USA > Indiana > Fountain County > Prairie Farmer's Directory of Fountain, Parke and Vermillion Counties, Indiana, 1920 > Part 2
USA > Indiana > Parke County > Prairie Farmer's Directory of Fountain, Parke and Vermillion Counties, Indiana, 1920 > Part 2
USA > Indiana > Vermillion County > Prairie Farmer's Directory of Fountain, Parke and Vermillion Counties, Indiana, 1920 > Part 2
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45
Knotter Head Troubles
All binders are very similar. They combine the same principles, and al- though the detail of the mechanism may differ somewhat, still for every vital part on one make of machine
16
FOUNTAIN, PARKE AND VERMILLION COUNTIES
KNOTTER. BILLS
DISC
there can be found on each other machine a part similar in function, very similar in shape, and often very similar in position. This is particu- larly true in the knotter head or that portion of the binder head which ties the knot. In discussing these troubles then, let us bear in mind that every make of binder has in some form each part shown in the second illus- tration, and that the functions of these parts are the same though the position and shape may vary slightly.
The disc is that part which holds the end of the twine while the bundle is being formed. The bills, also shown in the illustration, are those parts which tie the knot. It is the function of the needle to bring up the needle end of the band, place it over the bills and into the disc where the disc catches it and securely holds both ends. The bills then revolve, forming a loop about themselves, and after revolving part way they open, seize both ends of the band, as shown in
the illustration, and hold the ends of the band while the stripper arm pulls the loop off the bills-hence the ends of the band are pulled through the loop and the knot is tied. If these operations are kept clearly in mind the operator will find his tying trou- bles greatly simplified.
Each operator should be able to tell just where his trouble lies by ex- amining the failing band and noting where it is found.
In the third illustration, Figure 1 found clinging to the bills with the simple knot tied around the bills and the loose end cut square and smooth, indicates that the disc spring is too loose and the twine tension is too tight.
The same band found cast with the bundle instead of clinging to the bills would indicate that the disc is but slightly loose, yet too loose. The band indicating such trouble is shown in Fig 2.
Fig. 3 found clinging to the bills
17
+ +
FOUNTAIN, PARKE AND VERMILLION COUNTIES
PRAIRIE FARMER'S RELIABLE DIRECTORY
FOUND
FOUND
BUNDLE
TILLS
B .....:
Fix. 1
Fir S .
Fig. 10
AROUND
'TO NEEDLE
but with the free end crushed and ragged indicates that the disc is too tight and that the twine tension is also too tight.
Fig. 4 found cast with the bundle instead of on the bills indicates that the twine tension is perfect but that the disc is slightly too tight.
Fig. 5 found with the cast bundle and with both ends crushed and ragged indicates that, the disc is very tight.
Notice the bent crinkled ends in Fig. 6 and that the band is formed with the bundle. The ends have been in the knot but have pulled out. The bills .may be too loose or the "hump" on the underside of the upper bill may be worn away sufficiently so that the bills cannot hold the ends of the band securely enough when the loop is pulled off. This probably has caused a loose knot which pulled out when the bundle spread. If the bills are too loose tighten the bills spring. If the little "hump" is worn away file away a little of the stock behind the hump, using a rat-tail file.
Fig. 8 is the familiar band which seems to be tied perfectly when the bundle is first cast, but when the shocker grasps the bundle the band gives way and appears as shown. If the disc is at the proper tension, then the trouble is probably that the bills do not open wide enough to grasp both ends of the twine in the disc. If the bills cam roller on the back of
the upper bill is worn one-sided, sup- ply new parts. If the whole bills shaft has dropped down due to wear below the bills, pinion gear, place a very thin washer under pinion to bring the bills up against the knotter head frame where they belong. It sometimes happens that a very loose twine tension allows sufficient slack in the twine to arch slightly over the bills instead of being pulled down tightly over them. The upper bill will then nose in between the bands' ends instead of grasping both of them and a simple slip knot is tied instead of a hard knot. |
Fig. 9 indicates a needle trouble. For some reason the needle has not placed the twine in the disc. Most likely the needle has carried up some green stuff of some kind which mo- mentarily clogs the disc. If this band occurs frequently, however, then prob- ably the eye of the needle has be- come so badly worn back, due to too tight a tension, that the needle can not advance far enough to place the twine in the disc. The needle should advance until it just barely touches the stripper or breast plate. If it docs not advance that far it is prob- ably slow and the needle pitman should be shortened slightly.
Make all binder head and knotter head adjustments gradually. A quar- ter of a turn of the studs on the disc and knotter bills springs is ample to remedy most troubles in those parts.
18
Corn Planter Adjustments By C. O. Reed, University of Illinois, in Prairie Farmer
. Not all of our implement troubles are to be found in the plow or in the binder. The corn planter has troubles of its own, and it is the purpose of this article to discuss some of the corn planter principles and troubles that are often misunderstood.
Accuracy in Drop
-
Some corn growers say that accu- racy of drop is not an important fac- tor with them because two kernels in one hill and four in the next gives an average of three kernels per hill and that is the number desired. The fallacy of this statement is very ap- parent when we stop to consider that in such planting we have not the de- sired three kernels in either hill; and if the soil is three-kernel soil, two kerncls per hill are too few while four kernels are too many. The result is probably a loss in each hill.
A certain soil may give the best yield with either two, three or four kernels per hill, but after it has been ascertained which number of kernels is best every effort should be made to secure that number in each hill where the soil conditions remain constant. The variable drop devices on planters afford ample opportunity to shift from two to three or from three to four kernels per hill as the soil conditions through the row may demand, but the advisability of permitting inaccuracy in drop from hill to hill is question- able.
The first two requisites for accu- racy in drop are (a) seed of uniform size, and (b) the selection of the proper seed plate. Hand tipped and butted corn or machine sorted corn will give seed as uniform in shape and size of kernel as is practical, but unsorted seed may be relied upon to cause inaccurate dropping.
Testing out the planter to make sure that the proper plate is used is to be strongly advocated. Last year's plate may not be thic best one for this year's seed, for if there is a slight difference in the average size of ker- nels between the two years, a corre- sponding change may be necessary in
the size of the seed pits in the plate used. The following table taken from laboratory tests shows the danger of carclessness in selecting the seed plate. The planter was sct to drop three-kernel hills, and the platcs "small" and "large" wcre plates next size smaller and next size larger than the proper or right sized plate found.
Right Small sized Largc
plate plate platc
Per cent of blank hill. ...... 9.34 .00 .00
Per cent of hills containing .. 29.36 1 kernel
.26 28
Per cent of hills containing .37.54
2 kernels
Per cent of hills containing 8.66 5.3
3 kernels .. 3C.48 88.12 81.28
Per cent of hills containing 4 kernels 2.66 2.84 11.48
Per cent of hills containing
5 kernels .62 .12 1.66
1
These figures tend to show that a slight mistake in plate selection may lead to a direct loss in stand. . There may be but a very slight difference between two pairs of plates-so slight perhaps that we can not detect the difference by eye-but a test of the two pairs will quickly show that one of those pairs means a good drop while the other pair is dangerous and its use should be avoided. Testing can be done when time at the barn permits and will not only mean a sav- ing of time in the field but will also enable the operator .to avoid a mis- take before it is too late.
Each operator will have his own method of testing out the planter but he should heed these three rules: (1) Let each test consist of at least 50 or 60 hills; (2) run the planter parts at field speed; (3) do not give up until the best plate is found. Probably the quickest way to test is to run the planter in the farm yard, providing the chickens do not get the corn be- forc we can count it. Rainy day test- ing on the barn floor is a little more troublesome but can be very success- fully accomplished by two persons as follows: Jack the planter up over a blanket stretched tight on the floor so that the furrow opencrs will be about three inches above the blanket when
19
PRAIRIE FARMER'S RELIABLE DIRECTORY
the depth lever is thrown forward. One man can then turn the drive wheel, trip the check arm and call out the number of kernels dropped, while the second person records the count. After each hill is dropped the kernels are brushed away by foot of the man turning the drive wheel. Glancing at the drop without recording the count simplifies the process but it is not an accurate method and should be avoided when possible.
Accuracy of drop may be secured further by keeping the seed hoppers at least half full at all times.
Blank Hills at the Ends of Rows
Accuracy of drop depends also to some extent upon the speed of the valve. It sometimes happens that at one end of the row we will happen to stop the team just as the button on the check wire has begun to force the check arm. The valves work so slowly at such a time or stop at such a point that in some planters the seed at the top of the boot drops clear through to the ground instead of be- ing intercepted at the bottom of the boot. Two hills drop at once, then, and when we have turned around there are no kernels at the lower valve ready for the first hill on the return trip. On some planters we may overcome the difficulty by foot dropping one hill while the team is turning. On other planters the only remedy is to stop sooner at the end of the row or to drive ahead at usual speed until the wire has released the check arm.
Accuracy in Check
Considerable attention is usually given . to securing accurate checking,
but a word regarding the adjustment will not be amiss. Accurate checking means possibility of closer cultivation and less loss by cultivating out hills. The manufacturer has found that un- der usual conditions the check wire will travel from one to three inches, across the field, and inasmuch as the slack will always be ahead of the machine, he designs his planter to drop the hill at a distance behind the button equal to one-half the travel. On the return trip the hill is again dropped behind the button and thus the hills should check in spite of the wire travel. It can readily be seen then that if our shoes or furrow openers are dropping nearer to or farther away from the button than half the wire travel, our system for securing good checking will be materially interfered with and adjustments must be made at A in Fig. 1.
This tongue adjustment will vary on the different makes - of planters. On some it is at the rear end of the tongue, but it will be found on all the popular makes. As a rule the front frame of the planter should be run level, and it can be so run with a properly drawn check wire. But different ten- sions on the wire drawn by different drivers may necessitate throwing the front frame slightly out of a horizon- tal position. If the planter drops too close to the button, make such tongue adjustment as will drop the furrow openers back a little toward the wheels. To some extent tightening the check wire will accomplish the same result in the check. Forcing the furrow open- ers a little ahead by means of the tongue adjustment will cause the hill
1
Fig. 1. Tongue Adjustment to Secure Accurate Checking
.
20
FOUNTAIN, PARKE AND VERMILLION COUNTIES
A
B.
A Spread Check Fork May Cause Stringing
to be dropped a little close to the but- 'ton, or having the check wire a little' more slack will have the same result in the check. In testing for accuracy of check by digging up hills, select hills pretty close behind the planter. Ad- justing the neckyoke straps will also affect the check. The adjustment shown in Fig. 1 is also a means of maintaining a good check when differ- ent heights of teams are used and when the difference cannot be compensated for by adjusting the neckvoke straps.
Uniform tension in the check wire · must be maintained if accurate check- ing is to result. Some drivers even go so far as to make allowance for the expansion and contraction of the check wire due to varying temperature from day to day, but this is getting too par- ticular to be practical. It is practical, however, where planting is being done up and down a slope, to pull the wire tighter when setting the high stake.
Uniform Depth of Planting
In planting over a rough field, . a more uniform depth can often be se- cured by floating the furrow openers, but when this is done the operator should keep the openers under foot control so that the shoes may be forced to their depth in dry spots and kept from planting too deep in moist, soft spots. There are a number of shoe gauges now on the market which attach to shoes to insure uniform depth when floating is desirable. Such attachments should prove valuable if properly used where the conditions demand. String- ing of the hill may be caused by (a) dirt in the boot, and (b) by a spread check arm. Trouble from the first cause will probably be due to the team having set back on the planter while_ the shoes were still in the ground. Clean out the boot bottom thoroughly and the rest of the remedy is obvious.
-
21
1
PRAIRIE FARMER'S RELIABLE DIRECTORY
.
Trouble (b) is less easily detected. If the check arm is spread as is shown at B in Fig. 2, the wire button will let go of the check arm before the valves have been forced wide open, to the re- sult that the kernels will be strung out in the row rather than being dropped well together. By means of a ham- mer, drive the arm halves together to their original position, but in so doing care must be taken not to get the halves so closely together that binding of the wire will result. The check arm halves can be left straight as shown at A in Fig. 2. Some opera- tors find that stringing is due to a bad- ly worn shoe. If this is determined to be the cause, new parts must usually be supplied.
Clutch Troubles
Clutches on the various planters differ so widely in design that no spe- cific rules can be given that would apply to all makes. Failure of the clutch to grip or release can often be overcome by thoroughly cleaning the parts, and if the striking forces are worn round, new parts may have to be secured. . On most planters this means but slight expense and a little patience.
Timing the Plate Rims
Breakage may necessitate removal of the rim which drives the plate. This rim is timed with the pinion on the shaft which drives the plates from the clutch, and when the rim is replaced on the machine the "time" must be re- established. If the plate rim is out of time with the pinion, inaccuracy will result because the plate itself will not stop at the proper time.
- On some machines the cog teeth of the rim and pinion are so marked or constructed that it is very easy to ascertain the proper relation between the two castings .. Before removing the rim the operator should carefully seek any such guides so that he may know just how to replace the parts. If no guide is found on the arm and on the shaft pinion, make a mark on each by means of a cold chisel, and then in replacing parts bring these two marks into the same relation to each other as at first. It sometimes happens that after replacing a rim or adding a new one, it breaks as soon as it revolves. This is due to non-timing.
The question is often asked: "Is the disc furrow opener preferable to the ordinary shoe runner?" The sin- gle disc opener has better penetration than the shoe and will cut through trash to better advantage, but it throws the soil to one side and cover- ing is made more difficult. . The dou- ble disc has less penetrating ability than the single disc, but covering can be more easily accomplished after it.
In hard, thrashy ground, then, the disc opener should prove preferable to the shoe opener, but in a well pre- pared seed bed, well free from surface trash, the shoe is strongly advocated because of its simplicity. The planter with disc openers cannot be consid- ered a heavy draft implement, but the discs carry bearings which must work in soil and one may always expect trouble with such a combination.
MRS. LENA STEVENSON MANN Household Editor of "Prairie Farmer
22
FOUNTAIN, PARKE AND VERMILLION COUNTIES
Livestock Farmer's Medicine Chest By Dr. A. S. Alexander, in Prairie Farmer
When a farmer can employ a com- petent graduate veterinarian at rea- sonable expense it always is best to do so, and in all serious cases such expert help should be used even if the expense will be considerable. Un- fortunately it is not always possible to find such an expert or he may live at such a distance that an ordinary or trivial case will not warrant the ex- pense of his employment, or the near- est veterinarian may not be a properly qualified practitioner, or is one in whom the stockman has no confidence.
For these reasons every owner of animals should keep some simple remedies on hand, and these are nec- essary even on farms where profes- sional assistance can readily be had. It should be understood, however, that the untrained farmer should not attempt the administration of strong poisons, alkaloids and many prepara- tions used hypodermically by a gradu- ate veterinarian. Such preparations are extremely dangerous in the hands of the layman and are liable to do much more harm than good. The trained surgeon also should be de- pended upon for all major operations.
A cupboard may be set apart for storing medicines in a cool, dry place and where freezing will not occur in winter. A glass graduate and scales will be necessary for measuring and weighing medicines. Powdered drugs should be kept in tightly closed glass fruit jars and should be plainly labeled. They may soon lose their strength if exposed to the air. Poisons should , be kept on a separate part of a shelf partitioned off for the purpose and away from simple, harmless drugs. Ointments, with the exception of fly blister, should be made up fresh at time of use. Liniment may be pre- pared and kept indefinitely if well corked.
The medicine case should also have a special division in which to keep a few instruments, bandages, suture silk and absorbent cotton; or better still,
emergency bag should contain a roll
of absorbent cotton, several rolled three-yard bandages of unbleached muslin in strips three inches wide, a pound or two of oakum, a spool of strong suture silk, half a dozen suture needles of assorted shapes and sizes, most of them large; a half-ounce, short-barreled, strong-nozzled hard rubber syringe, a two-ounce metal syringe, a cow trocar and canula for tapping a bloated animal, a pair of curved shears, a combination operat- ing knife containing a curved bistoury, a probe pointed bistoury and a strong straight scalpel, a few milking tubes and a teat bistoury, 'an artery forceps, metal probe, castrating knife and pair of horse clippers.
1
These will suffice, but there are many other useful instruments such as a clinical thermometer, horse tro- car, catheter and dentistry "float," which may be added from time to time. Some of the medicines to be listed later may also have a place in the emergency kit or bag, notably those needed for the treatment of wounds, and at hand should be a strong quart drenching bottle and ten feet of quarter-inch cotton rope with which to hold up a horse's head for drenching. A veterinary force pump is added on a large farm, but its place may be 'taken by three feet of new lawn sprinkling hose fitted with a large tin funnel. This is used to give a horse or cow a rectal injection. There should also be a six-foot piece . of new half-inch rubber tubing for use in giving a cow or mare a vaginal injection.
Simple necessary medicines may best be listed under the following spe- cial heads :
Physics
Epsom and Glauber Salts. Average dose for an adult cow, one pound in three pints of warm water. Dose for a horse, 12 ounces.
Castor Oil. Especially useful for
these may be kept in a handbag for . young animals. Dose for a caif or immediate use as required. The
foal, from 1 to 6 tablespoonsiul shak- en up in milk.
23
1
PRAIRIE FARMER'S RELIABLE DIRECTORY
Raw Linsed Oil (not boiled, which is poisonous). Average dose, one pint for constipation and to follow a dose of colic medicine, or contain medicine for colic.
Barbados Aloes (freshly powdered). Average dose, one ounce, to be given to an adult horse as a "physic ball."
Wound Medicines
Keep in stock one pint each of car- bolic acid and coal tar disinfectant and a gallon can of the latter for dipping and disinfecting purposes. Two tea- spoonfuls to a pint of water ordinarily makes a sufficiently strong solution. Bleeding is stopped by applying Mon- sel's solution of iron on oakum or cotton batting, or applying Monsel's powder. As a wound lotion also keep on hand a mixture of one ounce of sugar of lead and six drams of sul- phate of zinc in one pint of water. This is called "white lotion" and should be plainly labeled "poison" and well shaken before use.
Dusting Powders
A dusting powder of equal parts of slacked lime, charcoal and sulphur is useful for application to · surface wounds and sores. Boracic acid also is needed and a little iodoform m'y be added to keep flies away.
Liniments
Keep on hand a pint (pound) each of turpentine and aqua ammonia. One ounce each of these mixed with a pint of soft water, in which two raw eggs have been shaken up and the mixture left for 24 hours, will make a good stimulating liniment; or one ounce of each may be mixed with ' 6 to 14 ounces of raw linseed oil to make a very strong or comparatively mild liniment.
Lotions
"White lotion" for wounds has al- ready been mentioned. Equal quan- tities of lime water and raw linseed oil make "carron oil,". an excellent lotion for burns. Two to four unces of Goulard's extract and one to two ounces of glycerine in one quart of soft water form a useful lotion for scratches and mud fever of itchiness and "gumminess" of the legs. A good lotion for inflammation of the udder
is made by mixing together onc part each of fluid extracts of poke root and belladonna leaves and one part of tur- pentine with five parts of sweet oil, melted lard or camphorated oil. It is made weaker or stronger as required. Anodyne lotion for painful swellings is made by combining equal quantities of tincture of opium, aconite, bella- donna and druggists' soap liniment. A small quantity of chloroform may be added. Mouth lotion consists of an ounce of powdered borax or alum in a quart of soft water; eye lotion of half a dram each of sulphate of zinc and fluid extract of belladonna in a quart of soft water.
Tonics
Fowler's solution of arsenic is a good general tonic for rundown, thin, hidebound horses and those afflicted with chronic skin diseases or heaves (broken wind). The average dose is half an ounce (one tablespoonful) given night and morning until one quart has been given. The medicine may then be gradually discontinued, taking at least a week to the work. Dried sulphate of iron (copperas), dose one dram night and morning, is another good tonic, commonly com- bined with an equal dose of ground gentian root or ginger root, nux vomica, saltpeter and fenugreek as a condition powder. The dose is one tablespoonful of the combination .of drugs mixed in the feed night and morning for ten days. Omit sulphate of iron for pregnant animals. Nux is poisonous and must therefore be given with care. It is most useful as a nerve tonic and appetizer.
Colic Medicines
Keep in stock one pound each of laudanum (dose, 1 to 2 ounces) ; es- sence of ginger root (dose, 1 to 2 drams) ; sulpuric acid (dose, 12 to 1 ounce) ; turpentine (dose, 1 to 2 ounces) ; granular hyposulphite of soda (dose, 1 to 4 ounces). A dose of each of the first three medicines in a pint of water containing two ounces of hyposulphite of soda will prove effective for most colics. Two ounces of turpentine in a pint of raw linseed oil may be given for "wind" (flatulent) colic, or following the other medicine when the pain of "cramp" (spasmodic) colic has subsided.
/
Fever Medicines
Powdered saltpeter is an important drug for animals. It is given in the fever of influenza, founder (laminitis) or lymphangitis (milk leg, also for stocking of the legs and other large swellings. A dram is the average dose. Give it every four or six hours in fever, twice daily for swellings, or with tonics as a condition powder, and in double doses for founder or milk lèg. Do not give it in colt distemper, when abscesses are forming. It may often be administered in drinking water or a bran mash or damp feed. It also is given in tablespoonful doses once or twice daily for garget of the cow. Beware of aconite often given for fever. It is too dangerous a poison to be safely used by anyone other than a trained doctor.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.