THE FARMERS' CABINET, 



DEVOTED TO AGRICULTURE, HORTICULTURE AND RURAL ECONOMY. 



Vol. I. 



PhiSadelpJiia, October 15, 1§36. 



Wo. 7. 



Published l>y 

 MOORE & WATERIIOUSE, 



jYo. G7 South Second SI. Pliila. 



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THE F AHIflCERS' C^BI£JET . 



Washington's Agricultural 

 ]^iotes. 



[Notwithstanding the numerous public avoca- 

 tions and duties in which \Vashington was en- 

 gaged for a large portion of his life, it is known, 

 that to no one object did he give so much of his 

 time and attention as to Agriculture. 'I'he fre- 

 quency and minuteness of hi.-i directions to his 

 managers on this head, and the unceasing cor- 

 respondence which he kept up during his absence 

 from Mount Vernon, are truly astonishing, when 

 it is considered in what important and absorbing 

 interests his mind was perpetually occupied. 

 We have selected a few particulars from his 

 papers, which, at the same time they illustrate 

 his agricultural habits, may in part serve as 

 practical hints, or salutary maxims to farmers in 

 general.] 



1. Directions to the Manager of his Farm. 



A system closely pursued, although it may 

 no* in all its parts be the best that could be 

 Vol. 1.— No. 7. 



devised, is attended with innumerable ad- 

 vantages. The conductor of the business, 

 in this case, can never be under any dilemma 

 in his prnceedirijrs. The overseers, and 

 even the laborers, know what is to he done, 

 and what they are capable of duinir, in ordi- 

 nary seasons. The force to be employed 

 may be in due proportion to the work which 

 is to be performed, and a reasonable and 

 tolerably accurate estimate may be made of 

 the product. But when no plan is fixed, 

 when directions flow from day to day, the 

 business becomes a mere chaos, frequently 

 shiftincr, and sometimes at a stand, for want 

 of knowing what to do, or the manner of 

 doing it. Thus is occasioned a waste of 

 time, which is of more importance than is 

 generally imagined. 



Nothing can so effectually obviate the 

 evil, as an established sijsleni, made known 

 to all who are actors in it, that all may be 

 enabled thereby to do their parts to advan- 

 tage. Tliis gives ease to the principal con- 

 ductor of the business, and is more satisfac- 

 tory to the persons who immediately over- 

 look it, less harrassing to the laborers, as 

 well as more beneficial to the employer. 



Under this view of the subject, the prin- 

 cipal service, which you can render me, is 

 to explain to the overseers (who will be fur- 

 nished with duplicates) the plan, in all its 

 parts, which is hereafter detailed ; to hear 

 their ideas with respect to the order in which 

 the different sorts of work therein pointed 

 out shall succeed each other, for the purpose 

 of carrying it on to the best advantage; to 

 correct any erroneous projects they may be 

 disposed to adopt ; and then to see that they 

 adhere strictly to whatever may be resolved 

 on, and that they are always (except when 

 otherwise permitted) on their farms, and 

 with their people. The work, under such 

 circumstances, will go on smoothly ; and, 

 that the stock may be well fed, littered, and 

 taken care of according to the directions, it 

 will be necessary to inspect the conduct of 

 the overseers in this particular, and those 

 also whose immediate business it is to attend 

 upon them, with a watchful eye ; otherwise, 

 and generally in severe weather, when atten- 

 tion and care are most needed, they will be 

 most neglected. 



Economy in all things is as commendable 



