Book V. DOMESTIC MANAGEMENT. 797 



required during the season for the fields in culture, nor the livestock that will be neces- 

 sary for the pasture land. The works of summer and harvest will likewise be foreseen, 

 and proper hands engaged in due time to perform them. 



4912. A farmer should have constantly in view a judicious rotation of crojis, according 

 to the nature and quality of his soil, and should arrange the quantity and succession of 

 labour accordingly. Team labour, when frost and bad weather do not intervene, should 

 be arranged for some months ; and hand labour, for some weeks, according to the season 

 of the year. " A general memorandum list of business to be done," may therefore be 

 useful that nothing may escape the memory, and that the most requisite work may be 

 brought forward first, if suitable to the state of the weather. In tins way the labour 

 will go on regularly, and without confusion ; while, by a proper attention, either a dis- 

 tribution of labour, or an occasional consolidation of it, may be applied to every part of 

 the farm. 



4913. As general rules, connected with the arrangement, and the successful manage- 

 ment of a farm, the following are particularly to be recommended : — 



4914. The farmer ought to rise early, and see that others do so. In the winter season breakfast should 

 be taken by candle-light, lor by this means an hour is gained which many farmers indolently lose; though 

 six hours in a week are nearly equal to the working part of a winter day. This is a material object, where 

 a number of servants are employed. It is also particularly necessary for farmers to insist on the punctual 

 performance of their orders. 



4915. The whole farm should he regularly inspected, and not only every field examined, but every beast 

 seen, at least once a day, either by the occupier, or by some intelligent servant. 



4916". In a considerable farm.it is of the utmost consequence to have servants specially appropriated 

 for each of the most important departments of labour; for there is often a great loss of time, where per- 

 sons are frequently changing their employments. Besides, where the division of labour is introduced, 

 work is executed not only more expeditiously, but also much better, in consequence of the same hands 

 being constantly employed in one particular department. For that purpose, the ploughmen ought never 

 to be employed in manual labour, but regularly kept at work with their horses, when the weather will 

 admit of it. 



4917. To arrange the operation of ploughing, according to the soils cultivated, is an object of essential 

 importance. On many farms there are fields which are soon rendered unfit to be ploughed, either by 

 much rain or by severe drought. In such cases, the prudent farmer, before the wet season commences, 

 should plough such land as in the greatest danger of being injured by too much wet ; and before the dry 

 period of the year sets in, he should till such land as in the greatest danger of being rendered unfit for 

 ploughing by too much drought. The season between seed-time and winter may be well occupied in 

 working soils intended to be sown with beans, oats, barley, and other spring ciops. On farms where 

 these rules are attended to there is always some land in a proper condition to be ploughed, or to be 

 worked by the improved harrows or grubbers ; and there is never any necessity either for delaying the 

 work, or performing it improperly. 



4918. Every means should be thought of to diminish labour, or to increase its power. For instance, by 

 proper arrangement, five horses may do as much labour as six perform, according to the usual mode of 

 employing them. One horse may be employed in carting turnips during winter, or in other necessary 

 farm. work at other seasons, without the necessity of reducing the number of ploughs. When driving 

 dung from the farm-yard, three carts may be used, one always filling in the yard, another going to the 

 field, and a third returning ; the leading horse of the empty cart ought then to be unyoked, and put to 

 the full one. In the same manner, while one pair of horses are preparing the land for sowing turnips, 

 the other three horses mav be employed in carrying the dung to the land, either with two or three carts, 

 as the situation of the ground may happen to require By extending the same management to other farm 

 operations, a considerable saving of labour may be effected. 



4919. Previously to engaging in a work, whether of ordinary practice, or of intended improvement, 

 the best consideration of which the farmer is capable ought to be given to it, till he is satisfied that it 

 is advisable for him to attempt it. When begun, he ought to proceed in it with much attention and 

 perseverance, until he has given it a fair trial. It is a main object, in carrying on improvements, not to 

 attempt too much at once ; and never to begin a work without a probability of being able to finish it in 

 due season. 



4920. By the adoption of these rules, every farmer ivill be master of his time, so that every 

 tiling required to be done will be performed at the proper moment, and not delayed 

 till the season and opportunity have been lost. The impediments arising from bad wea- 

 ther, sick servants, or the occasional and necessary absence of the master, will, in that 

 case, be of little consequence, nor will they embarrass the operations to be carried on ; 

 and the occupier will not be prevented from attending to even the smallest concerns con- 

 nected with his business, on the aggregate of which his prosperity depends. 



Sect. IV. Domestic Management and personal Expenses. 



4921. On domestic a fairs a hint may suffice. Young farmers beginning house- 

 keeping, like most others in similar circumstances, are apt to sink too great a proportion 

 of their capital in furniture, and furnishing riding-horses, carriages, &c. ; and some- 

 times to live up to, or even beyond, their income. We do not mean that farmers should 

 not live as well as other men of the same property ; but merely that all beginners should 

 live within their income. Even in the marketing expenses care is requisite ; and the 

 prudent farmer will do well, every penny or sixpence he lays out, to reckon up in his 

 mind what that sum per day would amount to in a year. The amount will often 

 astonish him, and lead to economy and, where practicable, retrenchment. Saving, as 

 Franklin has inculcated, is the only certain way of accumulating money. 



4922. In regard to housekeeping, it is observed in The Code of Agriculture, that the 

 safest plan is, not to sutler it to exceed a certain sum for bought articles weekly. An 

 annual sum should be allotted for clothing, and the personal expenses of the farmer, his 



