WASTES AND WANTS OF THE FARM. 577 



entitled to the respect of others. The employer who treats his help fairly and reasonably in 

 all respects is the one who will, as a general rule, secure the best results from their service. 



Poor Teams. Labor and time are often wasted by the use of inefficient teams in per 

 forming the farm work. Perhaps oxen are used where horses would be more serviceable, or 

 the reverse teams that might be good in themselves, but not adapted to the kind of work 

 or the place. For performing certain work, such as plowing, two men may, perhaps, be 

 employed where one man with the proper team would do as well, and the labor of one man 

 appropriated to other purposes, thus saving the labor of one extra hand. 



In other cases, weak, fractious, lame, or otherwise inefficient animals, may be employed, 

 which results in slow progress and work poorly done, when a good team of the right kind 

 would have performed the work better and perhaps in one-half the time. Besides, it costs no 

 more to maintain a good team than a poor one, and the labor done by the former is so much 

 more satisfactory, that it is far better economy to always keep good teams, although the first 

 cost of purchasing such would be more than that of an inferior one. Good teams are the 

 cheapest in the end. 



Inferior Stock. The same might be said of the stock bred upon the farm, or 

 animals selected for the dairy, as of poor teams. _ Under a mistaken idea of economy, the 

 lowest-priced animals are used, when the product of the best cows for the dairy and thorough 

 bred stock for breeding purposes would more than double the profits, besides soon paying 

 for the extra expense in purchasing. Where milk is the principal object, a milking breed 

 should be selected; if beef is the leading consideration, a beef breed should be chosen. The 

 animals should be adapted to the purpose for which they are to be used. False economy, 

 and a lack of the proper knowledge in selecting, breeding, and feeding animals, is one great 

 cause why this department of farming does not prove as remunerative as it otherwise would. 



Since it requires as much labor and expense to maintain inferior stock as the best, it is a 

 waste of labor and money as well as loss to the farmer to maintain and breed the former, when 

 so much larger profits could be secured by keeping the latter. There is too much indifference 

 manifested by farmers generally with respect to this subject. Great improvement could be 

 made in the poorest flocks and herds in a few years, by the use of thoroughbred sires of 

 suitable breeds, and farmers generally who have not previously given their attention to the 

 subject, will find that they can advance their interests and profits very materially by this means. 

 The same principle holds true with respect to feeding and handling all kinds of farm animals. 

 Generous feeding, good care, and kind treatment, have quite as much influence, if not more, 

 in regulating the profits which result, as the breed. A poor animal or farm implement is 

 costly at any price, while the best are eventually the cheapest. 



Inconvenience of Farm Buildings, etc. Another cause of waste of time and 

 labor may be found in the fact that the farm buildings are not conveniently arranged or the 

 farms properly laid out. 



On some farms the buildings have every convenience with respect to construction and 

 location ; there are suitable places for the storage of crops and tools, and the shelter of stock. 

 Hence the labor is all utilized to some purpose, and there is no unnecessary waste in this 

 respect. Where soiling is practiced, the crops grown for this purpose are near the barn, 

 where they may easily be cut as wanted and fed to the stock, while the yards and sheds are 

 supplied with an abundance of pure, fresh water for watering all the farm animals. The 

 cultivated fields are conveniently located for carting manure and for tillage, and everything 

 seems arranged to help on the farm work, instead of hindering it. On the other hand, some 

 farms seem so arranged as to require double the amount of labor and time in accomplishing 

 the same results. The buildings are not convenient in location or arrangement, and there is 

 not sufficient room for the storage of anything. No water is provided in the yards, and the 



