionally. Over this lay a layer of concrete of one 
 part Portland cement, three parts clean sand, mixed 
 with water to a thin paste. 
 
 Smooth thoroughly, but if it is to be used by 
 stock, brush with an old broom to make it rough, 
 then let it dry thoroughly before using the floor. 
 Gutters may be put in where necessary. Holes in 
 an old shingled roof can be quickly stopped by forc- 
 ing a little cement putty under the shingle where 
 the leak appears. 
 
 Some special uses to which cement is being put 
 are the making of bee hives, brick for pavement and 
 ordinary foundations, cement shingles for roofing, 
 grain bins in the form of square boxlike and 
 round barrel-like receptacles. The use of this ex- 
 cellent material for farm structures is only just 
 opening up and it is destined to become the most 
 important material for general farm building. 
 
 A wooden reinforcement in the center of a con- 
 crete fence post is worse than useless. It does not 
 make a bond with the concrete, and thus weakens. 
 
232 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 instead of strengthens, the post. Of course, the 
 same is true of wooden reinforcement of any con- 
 crete work. 
 
 A TIME-HONORED HANDY DEVICE 
 
 (see frontispiece) 
 
 How dear to my heart are the scenes of my child- 
 hood, 
 When fond recollection presents them to view ! 
 The orchard, the meadow, the deep-tangled wild- 
 wood. 
 And every loved spot that my infancy knew ! 
 The wide-spreading pond and the mill that stood 
 by it; 
 The bridge, and the rock where the cataract fell ; 
 The cot of my father, the dairy-house nigh it ; 
 
 And e'en the rude bucket that hung in the well — 
 The old oaken bucket, the iron-bound bucket. 
 The old moss-covered bucket that hung in the 
 well. 
 
 How ardent I seized it with hands that were glow- 
 ing. 
 And quick to the white-pebbled bottom it fell ! 
 Then soon, with the emblem of truth overflowing. 
 And dripping with coolness, it rose from the well. 
 
 — Samuel Woodworth. 
 
WORTH KNOWING 
 
 FREEZING ICE IN BLOCKS 
 
 HERE a pond or stream is not 
 handy from which to get the year's 
 supply of ice, blocks can be frozen 
 in forms with comparatively little 
 labor. A supply of pure water is 
 essential. The forms are best made 
 of galvanized iron of any size de- 
 sired. A convenient size is i6 inches wide, 24 
 inches long and 12 inches deep inside measure. The 
 sides and ends should be made to taper J4 inch, so 
 
 HOMEMADE ICE MOLDS 
 
 that the frozen block will drop out easily.. The 
 top of the mold should be reinforced with wire for 
 the sake of strength and durability. 
 
 With a dozen or 20 forms one can put up quite a 
 supply of ice during the winter. The forms should 
 
234 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 be set level on joists or boards and placed a few 
 inches apart. Fill them nearly full with pure water 
 and let them freeze, which they will do in one or 
 two days and nights in suitable weather. When 
 frozen solid, turn the forms bottom side up and 
 pour a dipper of warm water on them, which will 
 release the cake of ice. The form can then be lifted 
 off, the ice put away in the icehouse and the form 
 filled with water again. 
 
 SAVING THE SEED CORN 
 
 Here is a handy device for preserving select 
 ears of seed corn. It consists of a wide board 
 
 fastened between 
 two supports 
 nailed to the edges. 
 The board stands 
 upright on one end 
 and may be as long 
 as desired. Drive 
 heavy spikes 
 through it from 
 the opposite side 
 and stick an ear of 
 corn upon each 
 spike. This allows 
 for the passage of 
 air, and the ears can 
 be examined with- 
 out removing them 
 from the rack. It 
 is much to be preferred to expensive wire racks, as 
 each nail may be numbered and a record kept of 
 the ears in this way. This rack was designed at 
 the Idaho experiment station. 
 
 SEED CORN RACK 
 
WORTH KNOWING 
 
 RACK FOR SEED CORN 
 
 235 
 
 Here is a simple arrangement for keeping choice 
 ears of seed corn. Take a 2-inch square timber 
 for the upright, and make a solid 
 base by boring a hole through the 
 two base pieces, then drive the 
 timber into it. Drive 4-inch spikes 
 through the upright at intervals of 
 6 inches from four sides, and stick 
 the ears of corn on these spikes by 
 thrusting the same into the butt of 
 the cob. Numbers may be placed 
 above each spike, so that records 
 can be kept of all of the corn. The 
 corn should be placed on this rack 
 as soon as picked and husked, and 
 may be left there until planting 
 time if the rack is placed in a dry 
 room where rats and mice cannot 
 get at it. A large post strongly 
 mounted on a heavy pedestal may 
 be used in a manner similar to the 
 small upright described above. The 
 bigger the post and the larger the 
 number of spikes used, the greater the capacity of 
 the rack, of course. It is a good plan to make the 
 pedestal heavy and strong in order that it may not 
 be tipped over too easily. 
 
 SACK 
 
 The first years of man must make provision for 
 the last. — Samuel Johnson. 
 
 Put your trust in God, my boys, and keep your 
 powder dry. — Colonel Blacker. 
 
236 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 DRYING AND KEEPING SEED CORN 
 
 Never let it freeze before it is dry. Farmers 
 have had seed corn exposed to a temr)erature of 
 
 30 degrees below 
 zero without in- 
 juring its vitality, 
 and have had it 
 ruined at 10 de- 
 grees above zero. 
 We would not 
 recommend kiln- 
 drying for the 
 general farmer, as 
 this is only prac- 
 ticable where a 
 grower is in the 
 seed business. A 
 very convenient 
 way is to take 
 four pieces 4x4 
 6 feet long, set them up in a square, and nail laths 
 on them two and two opposite. Leave a 6-inch 
 space between the laths, so the corn will have 
 plenty of ventilation. Lay your corn on this to 
 dry, and if thoroughly dry it can lay there all 
 winter. 
 
 CORN DRYING RACK 
 
 Knowledge is worth nothing unless we do the 
 good we know. 
 
 It is better to give one shilling than to lend 
 twenty. 
 
 Keep your mouth shut and your eyes open. 
 
WORTH KNOWING 
 
 237 
 
 
 
 FIG. 1 
 
 
 
 e e a e e 
 e e e 
 
 1"^ l^> 
 
 
 FIG.Z 
 
 
 -& 
 
 
 = •==-==„ -„«-.^ 
 
 
 1^ 
 
 
 — _ _ - 1 i/v 
 
 1/ 
 
 
 FIG. 3 
 
 
 IZ 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 " 
 
 WEIGHT LIFTER AND DETAILS 
 
 The drawings show the different parts and one 
 of the many uses of this device. 
 
238 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 STRONG AND SIMPLE WAGON JACK 
 
 Here is a good, practical wagon jack suited to 
 almost all kinds of vehicles. The whole thing is 
 
 made of wood with 
 the exception of 
 the curved piece, b, 
 which is of iron 
 and hooks over an 
 iron bolt, e. It is 
 well to have a 
 strong J^-inch bolt 
 at /, so as to sup- 
 port the heavy 
 weight on the lever, 
 a. The bottom, d, 
 WAGON JACK and the piece, c, 
 
 are each 2 inches thick. In using the jack, the axle 
 is lifted by simply pressing down on the handle of 
 the lever. The teeth of b catch and hold on e auto- 
 matically. The height of lever is regulated by mov- 
 ing / up and down. 
 
 Write down the advice of him who loves you, 
 though you like it not at present. 
 
 A JACK FOR HEAVY WAGONS 
 
 Many lifting jacks which are designed for light 
 vehicles would not work well in the case of a heavy 
 log wagon. Here is one that will stand a lot of hard 
 usage and is simple and effective. Make the base 
 and upright of heavy 2-inch oak plank and insert a 
 %-inch bolt through the lever for a support. Have 
 a good, strong hemp rope attached to the base, pass- 
 
WORTH KNOWING 
 
 239 
 
 ing over the >jandle end of the lever, so that as it is 
 drawn down and the wagon is lifted it can be hooked 
 in a notch to hold it in position. 
 
 HOMEMADE WAGON JACK 
 
 A CHEAP WHEELBARROW 
 
 The construction of this barrow is very simple. 
 Get a pair of old plow handles, two gate hinges 
 about I foot long, and a wheel, which may be found 
 at the junk dealer's. The legs of the wheelbarrow 
 
 MADE FROM OLD MATERIAL 
 
240 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 are those of an old chair, braced with a piece of 
 iron. These articles in themselves are worthless, 
 but in their combination we create something very 
 useful. 
 
 A WHEELBARROW CHEAP AND STRDNG 
 
 Here is a picture of a handy, strong wheelbarrow 
 that any farmer can make on a rainy day. Take a 
 dry-goods box 30 inches long, 24 or 26 inches wide 
 and 20 inches deep, and two sticks ^Yz to 6 feet 
 long and 3 x 3^ inches for handles. Nail or screw 
 
 BOX WHEELBARROW 
 
 on crossbrace in front and rear, and pieces with 
 brace as shown for legs. Cut four half circles from 
 inch hardwood board and a notch in center to fit 
 around axle. Nail these securely together for the 
 wheel. 
 
 For the axle, take a stick 3j^ inches square. Trim 
 and band each end or wrap with wire. Bore holes 
 and drive a 6d. wire nail in each end. Just 2 inches 
 apart in center, bore two i-inch holes on opposite 
 sides to hold the wheel in place. A band of hoop 
 iron around the wheel will make it last longer. 
 When it is put together, you have a very substan- 
 tial wheelbarrow that cost but little. 
 
WORTH KNOWING 24I 
 
 HOW TO HANG A KETTLE 
 
 Using stones for a kettle support seems handiest 
 oftentimes, but let the heat crack one of the stones 
 and tip the kettle 
 over, as it frequently 
 will, does not tend 
 to improve a man's 
 language, let alone 
 the loss sustained. 
 It is much better to 
 make a support such 
 as is presented in 
 the cut. The three 
 uprights, of suitable 
 length to correspond 
 with the size of the 
 kettle, may consist 
 of any good wood. 
 Through the top of 
 these a hole is bored 
 for the bolt to hold 
 them together, which 
 must be long enough so they will have play to set 
 up easily. All that is necessary then is to suspend 
 two chains from the top and letting them extend 
 downward to the proper distance, attach the ears 
 of the kettle into the hooks on them. When not in 
 use, the device can be folded together and laid away. 
 
 A SNOW PLOW 
 
 No person not owning a snow plow can appreci- 
 ate how useful one is after every storm. A horse, 
 or if the snow be a heavy one, a span or a yoke of 
 cattle and this simple homemade arrangement, and 
 
 TRIPOD-HUNG KETTLE 
 
2^2 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 in less time than is required to tell it there is a patK, 
 and no back-breaking work either. It is only a big 
 V braced so the snow is pushed both ways by it. 
 It must be made of 2-inch planks at least I foot 
 wide and not less than 6 feet long. If shorter it 
 wobbles and does not stay on the ground well. 
 
 To make a good road for teams, chain it to one 
 side of the wood sled and drive up and down. It 
 spreads 2 feet, and will make your farm front look 
 as if somebody of pluck lives there. For foot- 
 paths draw it from a ring at the top of the front so 
 it will root. 
 
 SMOKEHOUSE SUBSTITUTE 
 
WORTH KNOWING 243 
 
 TEMPORARY SMOKING DEVICE 
 
 If one butchers only once a year it is not neces- 
 sary to build an expensive smokehouse, for almost 
 as good results can be obtained from a device such 
 as that shown on page 242. It is made by taking 
 both ends out of a barrel and mounting it upon a 
 box or above a fireplace in the ground. The meat 
 to be smoked is hung from the sticks laid across the 
 top of the barrel, the fire built underneath and the 
 lid put on. 
 
 HOMEMADE HEATER AND COOKER 
 
 A cheap and economical heater may be of home 
 construction. Make a frame of 2 x 8-inch pine 7 
 feet long and 27 inches wide. Put a bottom on 
 
 TANK AND COOKER 
 
 this of No. 18 galvanized iron, letting it project 
 Yi inch on each side and 14 inches at one end for a 
 stovepipe fitting. Spike the frame together and 
 
244 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 cover the corners with heavy tins to prevent any 
 leaking. Nail the bottom on with two rows of nails. 
 
 Make a fireplace on the ground of stone and blue 
 clay or brick and cement of mortar if preferred, 2 
 feet wide by 3 feet long and 18 inches high. Pile 
 up dirt I foot high and 3 feet wide at the end of the 
 fireplace for a flue, put stone on the earth the 
 length of the galvanized iron, place the tank on 
 this foundation and bank it up with dirt. In cut- 
 ting a hole for the stovepipe, turn up strips of the 
 galvanized iron for a collar, then drive an iron ro3 
 into the ground, put on two lengths of stovepipe 
 and wire it fast to the rod. 
 
 A piece of sheet iron should be set up before the 
 fireplace to control the draft and keep the fire. Such 
 a heater, on one farm, is located near the windmill 
 and storage tank and can be filled from either. The 
 water can be heated quickly with cornstalks, straw, 
 cobs or brush. One may boil pumpkins and small 
 potatoes for fattening the pigs, and cook ground 
 feed by pouring scalding water on the meal in 
 barrels and covering with old blankets or carpets. 
 A light fire will take the chill from ice water for 
 the milch cows. 
 
 USE FOR A TOUGH LOG 
 
 Most farm wood piles have two or three old logs 
 lying about which nobody cares to tackle with an 
 ax or blasting powder, and are too short for the 
 sawmill. If straight, they will make good water 
 troughs. Square the ends, mark off about 10 inches 
 from each end, chop out the inside and trim the 
 edges. An inside coat of oil or pitch tar will in- 
 crease wearing qualities. 
 
WORTH KNOWING 245 
 
 A HANDY WOOD SPLITTER 
 
 For splitting wood a farmer in eastern Massa- 
 chusetts uses a device as shown in the cut. Take 
 a 2 X 8-inch plank about 3 feet long and an upright 
 of the same material about 20 inches long. Set this 
 upright at an angle of 20 degrees and use a brace of 
 
 WOOD SPLITTING DEVICE 
 
 the same material. The sharp points shown in the 
 cut are 4od wire nails. Set the wood against these 
 spikes in splitting it. 
 
 HOW TO SPLIT WOOD 
 
 Wood splits much more readily in the direction 
 up from the root of the tree than when the blow of 
 the ax is downward. In other words, to split a 
 chunk place it upside down — contrary to the direc- 
 tion in which it grew. It is much easier to split 
 by slabs than to try to cleave through the center. 
 This means to split off pieces near the edge. 
 
246 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 A PULLING HAMMER 
 
 If you want to make your old claw hammer 
 do more work and do it better and easier, 
 have the handle projecting a 
 little beyond the head. You 
 will find it much more conven- 
 ient in drawing a nail, as it 
 makes a right angle for pulling 
 the nail without bending it to 
 one side. It takes the place of 
 a block and is always on hand 
 and ready in the right place for 
 immediate use. The handle is 
 simply whittled a little more 
 than usual and driven through 
 to the required distance. Don't drive it through too 
 far, but about as shown at a in the picture. If it 
 sticks out too much, it will be in the way when 
 driving nails. Whittle it off rounding, and give it 
 a finished appearance. 
 
 MOUNTING THE FARM ANVIL 
 
 To make a solid foundation for an anvil, build a 
 form of boards 14 x 18 inches square at the base, 
 18 inches high, tapering to 8 x 10 inches at the top. 
 Fill this mold with rich concrete and fix a bolt in 
 the center of the top of it to fasten the anvil. After- 
 ward, melted lead can be poured around the base 
 of the anvil, completing a very nice pedestal. 
 
 SORTING POTATOES QUICKLY 
 
 The sketch shows a homemade potato cleaner 
 and sorter. It consists of a number of hoops to 
 which are fastened J4-inch slats so as to make holes 
 
WORTH KNOWING 
 
 247 
 
 xYz inches square. Two heavy pieces, a, are placed 
 inside the cylinder to hold the axle, 6, which ex- 
 tends entirely through the machine and is turned 
 by a crank, c. The frame made is 4 inches lower 
 at the opening end of the cylinder so that the pota- 
 toes will run through freely. 
 
 At the crank end is a hopper, /, into which the 
 potatoes are poured. The cylinder is 2^ feet long 
 
 POTATO SORTER AND CLEANER 
 
 and 3 feet in diameter. It will not bruise the pota- 
 toes, and the dirt and small ones run through on to 
 the floor or crate and the marketable ones run out 
 at the open end of the cylinder into another crate. 
 With one man to turn the crank and another to fill 
 the hopper, from 700 to 800 bushels can be sorted 
 in a day. 
 
 An indiscreet man is more hurtful than an ill- 
 natured one; for as the latter will only attack his 
 enemies, and those he wishes ill to, the other in- 
 jures indifferently both friends and foes. — Addison. 
 
248 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 HANDLING POTATOES EASILY 
 
 A bushel crate is often more convenient to use 
 in handling ear corn, potatoes or other vegetables 
 
 than a basket. 
 Crates that will 
 hold a bushel when 
 level full may be 
 lljli piled upon one an- 
 il other and thus 
 stored in less space 
 than baskets. At 
 the same time they 
 can be just as easily 
 and just as quickly 
 moved. They may be of light material. Pieces of 
 wood 2 inches square are used for the corner posts. 
 The slats may be made of j4-inch boards 3 inches 
 wide nailed securely to the corner posts. There 
 should be just room enough between the two upper 
 slats so that the fingers can be inserted when lift- 
 ing the box. The box will be more durable if the 
 upper slats are an inch thick. A handy size for 
 the completed box is 16 inches long, 14 inches wide 
 and 12 inches deep, outside measurements. 
 
 STORAGE BOX 
 
 CUTTING SEED POTATOES 
 
 In the prmcipal potato growing sections, medium 
 to large seed is used for planting and cut to two 
 eyes. In the famous Greeley district of Colorado, 
 cutting is done by hand. Potatoes are shoveled 
 into a bin or hopper, made of a dry-goods box 
 raised on legs. The back is made higher than the 
 front, so that potatoes will run down to the open- 
 
WORTH KNOWING 
 
 249 
 
 ing and the bottom is slatted to let out the soil 
 shoveled up with the potatoes. 
 
 The cutting is simple. An old case knife, a, is 
 fastened to the end of a plank or board, b, in such 
 
 SEED POTATO CUTTER 
 
 a way that potatoes can be pushed against the knife 
 and fall from it into the basket beneath. The oper- 
 ator sits on the box to which the board is fastened 
 and can work very rapidly. 
 
 ANOTHER SEED POTATO CUTTER 
 
 A wide bench is boxed in on both ends and one 
 side. It is divided into two or three compartments, 
 these being open in the front which corresponds to 
 the side boxed in. To each of the compartments 
 is attached a sack on hooks, and along one side of 
 the bench in the middle of each compartment and 
 right over the opening of the sack is fixed, in an 
 upright position, a shoemaker's or common steel 
 table knife. 
 
 Potatoes to be cut for planting are shoveled into 
 the compartments of the box and in front of each 
 compartment a man takes his position, being seated 
 
250 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 on a box or stool for comfort's sake. He seizes the 
 tubers in rapid succession and by pulling them 
 against the blade quickly cuts each one into as 
 many pieces as desired; the pieces are then 
 dropped into the open sack. It is claimed that by 
 this indirect method of using the knife two fairly 
 good cutters can cut each day all the potatoes or- 
 dinarily required for the use of one planter. 
 
 HOW TO TEST SEED CORN 
 
 Of the different methods for testing seed corn, 
 the most convenient and satisfactory is a shallow 
 box provided with wet sawdust to furnish 
 the moisture and a marked cloth on which to lay 
 the kernels. The most convenient box is one 2 feet 
 square. This will accommodate lOO ears. It is 
 best to make it about 6 inches deep. Fill a sack 
 half full of clean sawdust and soak it for three or 
 four hours in water. Then spread this sawdust in 
 the bottom of the test box to the depth of i inch. 
 Take a smooth brick and pack the sawdust down 
 all over the box, making it as level as possible. Be 
 sure to get it packed firmly around the edges and 
 in the corners. 
 
 Then take a piece of white muslin 25 inches 
 square. Stretch this tight on a table so that it can 
 be marked. Rule off on this cloth with a heavy 
 blue pencil 100 squares 2 inches each way. Be- 
 ginning at the upper left-hand corner number these 
 squares in rotation from left to right. When the 
 ruling is done, pack the cloth in the germination 
 box so that it will rest firmly on the sawdust. This 
 can be done by pointing the tacks in the edge of the 
 box downward, and as the tack is driven in it will 
 draw the cloth tight over the sawdust. 
 
WORTH KNOWING 
 
 251 
 
 Of course, there is no advantage testing any ears 
 that are of undesirable shape or conformation, 
 therefore the first step is to pick out those nearest 
 to the type wanted. Lay these out in rows upon 
 a plank or upon the floor, separating each ten ears 
 with a nail driven into the plank or floor. Starting 
 at the left-hand end of the row call the first ear No. 
 
 ^^^S 
 
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 eeo 
 
 000 
 
 erf 
 
 - i 
 
 iii 
 
 ceo' 
 ooe 
 
 000' 
 
 C<bO 
 
 a 00 
 
 060 
 
 060' 
 
 eeo 
 
 oe^iii 
 
 ■oed 
 
 000 
 
 0P« 
 6W 
 
 OCX!; 
 
 060 
 
 00(f 
 
 000 
 
 0(^ 
 000 
 
 cod' 
 000 
 
 ootf 
 
 000 
 
 ood" 
 000 
 
 oo| 
 oaC 
 
 I 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 j 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 j 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 J 
 
 
 j 
 
 L^ 
 
 i^-^--- - -=^^^^^^^^1 
 
 GERMINATION BOX 
 
 I, then the first ear beyond the first nail will be No. 
 
 II, the one beyond the second nail No. 21 and so on. 
 Remove six kernels from ear No. i and place 
 
 them in square No. i in the test box. Put six 
 kernels from ear No. 2 in square No. 2 and so on 
 through the row. In removing the kernels from the 
 ear take a pocketknife in the right hand and the 
 ear m the left. Place the blade at the side of the 
 
252 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 kernel you wish to remove and pry it gently. The 
 kernel will come out easily and should be caught 
 in the palm of the left hand. First remove a ker- 
 nel from near the butt of the ear; turn the ear a 
 quarter turn in the hand and remove a kernel from 
 the center; turn the ear another quarter turn and 
 remove a kernel from near the tip ; another quarter 
 turn and remove a second kernel from near the 
 butt; another quarter and remove the second ker- 
 nel from the center; another quarter turn and 
 remove a second kernel from the tip. This makes 
 six kernels from six different rows and representing 
 the butt, middle and tip. 
 
 In placing the kernels in the box it will be found 
 of advantage to point the tips all in the same direc- 
 tion, and also to lay the kernels with the germ 
 uppermost. If the kernels are laid in the squares 
 promiscuously, they may be thrown out of their 
 places when the sprouts begin to grow. When the 
 kernels are all in place, take a second piece of white 
 cloth fully 24 inches square, moisten it and lay it 
 carefully over the kernels. This will hold them in 
 place while the top layer of sawdust is being put 
 on. Take a third piece of cloth about 48 x 30 
 inches and lay it over the box so that the edges lap 
 about equally. Then in this cloth put another inch 
 of wet sawdust and pack it down firmly, especially 
 around the edges. When this is done turn the 
 edges of the cloth over the sawdust to keep it from 
 drying out too rapidly and place the test box where 
 it will not be subjected to cold below a living-room 
 temperature. 
 
 Reading the Results 
 
 After seven days carefully roll back the cloth 
 containing the top layer of sawdust and lift the 
 
WORTH KNOWING 253 
 
 second cloth off the kernels. This must be done 
 with care, because sometimes the sprouts grow 
 through the cloth and the kernels will cling to it. 
 
 Observe the results in square No. i. If all six 
 of the kernels have vigorous sprouts, from ^ to 2 
 inches long, you can be sure that ear No. I is 
 thoroughly good. If in square No. 2 only two of 
 the kernels have sprouted, you may know that ear 
 No. 2 will make much better hog feed than seed 
 corn. As soon as you have determined that ear 
 No. 2 is really bad, pull it out from the row about 
 half its length, leaving the other ears in place. 
 After you have gone through the whole line, you 
 may then go back and pick out the bad ears and 
 discard them. 
 
 Of course, we would all prefer to use only those 
 ears that gave a perfect germination, and if one has 
 enough, that is the thing to do. But experience 
 has taught that it is quite safe to use an ear, four 
 of whose kernels grow strong sprouts. Or, if seed 
 corn is scarce, one should not hesitate to use one 
 that gave three strong sprouts and two weaker 
 ones. 
 
 This testing may be done at any time after the 
 ears are dry. It is generally more convenient to 
 do it in winter, when there is not much outside 
 work to be done. The box may be set behind the 
 stove or any other convenient place, where it is 
 sufficiently warm; in many cases, where there is 
 an attic above the kitchen that room is a sufficiently 
 warm place for testing. 
 
 Some put sand in an ordinary dinner plate, flood 
 with water, and then drain the excess water off, 
 place the seed on top of the sand, and cover with 
 another dinner plate. Others use a saucer made 
 
254 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 of porous clay. The seeds are placed in this, the 
 saucer set in a pan of water, and the pan covered. 
 
 These methods may be used for other grains as 
 well as corn. In case of sowing grasses, alfalfa or 
 wheat, it is often of great advantage to test the 
 seed. 
 
 Every man has two educations — that which is 
 given to him and the other, that which he gives to 
 himself. Of the two kinds, the latter is by far the 
 most valuable. Indeed, all that is most worthy 
 in a man he must work out and conquer for him- 
 self. It is that that constitutes our real and best 
 nourishment. What we are merely taught, seldom 
 nourishes the mind like that which we teach our 
 selves. — Richter. 
 
 KILLING INSECTS IN GRAIN 
 
 If one has not time to make a substantial box 
 for fumigation of seed grain for insect destruction, 
 barrels may be utilized for the purpose. Get two 
 tight, strong barrels, such as coal oil barrels, and 
 make water tight. Put in the seed to be fumi- 
 gated, cover with a blanket and close-fitting cover. 
 Before covering pour carbon bisulphide, which is 
 explosive, over the grain, at the rate of 3 to 4 
 ounces for 5 bushels of grain. If it is not de- 
 sirable to pour this poison on grain, set a 
 saucer on it, and pour the poison in the saucer. 
 Place a small block near the saucer to hold up the 
 blanket i or 2 inches higher, lay blanket over the 
 
WORTH KNOWING 
 
 255 
 
 barrel, and place cover securely in place and weight 
 with stone." This will kill the weevil in peas and 
 beans. 
 
 BINDING PINS FOR HAY 
 
 Every person moving hay ought to have a set of 
 binding pins. They are made in a minute and 
 serve an excellent purpose for a lifetime. The 
 sketch shows a rope stretched over the top of a 
 load of hay or straw. The upright pin is worked 
 down into the load and the other twisted in the 
 rope and turned around the upright until the load 
 
 BINDING LOAD OF HAY 
 
 is tightly bound. Then a small rope that is kept 
 tied in end of the horizontal pin is tied to the bind- 
 ing rope and the pressure is held. Each pin is 3J^ 
 feet long. One is sharpened and the other has a 
 ^-inch hole bored through one end. Old fork 
 handles are just the thing to make them of. One 
 pin only may be made and a fork used to bind in 
 the manner shown after the load is on. 
 
 Nothing is impossible to industry. — Periander, 
 
256 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 COMBINED DRAG AND HARROW 
 
 This road drag is all right. The front piece con- 
 sists of a 4 X 4 oak strip, b, 10 feet long, through 
 which are driven ordinary harrow teeth about 3 
 inches apart. This is attached to the rear piece, a, 
 which is a 2 X 6 oak timber 10 feet long faced with 
 
 HARROWS AND LEVELS AT ONCE 
 
 3 inches of j4-inch metal on the bottom, e, which 
 projects I inch. These pieces are kept apart by 
 wooden blocks, d, upon the bolts, /, and by the top 
 strips, c, each 2x6. This makes a fine level road, 
 as it harrows it and scrapes it at the same time. 
 
 HOW TO HANDLE A ROPE 
 
 A rope is one of the most useful articles that are 
 constantly needed about the farm; but too many 
 farmers are not familiar with the many uses to 
 which the rope may be put. The various sailors' 
 knots may often be used to great advantage. To 
 sling a plank for painting or other purposes make 
 
WORTH KNOWING 
 
 257 
 
 a bight of rope as shown in Figure i, bringing the 
 rope entirely around the plank, so as to prevent its 
 turning and throwing the workman down. One- 
 half to ^-inch rope is usually sufficient for all prac- 
 tical purposes. A hemp rope is more generally; 
 used and stands wear better than other kinds. 
 
 N9 I 
 
 
 ^sz=y!r3s=;«^=2 
 
 N?3 ^ 
 
 N95 
 
 N9 6 
 
 SOUE ROPE HITCHES 
 
2S8 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 A useful way to sling a can or pail from the end 
 of a rope is shown in Figure 2. Prepared in this 
 ■way the vessel is secure so long as the rope is not 
 slipped off from the bottom. Secure the knot 
 firmly at the top to allow no slipping and so that 
 the pail may not become lopsided. 
 
 Scaffolding may often be erected by tying poles 
 together as shown in Figure 3. This sort of lash- 
 ing will not slip if made tight. In many cases a 
 chain may be used as shown in Figure 4, in which 
 case the weight should be on the side of the up- 
 right where the chain is lowest. All of these lasK- 
 ings must be drawn very tight so as not to allow 
 any play, which may result disastrously. 
 
 An excellent hitch knot is shown in Figure 5, 
 readily made, easily loosened and valuable for many 
 purposes on the farm. This knot is readily untied 
 by slackening up the drawing strand. It does not 
 become tight and hard as many ordinary knots 
 after heavy usage. 
 
 In many cases where heavy hooks are used they 
 are liable to come unfastened unless a cord is 
 affixed, as shown in Figure 6. A few turns of 
 heavy twine or light wire in the middle will fre- 
 quently prevent any loosening of the chain. 
 
 A ring hitch, shown in Figure 7, is a very effective 
 and safe method, which may be made on short 
 notice. The loose end of the rope is allowed to 
 hang free or may be tied with a slip knot to the 
 drawing strand. 
 
 TYING SOME USEFUL KNOTS 
 
 A sailor judges knots for their holding qualities 
 and also their ability to be quickly unfastened, 
 without regard to the strain they have been sub- 
 
WORTH KNOWING 
 
 259 
 
 jected to. A knot's main office is to hold, without 
 working loose or slipping, yet they do occasionally 
 fail absolutely to accomplish this, when made by 
 inexperienced hands. The accompanying diagrams 
 show some of the simpler knots that may be of 
 everyday use. In these, the mode of formation 
 can be readily discerned, because the rope's posi- 
 tion is shown before tightening. The overhand 
 knot, Figure i, is probably the simplest of all. It 
 is used only for making a knot at the end of a rope 
 to keep it from fraying or to prevent another knot 
 from slipping. If a slight change in formation is. 
 
 A FEW GOOD KNOTS 
 
 made, as in Figure 5, it develops into a slip knot or, 
 as it is sometimes called, a single sling, and its 
 purposes are obvious. A double sling is repre- 
 sented in Figure 6, and though it is slightly more 
 complicated, it is considerably more useful for any 
 purpose where a rope is to be attached to a bar or 
 beam and stand a steady strain. 
 
 Probably for convenience and emergencies no 
 knots equal the bow-line, Figure 7, because it will 
 not slip or give, no matter how great the tension; 
 in fact, the rope itself is no stronger, and the in- 
 stant the strain ceases it can be untied as easily as 
 
260 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 a bow. When the end of a rope is to be secured, 
 the two half-hitches or clove hitch, Figures 2 and 
 3, are of great importance, for either of these bends 
 can be attached instantly to almost anything, and 
 their holding powers are exceeded by none. The 
 square knot. Figure 4, can be used for infinite pur- 
 poses, from reefing a sail to tying a bundle, the 
 advantage being, if made properly, of resisting any 
 separating strain on either cord, and yet can be 
 untied immediately by pulling one of the short 
 ends. 
 
 One of the best and safest slip knots is shown in 
 Figure 9, made with the overhand at the end, 
 which, until loosened by the hand, maintains its 
 grip. When a rope requires shortening temporarily 
 the sheep shank, Figure 8, affords a means of so 
 doing. This knot can be applied to any part of the 
 rope without reducing its strengfth of rectilineal 
 tension. 
 
 CARRYING A BARREL MADE EASY 
 
 In the cities the ash collectors use a simple device, 
 which farmers might make and often find handy, as 
 barrels often become dried, weak and will not stand 
 rough handling. The device is made of six pieces 
 of wood; four pieces are about 2 feet long and 4 
 inches in thickness and width. Handles may be 
 whittled on one end of each. About 10 inches from 
 the other end, boards about 2 feet long and 8 inches 
 wide are nailed as shown at c, c, in figure. Pieces 
 c, c, are then cut in circular form so as to fit the out- 
 side of a barrel. 
 
 An old wheel tire may be straightened and four 
 pieces cut to be fastened to the ends of each of the 
 four handle pieces, as at d. These are then riveted 
 
WORTH KNOWING 
 
 261 
 
 together so as to make hinges as shown at d, d. The 
 tire need be only long enough to fasten securely to 
 the handle pieces. Of course, the blacksmith should 
 drill holes in them, that they may be securely 
 riveted. 
 
 To use this device, drop it over the barrel. One 
 man lifts on the two front handles and another 
 
 BARREL CARRIER 
 
 man on the rear handles. Boards c, c, close up in cir- 
 cular form, just beneath the lowest hoop round the 
 upper end of the barrel, and cling tightly. The 
 barrel is then lifted and readily carried without 
 jar to its contents or straining the barrel. Of 
 course, if all the barrels on the farm are of uniform 
 size, the device could be made without hinges, and 
 the barrels headed up could be rolled on pieces c, c. 
 
 The best part of one's life is the performance of 
 his daily duties. All higher motives, ideals, con- 
 ceptions, sentiments, in a man are of no account if 
 they do not come forward to strengthen him for 
 the better discharge of the duties which devolve 
 upon him in the ordinary affairs of life. — Henry 
 .Ward Beecher. 
 
262 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 HARNESS CLAMP 
 
 The accompanying drawing represents a very 
 handy harness mender which anyone who can use 
 
 a saw and ham- 
 mer can make in 
 a few minutes. It 
 is made of lumber 
 of the dimensions 
 indicated in the 
 drawing. The 
 clamp is tightened 
 by the worker 
 sitting upon the 
 seat, which should 
 extend at least 2 
 feet from the 
 clamps. The 
 drawing shows 
 the device with a 
 shorter seat than 
 that. It would 
 doubtless be bet- 
 ter to have the seat extended to twice the length 
 shown from the left of the clamps and to have the 
 base extended in a similar manner, so that the 
 device will not tip over too easily. The joint at fhe 
 upper right-hand corner may be hinged with 
 heavy wire run through holes and twisted together 
 underneath, or real strap hinges of iron may be 
 attached. 
 
 THE CLAMP 
 
 They who provide much wealth for their chil- 
 dren, but neglect to improve them in virtue, do like 
 those who feed their horses high, but never train 
 them to the manage. — Socrates. 
 
WORTH KNOWING 
 
 263 
 
 SUBSTITUTE FOR PIPE WRENCH 
 
 The drawing shown here illustrates a useful de- 
 vice for twisting pipe off or on its connections. 
 Three or 4 feet of new rope is 
 frayed out at both ends, which are 
 put together and wound tightly 
 around the pipe to be turned, so 
 that the first coil twists over the 
 loose ends and continues around 
 the pipe, two or three times, end- 
 ing in a loop, through which a bar 
 of iron is slipped, to be used as a 
 lever. This simple plan will be 
 found very efifective in ordinary 
 requirements for the pipe wrench, 
 and is worth a trial. A more dur- 
 able wrench may be made by using 
 wire instead of rope. The loop 
 can be formed by closely twisting the ends of the 
 wire with pincers. The rope is rather easier to 
 handle because more flexible. 
 
 PIPE TWISTER 
 
 MARKET WAGON CONVENIENCES 
 
 Farmers who regularly haul produce to market 
 or deliver direct to customers will find the con- 
 
 O veniences described to be of much 
 
 ^ t|7 value. They save much time and 
 P^taT_/ considerable trouble and cost but 
 'w «* little effort to make them. Instead 
 REIN CLIP of wrapping the reins about the 
 whip, or letting them lie over the dashboard, a hook, 
 such as shown in the first sketch, may easily be 
 made of stiff fencing wire and secured to the top 
 of the wagon or the dashboard. 
 
264 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 Two Other hooks may be arranged at the sides 
 of the wagon to hold an umbrella, which would be 
 kept there rain or shine, and never forgotten and 
 left at home. This will save a drenching some time 
 and perhaps some valuable produce. 
 
 Another convenience is a rear curtain of oilcloth 
 stretched over a light board frame and hinged at 
 
 REAR SHADE FOR WAGON 
 
 the top, as illustrated. Two old stays from a buggy 
 top will serve to support it, when it must be left 
 open, and it will protect the driver from sun and 
 rain while taking things from the wagon. 
 
 CARRYING BUTTER TO TOWN 
 
 A refrigerator that one farmer uses in which he 
 takes butter to town nine miles away in hot weather 
 
WORTH KNOWING zS^ 
 
 is made thus : Get two clean, tight boxes of some 
 odorless wood, one 12x15x13 inches deep, and 
 the other 9 x 12 x 10 inches deep. Slip one inside 
 the other with a notched block in each corner 
 to hold the inside box in place. Fasten the covers 
 together so as to leave an air space of about i inch 
 between them all around. The inner box will hold 
 20 pounds of butter nicely. It will carry butter 
 solid in wagon all day in 90-degree weather. 
 
 TO SHARPEN SCISSORS 
 
 Do you know that you can sharpen scissors, and 
 easily, by passing the blades over glass jars? Take 
 a bottle or jar, make believe you are trying to cut it 
 (have one blade in and the other outside of the top 
 of the bottle) and then allow the scissors to glide 
 ofif the hard surface naturally, just as if you were 
 trying to cut the glass. Use firm but not too hard 
 pressure, and repeat the operation several times. 
 
 HOW TO PAPER A ROOM 
 
 If a room has been papered several times, tear 
 off all the loose parts you can and with a sponge 
 and water loosen what remains on the walls, re-' 
 moving as much as possible, so as to have a smooth, 
 even surface. If the room has never been papered, 
 first go over it and fill all large cracks and holes 
 with a paste made of whiting and water, or plaster 
 of paris and water. When using the latter, mix 
 only a little at a time, have it rather thin, and use 
 quickly. Then, give the room a coat of sizing, 
 which is made of common glue, three or four hand- 
 fuls dissolved in a pail of boiling water. The siz- 
 ing is applied with a large brush and should be 
 allowed to dry overnight. 
 
266 
 
 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 Choose Judiciously 
 
 For very sunny rooms, select cool-looking papers, 
 such as blues, greens and browns in various shades^ 
 
 HANGING WALLPAPER 
 
 while for dark rooms pinks, reds, terra cottas and 
 yellows are best. When selecting papers, pay carer- 
 
WORTH KNOWING 267 
 
 ful attention to the color scheme of your room, and 
 don't have an inharmonious mixture, which will 
 offend good taste. Small, plain patterns are the 
 most economical, and the easiest to match. The 
 cheap, trashy papers, costing only a few cents a 
 roll, are not worth the trouble of putting up. Gold 
 paper is not to be recommended for wear. 
 
 No borders should be used for rooms having a 
 low ceiling. For such, a striped paper of pretty 
 design running right up to the ceiling is best. The 
 ceiling may be papered in a plain or very small- 
 patterned design, to harmonize with the side walls, 
 or treated with several coats of tinted kalsomirie or 
 paint. A picture molding of appropriate color is 
 used to finish the side walls, being placed scarcely 
 I inch from the ceiling. The ceiling whether 
 papered, painted or kalsomined, should be done 
 first. It is a very difficult matter to paper the ceil- 
 ing, and, unless you can have help, it would be 
 better not to attempt it. Plain tints in paint or 
 kalsomine are always pretty and in good taste. If, 
 however, you want to risk papering the ceiling 
 yourself, get some handy body to help you. 
 
 Paste and Tools 
 
 The paste is made by simply boiling flour and 
 water together, and adding a very little alum, salt 
 and glue — about a tablespoon of each to a pound 
 of flour. It should be of a consistency thick enough 
 to apply easily, and not so thin that it will run. 
 
 Provide yourself with a good-sized paste brush, 
 another one (a whitewash brush will do) to use 
 dry over the paper, sharp scissors and a knife,. 
 
268 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 plenty of clean rags, two barrels, two long, smooth, 
 clean boards, each about lo inches wide, and a step- 
 ladder. 
 
 Make a long table by placing the two barrels 
 about 8 or 9 feet apart and on top of these the 
 boards. 
 
 Trimming and Cutting 
 
 The first thing to do is to cut the necessary num- 
 ber of strips of paper long enough to allow for 
 waste in matching, and lay them all face downward 
 on the "operating" table, one on top of the other. 
 Next spread the paste evenly over the top or first 
 strip of paper, being very sure to have the edges 
 well pasted. Then turn top and bottom parts 
 down, bringing pasted sides together, so that they 
 meet, and none of the paste part is exposed, and 
 carefully trim off edge on one side, with large, 
 sharp scissors. Lift up the part thus trimmed and 
 folded, and mount the ladder, which should pre- 
 viously have been placed convenient to the place 
 where you intend to begin operations — the largest 
 wall space is best, next to a door or window. 
 
 Hanging the Paper 
 
 Now take hold of the top end which was doubled 
 over (it will open and hang by its own weight) and 
 adjust to its proper place on the wall. Then, with 
 a large clean rag in your hand, rub downward, 
 never up or sideways, and take great care to keep 
 the edge straight. If you find that you didn't start 
 straight from the top, loosen paper and do it over 
 again. A " straight eye " is needed to do the work 
 neatly. Don't rub too hard and always rub down- 
 
WORTH KNOWING 269 
 
 ward, doing a little part at a time, and lifting paper 
 occasionally, so that no air bubbles are left under 
 it. When the upper part is done, dismount from 
 ladder, undo the folded part at the bottom of the 
 width, and proceed in the same manner to adjust 
 to the wall. When you are sure it is on straight 
 and smooth, trim with a sharp knife along the base- 
 board. Then give the strip another smoothing by 
 going all over it again with a dry, clean brush. 
 Proceed in this way until all the full length parts 
 are covered, and then match in the small spaces 
 over and below windows and doors. All the match- 
 ing must be done with great care. 
 
 Practical and Economical 
 
 Wainscoting in living or dining rooms are nice, 
 and very practical, especially where there are small 
 children. For this purpose burlap, or the less ex- 
 pensive dark, heavy papers that come in wood-grain 
 imitation are good. Matting is sometimes used 
 with very good effect, too. A narrow wooden 
 molding is used to finish the top of the wainscoting, 
 and in that case the work of papering the side walls 
 is so much easier, the lengths being short. 
 
 THE FARM BLACKSMITH SHOP 
 
 A blacksmith shop is of immense practical value 
 on a farm. To those who have one it is almost as 
 essential as live stock, farm tools and crops. One 
 does not need to be a professional blacksmith. The 
 elementary practice in welding, upsetting and tem- 
 pering is easily learned with a little practice. Nor 
 is it necessary to have many tools. An entire equip- 
 ment may cost but a few dollars. 
 
270 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 An old railroad rail will do for an anvil. But 
 after getting the real article one is better satisfied 
 and can do the work with greater ease. The forge 
 should be obtained at the start. With it almost 
 anyone can heat any small iron to welding point 
 with as much ease as a regular blacksmith. 
 
 In the equipment of an Ohio farmer are a pair 
 of tongs that he made himself, two other tongs 
 and a large pair of pinchers picked up in a junk 
 shop. He got the hammer and sledge from a hired 
 man who had worked in a car shop. The anvil 
 and vise also came from the junk shop, and both 
 were in good repair. These cost $8, the hammer 
 and sledge, $1.15, and an old, second-hand forge, 
 $1.80. Not a large outlay to be sure, but a wise 
 expenditure. If purchased at first hand the cost 
 would be greater, but cheap at any price when you 
 consider what you can do in the way of making and 
 repairing with such a list of blacksmith tools. 
 
 In addition to the above list this man, Frank 
 Ruhlen, has chisels, pinchers, fullers and other small 
 tools, all of which he has made out of old pieces 
 of steel taken from old worn-out machines. By 
 figuring and planning just a little, any farmer can 
 make the greater part of his own tools and at a 
 very small cost for materials and labor. 
 
 Why the Shop Pays 
 
 Mr. Ruhlen says: My shop was not started to 
 replace the town blacksmith shop ; and it will never 
 do so. But it does serve for repair work, and it 
 saves many trips to town. It is helpful in other 
 ways, also. Last winter a sudden ice spell came 
 on, so severe that I could not get the horses out to 
 the field to feed the flock. Only one thing was 
 
WORTH KNOWING 27I 
 
 possible: to have sharpened shoes put on the 
 horses. But it was a disagreeable trip ahead to 
 walk and lead the horses to town; so I decided to 
 do the work myself. I had never set a shoe my- 
 self, but that trip before me quickly decided. The 
 horses were brought into the shop, the old shoes 
 pulled off and sharpened, and within an hour the 
 feeding was done. Had I gone to town for the 
 work it would have required time going and com- 
 ing, and then, maybe a long wait ahead for my turn 
 at the shop. 
 
 Last year I sharpened the shoes on the corn 
 planter, and both cultivators, six shovels each. 
 ,We wore out a steel point or shear, and never had it 
 to shop but once, and then it was to get a new nose 
 or point. I do not try to put steel points on anyr 
 thing, as it is too particular work for anyone who 
 just picks tools up when something breaks. A 
 sharp harrow is a luxury on most farms, because 
 the average smith does not draw the teeth out 
 enough, and they are dull in a few days. 
 
 And I do not believe the average smith can 
 harden the farm tools as good as a farmer who has 
 had some experience in tempering, as the farmer is 
 the one who works with the tools, and soon learns 
 when they are too hard or not hard enough. I 
 sharpened my smoothing harrow last year before 
 we commenced on our corn crop of 64 acres, used 
 it on all the land, on some more than once, and my 
 harrow is sharper now than my neighbor's, who 
 paid $1.50 at the shop for the same work. We 
 never use a dull mattock or pick now as we did 
 before we had a forge. Welding chains, making 
 chain hooks, open rings, clevises, are all easy to do 
 on rainy days. I could not tell all the different uses 
 I make of my shop. 
 
272 HANDY FARM DEVICES " 
 
 Blacksmithing Not Hired Man's Work 
 
 i do the work in the shop myself, fimding other 
 chores for hired men. You cannot afford to break 
 them in, for the reason that they may soon leave and 
 all the teaching and trouble would be for nothing. 
 By doing the work myself, I have learned a little 
 more each year, have acquired the knack of it, and 
 really enjoy doing what is to be done. Had we 
 had a shop when I was a boy all of the repair work 
 could have been done by the boys, and I would at 
 the same time have had splendid training for my 
 own needs now. 
 
 My experience is all in favor of the shop on the 
 farm. It pays well. Get the forge first, and then 
 gradually add other tools as you can. I used a 
 claw hammer for some time before getting a smith's 
 hammer. I did not equip my shop all at once. 
 Start in a small way, build up gradually, learn 
 slowly, and the shop will develop itself. Get a 
 shop, and you will believe in it because of its help 
 to you. 
 
 HORSESHOE LEVER 
 
 A handy lever for prying up boxes or barrels 
 may be made by nailing an old horseshoe on the 
 end of a 2 X 4, letting the ends of the horseshoe 
 extend about an inch or two beyond the end of the 
 timber. A more finished device may be constructed 
 by cutting the upper part of the lever down to the 
 form of a rounded handle. A horseshoe should be 
 selected with fairly long and well-sharpened heel 
 calks. 
 
WORTH KNOWING 273 
 
 HORSESHOE FOR A TOOt 
 
 HOW TO PAINT TIN ROOFS 
 
 Remove all rosin and other loose substances 
 from seams and have roof clean. Paint immedi- 
 ately after laying is finished; do not allow 
 the tin to rust — you coat the base plate with tin 
 and lead to prevent rust, and paint the finished 
 goods to prevent oxidation of the coating. Use 
 only the best red or brown oxide of iron, mixed 
 with pure linseed oil all raw, or half raw and half 
 boiled. Use litharge only as a drier. Litharge 
 makes paint adhere hard to coating, so that when 
 thoroughly dry you cannot scrape it off. Don't use 
 any turpentine or patent driers. 
 
 Apply all paint with hand brushes and rub in 
 well. This is very important. Don't put paint on 
 thick — one coat that covers well, and is thoroughly 
 rubbed in, is better than three put on thick. Let 
 roof stand two weeks to a month before applying 
 second coat. Six months or so after applying 
 second coat put on a third coat. After this you do 
 not have to paint roof more than once every two 
 or three years. Too much paint injures a tin roof. 
 
274 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 Keep paint well stirred up; put on thin and rub 
 well in. By following these directions you will 
 have a roof that will last many years. 
 
 PRESERVING WOOD 
 
 Creosote, or sulphate of copper or iron, are effec- 
 tive for preserving wood. There are objections, 
 however, to their use for floorings or ornamental 
 woodwork. Creosote leaves a permanent, dis- 
 agreeable smell. The sulphates discolor the wood. 
 Borax is excellent for keeping wood from decay. 
 The preparation of it is simple, and consists in im- 
 mersing the wood in a saturated solution of borax, 
 which is then heated to 212 degrees Fahrenheit. The 
 wood is left for 10 or 12 hours, the time depending 
 upon the density and size of the pieces of wood. 
 When taken out, the wood is stacked until dry, ■ 
 then reimmersed in a weaker solution of the borax 
 for a brief time, dried again, and are then ready for 
 use. Boards thus prepared are practically inde- 
 structible from rot, and are nearly incombustible. 
 
 Another preservative is a compound of one part 
 silicate of potassa and three of pure water — the 
 wood to remain in the solution 24 hours, then dried 
 for several days, then soaked and dried a second 
 time and afterward painted twice with a mixture 
 of one part water-cement and four of the first- 
 mentioned mixture. Thus prepared, it will not 
 decay in the ground, and will be incombustible out 
 of it. 
 
 Another process for preventing decay of wood is 
 by use of a paint which possesses the advantages 
 of being impervious to water. It is composed of 50 
 parts of tar, 500 parts of fine white sand, 4 parts 
 
WORTH KNOWING 275 
 
 of linseed oil, i part of the red oxide of copper in 
 its native state, and i part of sulphuric acid. The 
 tar, sand and oil should be first heated in an iron 
 kettle; the oxide and acid are then added very 
 •carefully. The mass is thoroughly mixed and ap- 
 plied while hot. When dry, this paint is as hard 
 as stone. 
 
 Decay in wood may be prevented by the follow- 
 ing method: Take 20 parts of resin, 46 parts of 
 finely powdered chalk, some hard sand, and a little 
 linseed oil and sulphuric acid; mix and boil for a 
 short time. If this is applied while hot, it forms a 
 kind of varnish, thereby preserving the wood. 
 
 TO PRESERVE SHINGLES 
 
 Following is an effective method to prevent the 
 •decay of shingles: Take a potash kettle or large 
 tub and put into it one barrel of lye of wood ashes, 
 5 pounds of white vitriol, 5 pounds of alum, and as 
 much salt as will dissolve in- the mixture. Make 
 the preparation quite warm, and put as many 
 shingles in it as can be conveniently wet at once. 
 Stir them up with a fork, and, when well soaked, 
 take them out and put in more, renewing the pre- 
 servative solution when necessary. Then lay the 
 shingles in the usual manner. 
 
 After they are laid, take more of the preserva- 
 tive, put lime enough into it to make whitewash, 
 and, if any coloring is desirable, add ocher, Span- 
 ish brown, lampblack, or other color, and apply to 
 the roof with a brush or an old broom. This wash 
 may be renewed from time to time. 
 
 Salt and lye are excellent preservatives of wood. 
 Leach tubs, troughs and other articles used in the 
 
2y(i HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 manufacture of potash never rot. They become 
 saturated with the alkali, turn yellowish inside and 
 remain impervious to the weather. 
 
 TO RENDER WOOD FIREPROOF 
 
 Rendering the woodwork of houses secure 
 against catching fire can be done at an insignificant 
 cost, and with little trouble. Saturate the wood- 
 work with a very delicate solution of silicate of 
 potash as nearly neutral as possible, and when this 
 has dried, apply one or two coats of a stronger 
 solution. 
 
 Another method is simply to soak the wood with 
 a concentrated solution of rock salt. Water-glass 
 will act as well, but it is expensive. The salt also 
 renders the wood proof against dry rot and the 
 ravages of insects. Still another method is to im- 
 merse the wood in a saturated solution of borax, 
 heat being gradually applied until the solution 
 reaches 212 degrees Fahrenheit. It is then left for 
 10 or 12 hours, according to the nature and size 
 of the wood. 
 
 FIREPROOF WASH FOR SHINGLES 
 
 A preparation composed of lime, salt and fine 
 sand or wood ashes, put on like whitewash, ren- 
 ders the roof 50 per cent more secure against tak- 
 ing fire from falling cinders, in case of fire in the 
 vicinity. It pays the expense a hundredfold in its 
 preserving influence against the efifects of the 
 weather. The older and more weather-beaten the 
 shingles, the more benefit derived. Such shingles, 
 generally become more or less warped, rough and 
 cracked; the application of the wash, by wetting 
 
WORTH KNOWING 27/ 
 
 the Upper surface, restores them at once to fheir 
 original form, thereby closing up the space between 
 the shingles, and the lime and sand, by filling up 
 the cracks and pores in the shingle itself, prevents 
 warping. 
 
 PETRIFIED WOOD 
 
 Mix equal parts of gem salt, rock alum, white 
 vinegar, chalk and Peebles' powder. After the 
 mixture becomes quiet, put into it any wood or 
 porous substance, and the latter becomes like stone. 
 
 HOW TO SEASON WOOD 
 
 Boiling small pieces of non-resinous wood will 
 season them in four or five hours — the process tak- 
 ing the sap out of the wood, which shrinks nearly 
 one-tenth in the operation. Trees felled in full leaf 
 in June or July, and allowed to lie until every leaf 
 has fallen, will then be nearly dry, as the leaves 
 will not drop off themselves until they have drawn 
 up and exhausted all the sap of the tree. The time 
 required is from a month to six weeks, according to 
 the dryness of the weather. 
 
 BLEACHING WOOD 
 
 Sometimes it is more feasible to bleach a small 
 part of a wood surface, especially in repairing, than 
 to darken a larger portion of the work. This can 
 be done by brushing over the wood a solution com- 
 posed of I ounce oxalic acid in a pint of water, 
 letting it remain a few minutes and then wiping 
 dry. The operation may be repeated if necessary. 
 A few drops of nitric ether, or a quarter of an 
 ounce of tartaric acid, will assist the operation; or 
 
1878 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 a hot solution of tartaric acid may be used 
 alone. Lemon juice will also whiten most woods. 
 Cut the lemon in half and rub the cut face upon 
 the wood. 
 
 When the bleaching has been done and the wood 
 is dry, give a thin coat of shellac or French polish, 
 as the light and air acting upon the bare wood will 
 bring back the original color. 
 
 If the wood obstinately resists bleaching, it may 
 be lightened by mixing a little fine bismuth white,, 
 flake white or ball white (the cleansing balls sold 
 by druggists) with the. shellac, and give it a thin 
 coat. This whitens, but it also somewhat deadens 
 or obscures the grain and is, therefore, not so good 
 as the bleaching method. 
 
 WOOD POLISH 
 
 Rub evenly over the wood a piece of pumice 
 stone and water until the rising of the grain is cut . 
 down; then take powdered tripoli and boiled lin- 
 seed oil and polish to a bright surface. 
 
 FURNITURE POLISH 
 
 Take equal parts of sweet oil and vinegar, mix,, 
 add a pint of gum arabic finely powdered. This 
 will make furniture look almost as good as new 
 and can be easily applied, as it requires no rubbing. 
 The bottle should be shaken, and the polish poured 
 on a rag and applied to the furniture. 
 
 SIZE STAINS 
 
 By the aid of glue in the solution, the colors are 
 fixed in size stains. They are employed for the 
 
WORTH KNOWING 279;' 
 
 purpose of giving a color to cheap work in soft 
 woods, such as chairs, bedsteads and common tables, 
 and ordinary bookcases. The colors usually wanted 
 are walnut, mahogany, cherry color, oak and even 
 a rosewood. 
 
 For Mahogany — Dissolve i pound of glue in a 
 gallon of water, and stir in J4 pound Venetian red,, 
 and J4 pound chrome yellow, or yellow ocher. 
 Darken with the red and lighten with yellow, as. 
 desired. If the Venetian red does not give a suf- 
 ficiently dark look put in a pinch of lampblack. 
 Apply hot. 
 
 For Rosewood — Same as mahogany, omitting the 
 yellow, and using % pound Venetian red (or more) 
 instead of J^ pound. Give one coat of this and 
 then add lampblack, one pinch, or more, to the 
 color; with the latter put in the figure or dark 
 parts of the rosewood. 
 
 For Oak — In a gallon of glue size (as above) 
 put % pound powdered burnt umber. Lighten 
 with yellow (chrome or ocher), if need be. Hot. 
 
 DARK WOOD STAIN 
 
 White woods may be given the appearance of 
 walnut by painting or sponging them with a con-, 
 centrated warm solution of permanganate of 
 potassa. Some kinds of wood become stained 
 rapidly, while others require more time. The per- 
 manganate is decomposed by the woody fiber; 
 brown peroxide of manganese is deposited, which 
 afterward may be removed by washing with water. 
 The wood, when dry, may be varnished, and will 
 be found to resemble very closely the natural dark 
 woods. 
 
280 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 RED STAIN FOR WOOD 
 
 Boil chopped Brazil wood thoroughly in water, 
 strain it through a cloth. Then give the wood two 
 or three coats, till it is the shade wanted. If a deep 
 red is desired, boil the wood in water in which is 
 dissolved alum and quicklime. When the last coat 
 is dry, burnish it with the burnisher and then 
 varnish. 
 
 LIQUID GLUE 
 
 Dissolve I pound of best glue in ij4 pints of 
 water, and add i pint of vinegar. It is ready for 
 use. 
 
 CEMENT FOR METAL AND GLASS 
 
 Take 2 ounces of a thick solution of glue, and 
 mix it with i ounce of linseed-oil varnish, and half 
 an ounce of pure turpentine; the whole is then 
 boiled together in a close vessel. The two bodies 
 should be clamped and held together for about two 
 days after they are united to allow the cement to 
 become dry. The clamps may then be removed. 
 
 CEMENT FOR BROKEN CHINA 
 
 Stir plaster of paris into a thick solution of gum 
 arable till it becomes a viscous paste. Apply it 
 with a brush to the fractured edges, and draw the 
 parts closely together. 
 
 CEMENT FOR CROCKERY AND GLASS 
 
 Take 4 pounds of white glue, ij^ pounds of dry 
 white lead, J4 pound of isinglass, i gallon of soft 
 water, i quart of alcohol, and ^ pint of white 
 
WORTH KNOWING 281 
 
 varnish. Dissolve the glue and isinglass in the 
 water by gentle heat if preferred, stir in the lead,, 
 put the alcohol in the varnish and mix the whole 
 together. 
 
 MENDING GLASSWARE 
 
 Broken dishes and glassware may be easily 
 mended as follows: Fit the pieces in their proper 
 places and tie a string around the vessel to keep 
 the parts from slipping out. Then boil the entire 
 dish for two or three hours in sweet milk. This, 
 will firmly glue the vessel together and it will last 
 for years with proper care. 
 
 ARMENIAN CEMENT 
 
 This will strongly unite pieces of glass and 
 china, and even polished steel, and may be applied 
 to a variety of useful purposes. Dissolve five or 
 six bits of gum mastic, each the size of a large pea, 
 in as much rectified spirits of wine as will sufSce 
 to render it liquid; and, in another vessel, dissolve 
 as much isinglass, previously a little softened in 
 ■water (though none of the water must be used), in 
 French brandy or good rum, as will make a two- 
 ounce vial of very strong glue, adding two small 
 bits of gum galbanum of ammoniacum, which must 
 be rubbed or ground till they are dissolved. Then 
 mix the whole with a sufficient heat. Keep the glue 
 in a vial closely stopped, and when it is to be used 
 set the vial in boiling water. 
 
 JAPANESE CEMENT 
 
 Thoroughly mix the best powdered rice with a 
 little cold water, then gradually add boiling water 
 until a proper consistence is acquired, being par- 
 
:282 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 ticularly careful to keep it well stirred all the time ; 
 lastly it must be boiled for one minute in a clean 
 ^saucepan or earthen pipkin. This glue is white, 
 almost transparent, for which reason it is well 
 adapted for fancy paper work, which requires a 
 strong and colorless cement. 
 
 ROOFING PREPARATION 
 
 Take i pint of fine sand, 2 of sifted wood-ashes, 
 and 3 of lime ground up with oil. Mix thoroughly, 
 and lay on with a painter's brush, first a thin coat, 
 and then a thick one. This composition is not only 
 -cheap, but it strongly resists fire. • 
 
 FIRE KINDLERS 
 
 Take i quart of tar and 3 pounds of resin, melt 
 them, bring to a cooling temperature, mix with as 
 much sawdust, with a little charcoal added, as can 
 be worked in; spread out while hot upon a board, 
 when cold break up into lumps of the size of a 
 'large hickory nut, and you have, at a small expense, 
 kindling material enough for one year. They will 
 easily ignite from a match and burn with a strong 
 blaze, long enough to start any wood that is fit 
 to burn. 
 
 MENDING PIPES WITH WATER ON 
 
 Many farmers have had trouble in repairing pipes 
 where the water could not be shut off conveniently. 
 A lead pipe which has been cut off accidentally in 
 making an excavation, for instance, may be re- 
 paired by the following plan: The two ends of 
 the pipe are plugged, and then a small pile of 
 "broken ice and salt are placed around them ; in five 
 minutes the water in the pipe will be frozen, the 
 
WORTH KNOWING 283 
 
 plugs removed, a short piece of pipe may then be 
 inserted and perfectly soldered. In five minutes 
 the ice in the pipes may be thawed and the water 
 set to flowing freely again. 
 
 TO JOIN WATER PIPES 
 
 Water pipes may be united by using a prepara- 
 tion made by combining four parts of good port- 
 land cement and one part of unslaked lime mixed 
 together in small portions in a stout mortar, adding 
 enough water to permit it to be reduced to a soft 
 paste. 
 
 WELDING METALS 
 
 Welding together two pieces of metal of any kind 
 can be accomplished only when the surfaces to be 
 joined are equally heated, and both surfaces must 
 be brought to such a temperature that the par- 
 ticles will form a perfect continuity between tKie 
 pieces united. This embraces the entire theory of 
 welding, soldering or brazing metallic substances 
 of any kind. In addition, however, to the equal 
 and adequate heating of the surfaces to be united, 
 every particle of coal dust, cinders or scales of 
 oxide must be removed, so as to present two per- 
 fectly clean surfaces at the very moment when the 
 union is to be effected. 
 
 The piece of metal that would fuse at the lower 
 temperature must be the guide, when bringing the 
 surfaces of conjunction up to the proper heat. If, 
 for example, two pieces of wrought iron are to be 
 welded, the part that will melt at the lower tem- 
 perature must be brought just to a welding heat, and 
 the surface of the other priece must be heated quite 
 
284 HANDY FARM DEVICES 
 
 as hot, or a trifle hotter than the first piece. Then, 
 if the surfaces are clean when the parts are brought 
 together, the union will be satisfactory. The de- 
 gree of heat aimed at must be, not to produce a 
 fluid, but simply to bring the metal into a condi- 
 tion between the fluid and plastic. 
 
 GRINDING TOOLS 
 
 All steel is composed of individual fibers running 
 lengthways in the bar and held firmly together by 
 cohesion. In almost all farm implements of the 
 cutting kind the steel portion which forms the edge, 
 if from a section of a bar, is welded to the bar 
 lengthwise, so that it is the side of the bundle of 
 fibers hammered and ground down that forms the 
 edge. So, by holding on the grindstone all edge- 
 tools, as axes, scythes and knives of strawcutters, 
 in such a manner that the action of the stone is at 
 right angles with the edge, or, this is to say, by 
 holding the edge of the tools square across the 
 stone, the direction of the fibers will be changed, 
 so as to present the ends instead of the side as a 
 cutting edge. By grinding in this manner a finer, 
 smoother edge is set, the tool is ground in less 
 time, holds an edge a great deal longer, and is far 
 less liable to nick out and to break. 
 
 Plane irons should be ground to a level of about 
 35 degrees— chisels and gouges to 30. Turning 
 chisels may sometimes run in an angle of 45. 
 Molding tools, such as are used for ivory and for 
 very hard wood, are made at from 50 to 60 degrees. 
 Tools for working iron and steel are beveled at an 
 inclination to the edge of from 60 to 70 degrees, 
 and for cutting gun and similar metal range from 
 80 to 90. 
 
INDEX 
 
 Page 
 A 
 
 Angles, Meastuing 34 
 
 Angles, Plotting 3S 
 
 Anvil, Mounting 246 
 
 Anvil, Rail 10 
 
 Ax Handle, How to Secure 15 
 
 B . 
 
 Bag Holder 110, 111 
 
 Balance for Weighing 107 
 
 Bam Driveway 115 
 
 Bam Plans 200 
 
 Bam, Round 198 
 
 Bam, Small 202 
 
 Bam Stairs 105 
 
 Bam Tmck 109 
 
 Bam Windlass 108 
 
 Barrel Carrier 260 
 
 Barrel Coolers 60 
 
 Barrel Coop 120 
 
 Barrel Cradle 46 
 
 Barrel Hoop Trellis 132 
 
 Barrel Plant Holder 72 
 
 Bars with Horseshoe Support ... 181 
 
 Bee Feeder 130 
 
 Bee Hives 127 
 
 Beeswax Extractor 129 
 
 Bench, Com Husking 112 
 
 Bicycle for Power 55 
 
 Binding Pins for Hay 255 
 
 Bin for Vegetables 72 
 
 Bins, Grain 109 
 
 Bin, Hinged Grain 108 
 
 Blacksmith Shop, Farm 269 
 
 Bleaching Wood 277 
 
 Boat, Boxed Stone 157 
 
 Bolts, Use for 16 
 
 Box for Clothes 48 
 
 Box for Potatoes 248 
 
 Box for Tying Fleece 97 
 
 Box Whedbarrow 240 
 
 Brace Rule 23 
 
 Bread Cutting Board 59 
 
 Brooder 123 
 
 Brooder, House 124 
 
 Bridge, Small 160 
 
 Building, House 189 
 
 Butchering Derrick 100 
 
 Butchering Rig 98 
 
 Butter Wagon Refrigerator 264 
 
 Butter Worker 51 
 
 C 
 
 Cabbage Cutter 114 
 
 Calf Stanchions S7 
 
 CampingTent 171 
 
 Cans, for Scoops 4 49 
 
 Carrier, Barrel 260 
 
 Carrier, Yoke 163 
 
 Cart for Stock 91 
 
 Catch, Gate 181 
 
 Catcher, Pig 105 
 
 Cellar, Concrete Outdoor 227 
 
 Cellar, Temporary 74 
 
 Cellar Shelf, Revolving 77 
 
 Cellar Stairs, Hint for 82 
 
 Cellar Wall, Concrete 225 
 
 Cement Block House 195 
 
 Cementing Cistern Wall 230 
 
 Cements for Mending. 280 
 
 Cement, Mixing for Brick 223 
 
 Cement, Specif Uses for 231 
 
 Chain Tie 87 
 
 Cheese Making 52 
 
 Cheese Press 52 
 
 Chicken Catcher 126 
 
 Chicken Coop, Box 121 
 
 Chicken Coop, Portable 123 
 
 Chicken Fotmtain 118 
 
 Chicken Roosts 118 
 
 China Cement 280 
 
 Cistern Wall, Cementing 230 
 
 Clamp, Harness 262 
 
 Cleanuig a Well 66 
 
 Closet for Toilet Articles 76 
 
 Closet, Outdoor 63 
 
 Clothes Box 48 
 
 Clothes Horse 76 
 
 Clothes Line Elevator 75 
 
 Cold Frames 140 
 
 Concrete Anvil Foundation 246 
 
 Concrete Block Machine 218 
 
 Concrete Blocks 217 
 
 Concrete Cellar Wall 225 
 
 Concrete Mixing 216 
 
 Concrete Floor 229 
 
 Concrete On the Farm 214 
 
 Concrete Outdoor Cellar 227 
 
 Concrete Reinforced with Wood. 231 
 
 Concrete Reinforcement 224 
 
 Concrete Smokehouse 229 
 
 Concrete Walk 230 
 
 Cooker, Tank 243 
 
 Cooler in Well 62,64 
 
 Cooler, Water 60 
 
 Coop, Barrel 120 
 
 Coop, Box 121 
 
 Coop, Portable Chicken 123 
 
 Coop, Trap Door 121 
 
 Cora Crib, Wire 211 
 
 'Com Drying Rack 236 
 
 Com Husking Rack 112 
 
 Cottage Plans 193 
 
 Cow Stall 84 
 
286 
 
 INDEX 
 
 Page 
 
 Cow Stanchions 86 
 
 Cows, How to Stake Out 92 
 
 Cows, Stalls for Kicking 88 
 
 Cradle, Barrel 46 
 
 Crate, Vegetable 248 
 
 Crows, How to Scare 126 
 
 Cultivator, Hand Garden. ...... 142 
 
 Cutter, Feed 112 
 
 Cutter, Seed Potato 248 
 
 Cutter, Root 113 
 
 Cutter, Vegetable 114 
 
 D 
 
 Dam 161 
 
 Derrick, Carcass , 100 
 
 Derrick, Portable Hay 154 
 
 Ditching Scraper 160 
 
 Dog Power for Pump 67 
 
 Door Fastener, Stall 186 
 
 Door Fasteners 184 
 
 Door Latch 188 
 
 Doors, Glass Panels for 44 
 
 Doors, Double Latch for 185 
 
 Drag and Harrow Combined 256 
 
 Dresser ,. 41 
 
 Drinking Fotmtain for Chicks .... 118 
 
 Drinking Fountain, Poultry 117 
 
 Drogue , 159 
 
 Dumb Waiter 37 
 
 E 
 
 Euclid, 47th Problem of 32 
 
 Extractor, Solar Wax. . , 129 
 
 F 
 
 Fastener, Stall Door 186 
 
 Fasteners for Doors 184 
 
 Feed Basket 83 
 
 Feed Box 84 
 
 Feed Box, Partitioned 93 
 
 Feed Cutter 112 
 
 Feed Hopper, Poviltry 116 
 
 Feed Rack 95 
 
 Feed Rack, Portable 96 
 
 FeederforBees 130 
 
 Fence, Movable 183 
 
 Fence, Over Stream 182 
 
 Fence Wire Reel 155 
 
 Filter 70 
 
 Filter for Cistern 68 
 
 Fire Alarm 80 
 
 Fire Kindlers 282 
 
 Fire Ladder 82 
 
 Fireprooflng Shingles , . 276 
 
 Fleece Tying Box 97 
 
 Floating Fence 182 
 
 Floor, Concrete 229 
 
 Floor, How to Lay 213 
 
 Flowers in Barrel 72 
 
 Fodder Rack 164 
 
 Folding Table 50 
 
 Food Cooler 60 
 
 Fruit Picker 148 
 
 Fruit Sorting Table. , ISl 
 
 Fuel, How to Haul 168 
 
 Fumigating Seed Grain 254 
 
 Furniture Polish 278 
 
 Page 
 G 
 
 Garden Stool 144 
 
 Gate, Adjustable 179 
 
 Gate, Balanced Wire 175 
 
 Gate Catch 181 
 
 Gate Hanger, Adjustable 178 
 
 Gate, Pole and Wire 176 
 
 Gate, Sliding 177 
 
 Gate. Suspended 182 
 
 Gate, TumstUe 180 
 
 Gate with Wheel 175 
 
 Germination Box 250 
 
 Glass Cement 280 
 
 Glass in Doors 44 
 
 Glue, Liquid 280 
 
 Grain Bins 109 
 
 Grain Box, Hinged 108 
 
 Grain, Killing Insects in. ...... . 254 
 
 Grain Sack Holder 110, 111 
 
 Greenhouses 208 
 
 Grinding Tools 284 
 
 Grindstone Rig 9 
 
 H 
 
 Hammer, Pulling 24^ 
 
 Harness Clamp . . . . , 262 
 
 Harrow and Drag Combined. . . . 256 
 
 Hay Derrick 154 
 
 Hay Bmding Pins 255 
 
 Hawks, How to Scare 126 
 
 Hawk Trap 126. 
 
 Hawks, Trap for 14* 
 
 Heat for Hotbed Ija 
 
 Heater, Lamp 57 
 
 Heating Water 99 
 
 Hen House 125 
 
 Hitches, Rope 256 
 
 Hives, Bee 127 
 
 Hog Butchering Rig ' 98 
 
 Hog House, Movable 102 
 
 Hog Pens 104 
 
 Hog Trough, Partitioned 102 
 
 Holder, Grain Sack 110, 111 
 
 Hoop Trellis 131 
 
 Horse, Feed Basket 83 
 
 Horse Feed Box 84 
 
 Horse, Folding 12 
 
 Horse, Shaving 12 
 
 Horseshoes for Bars 18L 
 
 Horseshoe Lever 272 
 
 Hotbed, Heat for 138 
 
 Hotbed, How to Make 136 
 
 Hotbed, Permanent 137 
 
 House Building, Hints for 189 
 
 House, Cement Block 195 
 
 House, Plans for 190 
 
 Houses, Hog 104 
 
 I 
 
 Ice House 204 
 
 Ice House and Milk House. . . . 207 
 
 Ice Molds 233 
 
 Jack, Log 170 
 
 Jack, Wagon 238 
 
INDEX 
 
 287 
 
 Page 
 K 
 
 Kettle Tripod 241 
 
 Kindlers, Fire 282 
 
 ^Kitchen Cabinet 39 
 
 Kitchen Cabinet at Window 43 
 
 Knots, How to Tie 2S8 
 
 L 
 
 Ladder on Wheels 151 
 
 Ladder, Place for 82 
 
 Ladder, Truss 150 
 
 l^amp Heater 57 
 
 Land Measure 167 
 
 Lantern Hanger 106 
 
 Latch, Door 188 
 
 Latch for Double Doors 185 
 
 Lawn Mower Feed Gutter 112 
 
 Level, Homemade 14 
 
 Light, More for Rooms 44 
 
 Liquid Glue 280 
 
 Loading Rig 164 
 
 Logging Bob 169 
 
 Log Jack 170 
 
 Log WaterTrough 244 
 
 Logging, Rig for 168 
 
 Lumber Rule 20 
 
 H 
 
 Mail Box, Trolley 71 
 
 Market Wagon Conveniences. ... 263 
 
 Measure, Land 167 
 
 Measuring Angles 34 
 
 Medicine Closet 76 
 
 Mending Water Pipes 282 
 
 Metal Welding 283 
 
 Milk and Houses Combined 207 
 
 Milking Stool 88, 89, 90 
 
 Miter Box 24 
 
 Mold for Concrete Blocks 221 
 
 Molds, Ice 233 
 
 N 
 
 Neck Chain for Cattle 87 
 
 Nests, Trap 119 
 
 O 
 
 Octagon Scale 23 
 
 Old Oaken Bucket 232 
 
 Outdoor Closet 63 
 
 P 
 
 PaintmgTin Roof 273 
 
 Papering a Room 265 
 
 Petrified Wood 277 
 
 Picker, Fruit 148 
 
 Plans, Bam 200 
 
 Plans for Cottage 193 
 
 Plans for House 190 
 
 Plant Protector 134 
 
 Platform for Pump 65 
 
 Porch, Vine-Covered 213 
 
 Preserving Wood 274 
 
 Pig Net 105 
 
 Pipe Twister 263 
 
 Plotting Angles 35 
 
 Plow, Snow 241 
 
 Pde and Wire Gate 176 
 
 Page' 
 
 Polish, Furniture 278' 
 
 Post Puller 165* 
 
 Potato Cutter 249- 
 
 Potato Sorter 246- 
 
 Poultry Coop 121 
 
 Poultry Feed Box 11& 
 
 Poultry House on Runners 124 
 
 Power for Pump 67 
 
 Puller, Post 165 
 
 PuUey-Hung Lantern 106» 
 
 Ptdling Stumps 166' 
 
 Pump, Dog Power for 67 
 
 Pump Platform, Ventilated 65 
 
 R 
 
 Rack, Com Husking 112" 
 
 Rack, Fodder Haulmg 164 
 
 Rack tor Com 236 
 
 Rack, Hanging Feed 95 
 
 Rack for Milking Stool 90- 
 
 Rack for Preserves 38 
 
 Rack fof Seed Com 235 
 
 Rack, Portable Feed 96 
 
 Rack, Water for Hens 117 
 
 Rafters, How to Lay Out 28- 
 
 Reel, Clothes 76 
 
 Reel, Wire on Boat '. . 156- 
 
 Reel| Wire on Wheels 155 
 
 Refrigerator 64 ■ 
 
 Rein Clip 263 
 
 Reinforced Concrete 224 
 
 Reservoir. Storage 167 
 
 Right Angles, How to Figtire. ... 32 
 
 Roller, Road 158 
 
 Rope, How to Handle 256 
 
 Roof, PaintingTin 273- 
 
 Roofing Preparation 282 
 
 Roosts, Folding 1 1&. 
 
 Root Cutter, Saw 113 
 
 Round Bam 198 
 
 S 
 
 Saw Horse 170 
 
 Seasoning Wood 277 
 
 Seed Com Rack 234 
 
 Seed Com Testing 250 
 
 Seed Potato Cutter 248 
 
 Seed Sower 162 
 
 Seed, Watering 144 
 
 Separator, Run by Tread Power 56 
 
 Scissors, How to Sharpen 265 
 
 Scraper, Ditching 160.' 
 
 Scoops from Tin Cans 49 
 
 Sharpening Scissors 265 
 
 Shavmg Horse 12 
 
 Sheep Fence, Movable 183 
 
 Sheep Feed Trough 94' 
 
 Sheds, Straw Covered 94 
 
 Shelf, Revolving 77 
 
 Shelter, Plant 134 
 
 Shingles, Preserving 275 
 
 Size Stains 278 
 
 Skidway 169' 
 
 Slatted Stall 88 
 
 Slaughter House 99"- 
 
 Smokehouse, Concrete 22^ 
 
 Smoking Device 243^ 
 
288 
 
 INDEX 
 
 Page 
 
 Snow Plow 214 
 
 .Solder, How to Make 17 
 
 Soldering 16 
 
 Sorter, Potato 246 
 
 Sorting Table 151 
 
 Sowing Machine 162 
 
 Square, How to True 26 
 
 Square, the Steel 19 
 
 Stall for Cows 84 
 
 Stains, Wood 279 
 
 Stair Stringer, How to Lay Out. . 30 
 
 Stairs, Bam 105 
 
 Stalling Out Stock 92 
 
 ■Stanchions, Swinging 86 
 
 Stanchions for Calves 87 
 
 Steel Square, Use of 19 
 
 Stock-Cart 91 
 
 StoneBoat, Boxed 157 
 
 Stool, Garden 144 
 
 Stool, Milking 88, 89, 90 
 
 Stool Rack 90 
 
 Stove, Fence Around 47 
 
 Straight Edge, How to Make 28 
 
 Straw-Covered Sheds 94 
 
 Stream, Fence Across 183 
 
 Stump Pulling 166 
 
 Surveying, Rule for 33 
 
 Suspended Gate 182 
 
 Swinging Sheep Trough 94 
 
 X 
 
 Table, Folding 50 
 
 Table, Fruit Sorting 151 
 
 Tank Heater 243 
 
 Tent, Camping 171 
 
 Testing Seed 250 
 
 Tool Grinding 284 
 
 Tools Needed for "Workshop 7 
 
 Transplanting Large Tree 146 
 
 Trap for Owls 145 
 
 Trap. Hawk 126 
 
 Trap Nests 119 
 
 Tread Power for Separator 56 
 
 Trees, How to Move 146 
 
 Tree, Transplanting 147 
 
 Trellis, Folding 132 
 
 TreUis, BarreJ Hoop 132 
 
 Trellis for Beans 133 
 
 Trellis, Iron Hoop 131 
 
 Trellis, Self-Supporting 134 
 
 Trolley Mailbox 71 
 
 Trough, Sheep. 94 
 
 Trough, Partitioned Hog 102 
 
 Truck for Bam 109 
 
 Truing the Square 26 
 
 TubFeedBox 93 
 
 Turnstile Gate 1»0 
 
 Paga 
 V 
 
 Vat, Butchering 98 
 
 Vegetable Storage Bin 72 
 
 Veranda, Vine-Covered 213 
 
 W 
 
 Wagon Jack 238 
 
 Wagon, Market 263 
 
 Walk, Concrete 230 
 
 Wall, Cementing 230 
 
 Wall Paper, How to Hang 265 
 
 Washing Machine, Pedal Power 55 
 
 Water Bottle, Poultry 117 
 
 Water Cooler 60 
 
 Water Filter 70 
 
 Water Filter for Cistern 68 
 
 Water Heating for Butchering ... 99 
 
 Water Pipes, Mending 282 
 
 Watering Rack for Hens 117 
 
 Watering Seed 144 
 
 WaterStoring 167 
 
 Water Supply for House 77 
 
 WaterTrough 244 
 
 Wedge Staple 15 
 
 Weighing Balance 107 
 
 Weight Lifter 237 
 
 Welding Metals 283 
 
 Well Frontispiece 
 
 Well Cooler 62, 64 
 
 Well, How to Clean 66 
 
 Wheelbarrow 239 
 
 Wheelbarrow Sheep Trough. ... . 96 
 
 Wheel Gate 174 
 
 Windlass, Bam 108 
 
 Windlass for Butchering 98 
 
 Wire Gate 176 
 
 Wire Reel on Boat 156 
 
 Wire Reel on Wheels 155 
 
 Wire Splicer 13 
 
 Wire Tightener 155 
 
 Wood Bleaching 277 
 
 Wood Fireproofing 276 
 
 Wood, Hauling 168 
 
 Wood, How to Split 245 
 
 Wood, Petrified 277 
 
 Wood Polish. 278 
 
 Wood, Preserving 274 
 
 Wood. Seasoning 277 
 
 Wood Splitter 245 
 
 Workshop, The Farmer's 7 
 
 Wrench, Bit-Stock It 
 
 Y 
 
 Yoke Crate Carrier lit