UIHistories Project: A History of the University of Illinois by Kalev Leetaru
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Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1882 [PAGE 71]

Caption: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1882
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65 On. small farms, or on large farms where but little of a given class of work is required, it is often better economy to hire the work done, or do it even by primitive means, rather than buy improved machines. A mowing machine is a great labor saver, but the purchase of one is not wise if there be but a half dozen acres of grass to cut. The use of old and inefficient tools is to be discouraged, but sometimes the old machine will accomplish the work nearly as well as a new and much more costly one. When a purchase is to be made the advice to. "get the best" is generally sound; but it does not follow that it is wise to discard the old because a better can be obtained. Of two machines designed to do the same class of work, the simpler, stronger, more easily adjusted, is to be preferred in a large majority of cases, even if there be some admitted advantages in the more complicated machine. Every movable part in a machine probably increases the danger of breakage. Complicated arrangements adjusting farm machinery should usually be avoided. The average farm laborer is not an especially intelligent person, and is certainly not a trained machinist. In a majority of cases purchasing machinery of established reputation is much safer than investing in newly introduced kinds even though they seem to possess advantages. Experimenting and trial is every way commendable, and some must do this if we are to have improvements; but a farmer of limited means can no more wisely make a practice of buying all the promising newly-invented machinery than can a poor student buy all the new books he finds commended to his attention. In some classes of farm machinery prices are higher than they should be; in many, however, the competition between manufacturers has brought the prices as low as can reasonably be expected. Sometimes the apparent reasonableness of price is accompanied by poor workmanship or poor material. In the case of most patented articles of farm machinery the prices charged for "repairs" can only be classed as outrageously exorbitant. In some cases the prices for the separate parts aggregate a half dozen times the cost of the complete machine. While manufacturers are not free from blame in all cases, it often is true that complaints of failure to perform work satisfactorily or of breakages arise from improper usage on the part of the owner. Implements are often put to work for which they are not fitted; their strength over-taxed, or direct carelessness results in breakage. Much has been said concerning the proper care of implements, yet the cases in which they are most improperly neglected are still common. Chicago Screw Pulverizer.—One of these awkward-looking machines has been in use two years, and has given good satisfaction in many respects. It has been used in preparing land for and sowing rye and oats and in preparing land for corn; for e&ch crop being used both without previous plowing and following such plowing. Good crops have followed its use. The seeder has worked well; apparently as well as any broadcast seeder could be expected to work. For working over fall plowing we have found it do excellent work. The disadvantages of the machine are that its cost, over $200, and —5