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152 



THE GEISTISEE FARMER. 



fertility, whan the elements contained in them are 

 developed. 



In many sections of the country, draining tile can- 

 not be procured at present Vv'ithout incurring great 

 espense, but this need not be an obstacle in the way 

 of underd raining, as a durable and effective drain may 

 be made by filling with small stone. When stone are 

 to be used, the drain should be dug one foot in width 

 on the bottom, and in depth as the case may require, 

 say from two and a quarter feet to three and a half 

 feet. If the descent be not too great, lay a row of 

 stones of uniform size, and as near square as they can 

 be produced, on each side of the bottoni of the drain, 

 leaving a space of about four inches in width between 

 the rows of stone; cover nicely with flat stone, and 

 then fill with small ones, to within ten inches of the 

 surface. Many who have had experience in draining, 

 argue in favor of throwing all the stones in loosely in 

 all cases. Where the descent is very rapid, this is 

 decidedly the better way; but where there is no lia- 

 bility to wash, I prefer laying in a regular water course. 

 When this method of draining is practiced on springy 

 land, it serves a threefold purpose. It clears the land 

 of small stone; it converts cold springy places into 

 dry productive soil; and last, though not least, where- 

 ever a drain discharges, there will be good cold water 

 for stock during the dry weather of summer. 



Middlthurs-li, JV. Y. W. Gaensey. 



ON THE advam:ages of fosethought in faem- 



ING OPEEATIONS. 



" Look ahead," says the tar to his comrade, when 

 nearing the shore, " Watch the breakers." So say 

 we to the farmer. In all your business, look ahead. 

 No business can be successfully pursued without sys- 

 tem, and least of all the management of a farm; and 

 a well regulated plan of operations, is not the result 

 of a random thought, but of reflection, based on 

 knowledge, derived from experience, reading, or ob- 

 servation. The man who works his farm at random, 

 labors to but little purpose. He may toil early and 

 late — even to weariness, but disappointment will be 

 the result. Much that he intended to do will be left 

 undone for want of time, and what is undertaken will 

 "be but half performed, and often out of its proper 

 season. Such a man wastes his time, his energies and 

 his strength, in a round of toil and anxiety, without 

 accomplishing much that is of any profit. 



System requires a regular plan of business, proper- 

 ly digested by forethought, and the benefit of such a 

 plan must be apparent, even at a casual glance It 

 saves time and money and strength, and avast amount 

 of vexatious care. Let a farmer, during the long 

 evenings and stormy days of winter, aided by two or 

 three reliable agricultural papers, plan his business 

 for the coming season, and he will be prepared at the 

 return of spring to enter upon it with vigor and ration- 

 al prospect of success. He has well calculated the 

 relative strength of his forces, and will therefore un- 

 dertake no more business than can, in ordinary cir- 

 cumstances, be successfully accomplished. His work, 

 therefore, invites rather than drives him. He has 

 settled beforehand what fields to plant, what to sow 

 with the%'arious kinds of grain, where and in what 

 manner to apply his manure and^other fertilizers, and 

 the best method of cultivating the various crops. — 

 Each branch of business is therefore attended to at 

 the proper season and in the best manner. The vari- 



ous crops are not cultivated in a hurried and sloven- 

 ly manner, but the work is well done. 



He also reaps the benefit of forethought in another 

 respect He is not only up with his business in point 

 of time, but his tools are all in working order at the 

 proper season, i ; Having a place for every thing, and 

 every thing in its place, he knows where to find each 

 article when wanted. His tools have been examined 

 during his leisure, broken ones have been repaired, 

 and new ones that are needed purchased. When 

 ready to engage in any business, he does not have to 

 waste time by running to the blacksmith or to the 

 carpenter to get his tools repaired nor to bis neigh- 

 bor to borrow, where he is liable to disappointment, 

 and to have his work thus hindered. 



The same principle will lead him to have his seed 

 in readiness for planting and sowing. Care is neces- 

 sary in this respect, in order to have that which is 

 free from a mixture of foul seeds, and such as will 

 readily germinate. The prudent, thoughtful farmer 

 will save his own and not depend upon his neighbor. 

 He thus knows the article he sows or plants, and is 

 not liable to have his calculations disappointed by a 

 poor one. If he wishes to exchange with a neighbor, 

 or is under the necessity of purchasing, he does it in 

 season, before the market is drained and is compelled 

 to take an article comparatively valueless. He se- 

 cures the best that can be obtained, and is not there- 

 fore liable to disappointment in harvest. 



As a part of a systematic course of farming, the 

 fences will all be put in repair at the opening of 

 spring; timber will be cut at the proper time, and not 

 left until the moment needed; and thus the owner is 

 not necessitated to leave his plow standing in the fur- 

 row, nor his scythe in the sv.'ath to mend a dilapidat- 

 ed fence, to keep his own or his neighbors cattle out 

 of mischief; he can lie down and sleep quietly at 

 night, feeling that his crops are secure. 



The advantages of forethought are also seen ia the 

 management of stock. The prudent farmer will keep 

 no more than can be kept in a thriving condition. — 

 He calculates well the amount of feed his farm pro- 

 duces, and therefore regulates his stock accordingly. 

 He considers that an animal that is well housed, and 

 regularly fed, and all its wants cared for will thrive 

 on much less food than one that is fed at irregular 

 intervals, and is left without shelter during storms 

 and cold; he therefore provides comfortable shelter 

 for his animals, as well as for himself, and a sufficient- 

 quantity of nutritious food. He is not obliged to 

 spend all his income to purchase feed to keep his half 

 starved stock through the winter. 



Thus the advantages of forethought may be seen 

 in every part of farm management; while the random 

 farmer fails in his crops, exhausts his soil and spends 

 his time in hurried, fretful, anxious toil, without hard- 

 ly securing a comfortable livelihood, the man of pre- 

 concerted system grows rich, his farm increases in 

 beauty and value, he has more money in his pocket, 

 more leisure for making improvements, and for the 

 enjoyment of social life, and less anxiety and vexa- 

 tious care. His farm becomes a model for imitation 

 and he a benefactor to his race. His abundant har- 

 vests furnish a supply for his wants and those of his 

 family, as well as the animals dependent upon his care; 

 and when dreary winter approaches, they are all well 

 cared for, and he can enjoy his comfortable fire side, 

 and eye the gathering storm, or hear the tempest 

 howl without, and heed it not. H'jbest. _ 



