A reference and instruction guide to the mechanics of working the land. The Ultimate Guide to Farm Mechanics combines three classic farming texts for the first time, compiling knowledge from the best sources published as far back as 1884. A comprehensive reference book that belongs in any farming household today, it offers an array of farm knowledge for both experts and amateurs alike. The book is divided into three parts: the first covers general skills such as woodworking and blacksmithing, the second is dedicated to farm engines and how to run them, and the third teaches readers how to construct classic labor-saving devices such as an effective milking stool, plowing gear for a kicking mule, and a nest for egg-eating hens. Readers are taught to mend broken tools, make fertilizer and corn fodder, buy engine parts, and manage gasoline engines safely and economically. Filled with intricate illustrations, photos, and diagrams, Ultimate Guide to Farm Mechanics offers a wealth of knowledge still indispensable to the modern-day farmer. Both the casual and amateur reader will learn valuable lessons from the old teachers of early twentieth-century farming in the United States.

An illustrated instructional guide showcasing the timeless skills of working the land An essential agricultural text originally published in 1922, Farm Mechanics is exactly that: a detailed but easy-to-understand manual outlining all the important aspects of working the land. The guide is broken up into sections that cover every aspect of farm work, from woodworking and cement-laying to farm machinery repair. Informative and easy to understand, with close to five hundred illustrations and photographs, Farm Mechanics is both a historical reference for those interested in the history of agriculture and a commonsense tool that outlines essential agricultural skills. For those who want to know more about the golden days of farming, there are plenty of details here to paint a vivid picture of early-twentieth-century farming in the United States, accompanied by detailed photos and illustrations of farm equipment and practices in action. But this isn’t just a book of theoretical practices for curious historians either—while some of the skills explained here might admittedly seem inapplicable for modern use (due to advances in technology most farmers aren’t taking the time to learn blacksmithing, for instance), other sections, like cement and concrete or rope and harness work for farm animals, contain tools and advice that are still indispensable to the modern-day farmer.