Tar For Greasing Wagons

I stumbled across this brief editorial comment made in "The American Agriculturist" in the August 1842 issue. Can't you just see your characters or ancestors mixing up a batch of axle grease for the wagons with this historical gem?

Tar for greasing wagons, we think an absurd article. In the hottest weather it soon gums up and becomes adhesive, and in cold weather is always so. Wherever iron axletrees are used, black lead mixed with grease is best:—or Flour mixed with Lard.