252
IMPLEMENTS OF HUSBANDRY
“ The immersing in water, and covering with horse-dung,arc far from being the best methods for drying wood. It isalways harder and tougher when dried slowly in the air.Therefore these methods are only for expedition, in order toextract the sap more quickly, when the wood is wanted forimmediate use.”
2. Of the Means of preserving the Implements of Husbandry .
As some parts of these machines may receive damage un-perceived, their several parts should be minutely inspected attimes ; and when any part is observed in the least damaged,or in danger of giving way, it should be immediately repair-ed j otherwise the fabric of the whole implement may, by asmall neglect, be destroyed; by which means considerableloss, and also inconvenience, may be incurred. There is an-other thing deserving of particular notice,—any implementthat is not wanted for use during the season should be care-fully laid up; but before laying it aside, it ought to be wellcleaned, perfectly dry, quite entire, and ready for use whennecessary. Upon every farm there should be one or moreplaces, or offices, for holding these implements; a cart-house,or shade, for keeping ploughs, carts, harrows, rollers, &c. isnow a very common ahd proper house on most farms; butfor containing the smaller tools, some less exposed and se-cure place must be requisite. Those machines that are exposedin the fields great part of the season, would perhaps requireto be new painted at least every two years, which defendsthem not only from drought, but also from rain.