No. 4.] EMPLOYMENT OF FARM LABOR. 417 



and your words may come to the men themselves, and be the 

 cause of no little ill feeling. In the case of men no longer 

 employed, you do them an injustice, besides hurting your- 

 self indirectly among other men, who might desire to work 

 for you, but who will hesitate if you have the repute of giv- 

 ing a man a bad name. 



If the question of recommendation comes, give such an 

 one as you honestly can, — such an one as you would wish 

 to receive from a former employer, if the man were coming 

 to you instead of leaving your employment. 



Treat a man well while he is with you and he will feel that 

 it is his interest to stay with you, and as a rule he will 

 try to meet your wishes. If a better place is offered to him 

 than you can afford to give, help him to take it with good- 

 will, and pay him for the time he has served you. If these 

 simple rules are followed, three men will apply for the 

 vacancy for every man that leaves you, and it is your own 

 fault if you cannot make a fair selection. 



Remember the exacting, never-ending duties of the farm, 

 three hundred and sixty-five clays in the year, and make 

 reasonable allowance before finding fault ; and be sure, for 

 every fault-finding, cross word N spoken, you lose more than 

 you gain. 



These rules apply equally well to the help kept in the 

 house ; and, if faithfully carried out, good servants will 

 soon apply when a vacancy occurs, and will stay with you 

 till some good cause takes them away. Such has been the 

 experience of the writer for nearly twenty years. During 

 the whole time but two men have met with prompt dis- 

 charge, though a good many have found their term of ser- 

 vice short, and no opening for a return. 



Second, the kind of men to be employed. For a great 

 number of farms, where but one or two men are employed, 

 many different kinds of work are to be done, from holding 

 the plough to picking the apples ; and the man is often 

 received as a member of the family. On such farms too 

 much care cannot be used in making a selection, or too much 

 consideration used in keeping a good man when found. The 

 character, the habits and the way of doing work of such a 

 man have much influence on the farmer's growing boys, and 



