The Rural Voice, 1979-11, Page 15Farming in the past
Sharing equipment in 1880
If we think that the farm co-operative in the common purchase
and use of expensive equipment, is something new, we better
start thinking again. John Read wrote his advice for farmers in
1880, as follows: "In many places the plan of neighborhood
ownership may be profitably adopted. Several farmers living
near together and each doing too small amount of business to
justify the expense of separate machines, could purchase a
horse -power or steam engine, in company, and thus at a very
moderate cost, secure nearly all the advantages of individual
possession."
The standard machines in providing power were horse-
power, dog -power, wind -power, and, to top it all, the steam
engine (portable or stationary).
In the west they used already steam tractors for such work as
plowing large acreages, but in the east in 1880 this was still
exclusively done by horse power.
Mr. Read advised small farmers to have at least three different
plows, a sod -plow, a stubble plow and a one-horse plow for the
marking out land for planting, for covering potatoes etc.
A corn -husker could be bought for $50. The process was no
different from the huskers on today's corn pickers. The stalk was
fed into the machine and through a pair of rollers, leaving the
cob clean before the rollers. It could be turned by hand. But
there were also picker -huskers that long ago. The horse would
walk between the rows and the machine would cut and husk. But
that was an expensive machine for it would cost no less than
$200.
Shelling was done separately with a hand- powered corn
shelter.
Mr. Read said of a cider or wine mill the following: "We
consider pure cider -vinegar a valuable article, and wish the
supply could be so largely increased as to drive out the
abominable, health -destroying acids which have so largely taken
its place in all city markets. For this purpose cider is required,
and a better quality can usually be obtained by using a small mill
at home than will be secured if the apples are drawn to a large
mill, where good and poor ones are mixed and no special care is
taken to make a fine grade. But as far as cider and wine for
drinking purposes are concerned, we are strongly opposed to
their manufacture."
Then there were the hay stackers, the field rollers, harrows,
hoes and root cutters, the threshers and cleaners, the grinders
both for grain and for sharpening tools. There were the
stump -pullers and the forges, the saws and the weigh scales for
weighing milk, butter and poultry, for Iambs and grain and so
on.
One very valuable machine that we don't see on our farms
today was the straw cutter. They cut, steamed and added meal
to the straw or to the poorer hay to make additional feed.
Mr. Read didn't forget women readers in his book, "Farming
for Profit." He referred to their usefulness and warns farmers
not to abuse them. He says: "Washing is hard work, and in
connection with other duties in the house, is too heavy for one
woman to do by main strength. With a good machine the work
can be done in less time, and with but little hard work."
He warned that most washing machines on the market were
useless and that they usually ended up in the attic, but there
were a few good ones.
On clothes dryers he said: "There may be some excuse for not
buying a good washing machine, but the man who neglects to
provide a good clotheswringer does a great wrong." So th ere.
A mangle and a sewing machine were the other household
implements he deemed indispensible.
THE RURAL VOICE/NOVEMBER 1979 PG. 13