MAKING PLANS THAT WORK 73 



litter at agreed weight of 340 pounds @ 8i/^^. Note 

 pig left in pasture has bronchial cough. Used last of 

 stored carrots memo.: store more next year. Broke 

 into first kraut barrel. Medlock Jacqueline bred to 



Z 's bull: check for conception this day three 



weeks. J cut and hauled firewood." 



Observe the references to first and last things; 

 unless a note is made of the date the last carrots 

 or the first sauerkraut are eaten there is no guess- 

 ing how many more carrots should be planted or 

 how much earlier the kraut should be laid down 

 next year. 



At first my diaries were chiefly notable for 

 omissions. A year or so of hunting through last 

 year's records to see when we did this or ought 

 to do that, and if so how much, supplied the cor- 

 rective. Year after year the diaries become more 

 valuable. If I had it to do over I should augment 

 them with written orders, like army field messages; 

 I have used them a good deal as it is a note left 

 beside the milk bucket is quicker and easier than 

 getting up at milking time but I have not kept 

 a duplicate file. 



