Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 88.djvu/595

 Popular Science Monthly

��of gathering. Many varieties of fruit ripen about the same time on the Pacific Coast and there the machine is especially valuable because the prune- grower is in danger of being left short- handed.

Taking the Bump out of the Barrow

A MAINE inventor, George S. Nich- ols of Freeport, has taken the jounce out of the

��loa d e d wheel- barrow by at- taching the ends of the wheel- axle to springs which are fastened to the side bars of. the barrow- frame instead of around the axles directly to the ends of the side bars — the usual method. This makes it easy to handle a loaded wheel-barrow. When the wheel bumps against a stone the springs take up the jar

��A wheel -barrow with springs takes more kindly to vmeven roads than the old-fashioned sort

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the land and reduce the danger of soil blowing. Any kind of soil may be worked with the attachment.

Effects of the War on German Industries

THE industrial situation in Germany has undergone many changes dur- ing the course of the war. A great in- surance reserve for soldier workmen in- valided in war was started so long as ten years ago, but the frightful struggle which is now in prog- ress and its harvest of perma- nently disabled men were hard- ly expected. Soon after the war had started, however, the necessity for drastic measures became clear to the men prom- inent in the manufacturing in- dustries, with the result that a method of developing and util- izing the productive capacity of crip- pled sol- d i e r s was in- stituted. In car- r \' i n g out this work, the Ver- eindeut- scherln- genieure provides prizes f o r m e t h -

���If this disk-sled attachment is applied to an ordinary sled-har- row, cross-harrowing can be done without a special implement

��instead of the wheel-barrow passing the jolt along to the man behind.

Making a Disk- Sled of a Harrow

CROSS-harrowing levels the ground, conserves the moisture and elimi- nates the furrows. A disk-sled attach- ment, invented by L. A. Gaume of Danville, Kan., can be readily fastened to any make of sled-harrow to do this work. The attachment has a spring pressure device by means of which the large wide ridge that is thrown up by the cutting-disk is divided into four small narrow ridges. The various harrow- knives level the ground, close up the furrows, lessen the work of harrowing, prevent evaporation of moisture from

��ods and appliances which will enable disabled workmen to carry out the duties of normal men. Wherever possi- ble, the veterans are returned to their former tasks. Often the problem of finding new employment for them must be solved.

The large iron, steel and machinery plants are caring for thousands of fam- ilies, the heads of which were formerly employed in their shops. The expense to each concern averages over one hundred thousand dollars a year. It is a remark- able fact that the complicated systems of industrial insurance in existence have been able to make all payments demand- ed. Sick-benefit funds for the factory employees are already consumed.

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