Small Engines (Lawn Mowers, etc.): My craftsman 6.hp mower leaks gas, air filter, craftsman

Question
My dad gave me what looked like a hardly used mower that was left behind by the previous owners of his house..
I put gas and oil into it and noticed right away that the gas was leaking from what looks like an air filter.
The filter was pretty messed up and grungy (possibly rusted inside?), but when I removed the filter the gas came right out the whole where the filter was.
What do I do....
First time owning a house and first time owning a lawn mower.
Can you help?

Answer
The carburetor inlet needle and valve need to be replaced.  If you have never done this before I would recommend taking it to a shop.

Since the mower was free it won't hurt to try it youself but some of those carb and be tricky to reinstall.  If you decide to attempt it yourself take a digital picture so you know how it goes back together.

Let me know if this helps or if you decide to do the repair yourself and need more assistance.
Eric