60 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



and harness, so that in the morning (which according to the 

 proverb lias gold in its mouth) no time shall be lost, is the 

 best way, I have found, to keep things square, "with the work 

 right up to the season's front" from day to day. 



There yet remains a subject which, if not so important in a 

 pecuniary aspect as some we have considered, is still quite as 

 likely to affect the farmer's reputation among those who are 

 not particularly familiar with farming as any we have dis- 

 cussed. I refer to keeping the premises, and particularly the 

 door-yard, neat and trim. On most farms there is no neces- 

 sity for having a brush-pile in front of the house, nor all the 

 old carts and sleds assembled as if they were the chief attrac- 

 tion of the homestead. Such things we see more often than 

 is to the credit of our fraternity. If we must clutter, let us 

 keep it out of sight as much as possible, for both strangers 

 and thrifty farmers will mark us down in the scale if we are 

 negligent in this regard. 



In closing this article, if I was asked to write down the 

 secret of profitable farming, I should like to call your atten- 

 tion to the sentiment expressed by Steele, in a letter to the 

 "Spectator," under date of Jan. 23, 1712, which is as follows : 

 — "He who promises himself anything but what may naturally 

 arise from his own property or labor, and goes beyond the 

 desire of possessing above two parts in three even of that, lays 

 up for himself an increasing heap of afflictions and disappoint- 

 ments." How significant these words to-day, in this panic of 

 those who make haste to be rich by speculation and fraud. 



Since to our labor we look, we must be active, must know 

 that time is precious, and learn to be quick, for there are so 

 many duties to attend to, that, with all the machinery of mod- 

 ern farming, we shall fail to realize the benefit of the state- 

 ment that "much increase is ])y the strength of the ox," unless 

 we apply that executive ability to all departments of our work, 

 which has ever characterized those whose success has made 

 them famous in any of the industrial pursuits of the world. 



The counsel which Dickens puts into the mouth of one of 

 his wise old men, who is advising a nephew about to start in 

 life, is worthy the careful study of all young men. He says : 

 "The world is before you ; as you enter it so will it receive 

 you ; if you had the abilities of all the great men past and 



