The Agricultural Papers of George Washington 107 



strictly and pointedly attended to and executed, as far as 

 the measures therein required will admit. 



A system closely pursued, although it may not in all its 

 parts be the best that could be devised, is attended with in 

 numerable advantages. The conductor of the business, in 

 this case, can never be in any dilemma in his proceedings. 

 The overseers, and even the laborers, know what is to be 

 done, and what they are capable of doing, in ordinary sea 

 sons. The force to be employed may be in due proportion 

 to the work which is to be performed, and a reasonable and 

 tolerably accurate estimate may be made of the product. 

 But when no plan is fixed, when directions flow from day to 

 day, the business becomes a mere chaos, frequently shifting, 

 and sometimes at a stand, for want of knowing what to do, 

 or the manner of doing it. Thus is occasioned a waste of 

 time, which is of more importance, than is generally imagined. 



Nothing can so effectually obviate the evil, as an established 

 system, made known to all who are actors in it, that all may 

 be enabled thereby to do their parts to advantage. This 

 gives ease to the principal conductor of the business, and is 

 more satisfactory to the persons who immediately overlook 

 it, less harassing to the laborers, as well as more beneficial 

 to the employer. 



Under this view of the subject, the principal service, which 

 you can render me, is to explain to the overseers (who will 

 be furnished with duplicates) the plan, in all its parts, which 

 is hereafter detailed ; to hear their ideas with respect to 

 the order in which the different sorts of work therein pointed 

 out shall succeed each other, for the purpose of carrying it 

 on to the best advantage; to correct any erroneous projects 

 they may be disposed to adopt; and then to see, that they 

 adhere strictly to whatever may be resolved on, and that they 

 are always (except when otherwise permitted) on their 



