SERVANT. 



farming bufi.icfs. Nothing, he contends, contributes more 

 to facility and fati^faction in this fort of bofinefs, than a 

 forecall toward works to be done. A mifcarriage is ever 

 to be dreaded as a mifchief ; and when it is brought on by 

 a want of forethought, it brings with it a degree of difcredit, 

 and a train of unpLafaut reflections, which four every enjoy- 

 ment. This kind of fervant (hould, he thiiikrf, have a fore- 

 caft towards crops for three or four years ; toward team- 

 labour for as many months ; and (hould look forward with 

 a view to hard labour for fome weeks, according to the 

 feafon of the year. And to bring it to a decree of certainty, it 

 is neceiiary to make out a lift of the fields, or parcels of land, 

 of which the farm confilts ; with the crops which each has 

 borne for fome years back ; together with the manurings 

 which they have feverally received, in order that the future 

 treatment of each may be decided upon with fufficient ac- 

 curacy. And to prepare every autumn, by the alliftance 

 of fuch lift, an arrangement of the crops that are intended 

 for the enfuing year ; clafling the fields, or pieces, accord- 

 ing to the purpofes for which they (hall be intended : thus 

 afcertaining the quantity of each crop, whether arable or 

 grafs, as well as the quantity of ground intended for pafture ; 

 in order that the quantity of team-labour may be diftinftly 

 forefeen, — the required llrength be eftimated from time to 

 time, — and the feveral crops be fown in due feafon ; and in 

 order that the ftock of the enfuing fummer may, in due 

 time, be properly apportioned to the intended quantity of 

 pafture ground ; as well as that the works of fummer and 

 harveft may be conftantly before the eye ; and proper hands 

 be engaged, iu time, to perform them in feafon, and with 

 the neceiiary difpatch and certainty. And he further 

 advifes a fort of m.emorandura lift to be kept of bufinels to 

 be done, — immediately, — or in immediate fucceflion ; whether 

 it relate to crops or to any other concerns of the farm ; that 

 nothing may efcape the memory ; and that the moft re- 

 quifitc may be brought forward firft ; or another which is 

 more fuitable to the (late of the weather, or other circum- 

 ftances. In this, as well as other bufinefs, the great objeft 

 to be aimed at is that of enfuring fuccefs ; which is not 

 only profitable to an employer, but fatisfaftory to tlie perfon 

 employed. Whereas a mifcarriage injures al once the pro- 

 perty of the one, and the charafter, as well as peace of mind, 

 of the other. Hence a farm manager ought to engage in 

 a work, whether of improvement or ordinary pradlice, with 

 caution; and to proceed in it with attention and firmnefs. A 

 ftanding rule, refpefting this main objeft of management, is 

 not to attempt too much, and never to begin a work without 

 a moral certainty of being able to finifli it in due icalon. 



Further ; but befides the common work of a farm, ae 

 the culture and harvefting of crops, the rearing and fatten- 

 ing of live-ftock, and the bufinefs of markets ; there are 

 various other objcAs of attention which ought to be 

 conftantly kept in the mind, or in the mind's way, of 

 a manager ; as on them the difference between good and 

 bad, between correCl and (lovcnly management, very 

 much depends ; fuch as keeping the homeltall in repair, 

 and free from impediments ; attending to private roads 

 and driftways ; keeping up fences, every where, in 

 thorough repair ; attending particularly to young hedges, 

 and to the rearing of hedge-row timber ; the feeing that 

 gates fwing clear, and catch with certainty; equslly to 

 preferve them from injury, and to prevent loiife (lock 

 from going aftray ; the attending to drains and watcr-courfes ; 

 to fee that fuperlluous waters have free paUages to tlieir 

 proper outlets, and be readily ditcharged. And it is ad- 

 vifed, that in fummer ftrift attention be paid to drinking- 



pools and other watering places of ftock, as well as to the 

 ftate of. pafturiiig, and ilie Hiifting of paftiiring ftock. 

 Likewife to weeds, as well in graf-; groui.ds as iu arable 

 lands, to fee that not a thiltle blows, nor any other weed 

 manures its feed, either in the areas, or on the borders of 

 fields, as great injury is done by their (heddiiig their feeds. 



Alfo in winter, much care is nccefl'ary to the caf.le-ftock, 

 not only to fee that they are regularly fupplied with proper 

 fodder ; but that fufficient (helter and comfortable refting- 

 places are afligned them, fo that they may be kept in a 

 proper thriving ftate. At this feafon alfo the vi'atcring of 

 grafs-lands ftiould be attended to as much as the nature of 

 the fituation will admit. And to the accumulation of 

 manure an unremitted care (hould be bellowed the year 

 round, as upon it much depends. And on the whole, to 

 perform thele and other objefts w-ith propriety, repeated 

 examinations of every part and particular under his care ; 

 and committing to his memory whatever requires his more 

 immediate attention ; fo that whether he is on the fpot, or 

 arranging his plan of operation, in the hour of leii'ure, it 

 may be prefent to his mind, and take its proper courfe in 

 the routine of work which is to be carried forward. 



It may be noticed, that in the time of work the bufinefg 

 of a managing fervant lies in the field, in executing the 

 plans he has formed, in palling from one fet of work- 

 people to another : not more to fee that the difl'erent 

 operations are rightly executed, with proper difpatch, than 

 to order any required aflTiftance, (to the teams moft efpe- 

 cially,) in order that every part of the machine may be 

 kept in profitable motion. And that in the ordinary ope- 

 rations of hufbandry, and on common occafions, a (teady 

 even pace be recommended ; equally for the good of work- 

 ing animals, and the work which they are performing. 

 Neverthelefs, there are times when quick difpatch is necef- 

 fary : and then it is his duty to encourage good fpeed ; by 

 his example, and by promifes of reward, if the occafiun re- 

 quire it. That at all times, and on every occafion, idlenefs 

 is a crime which ought not to be fuffered to pafs with im- 

 punity. It is a diredt fraud ; and a manager (hould guard 

 againft it with the fame care and affiduity as againft pilfer- 

 ing. A day labourer who idles away an hour, robs his 

 employer of an hour's wages ; and thereby injures him as 

 much as if he were to ftcal a faggot of equal value. This 

 truth requires to be deeply imprinted on the minds of la- 

 bourers. He has known the imprellion to have a good 

 effeft. But he properly remarks, that the right ordering 

 of fervants and work-people is a difficult branch of moral 

 duty ; and forms an important part of that oi the managing 

 fervant. They require to be treated according to their 

 refpeftive merits ; encouraging good ones by extra wages, 

 or other rewards. Some men are worth double the wages 

 of others, as day labourers. Yet cuftom makes no tliftinc- 

 tion between them in this rcfpeft ! Hence the propriety 

 of engaging the beft workmen the country allord., ; and 

 retaining them, by civil treatment, and fuitable encourage- 

 ments. The managing lervant (hould keep his work people 

 at a proper diftance, without deftroying that free commu- 

 nication of opinion refpeCting the work in hand, whicli, on 

 ordinary occafions, every intelligent workm n (hould be 

 allowed. And a (landing rule of conduiA, in the ordering 

 of workmen, is never to find fault without occafion : nor to 

 commend, without reafon. G"'>d fellows will not biook 

 the former, nor will bad ones be mended by the latter. 

 But it is right to habituate workmen in general to be told 

 of their faults ; firft, in the mihUft terms the occafion will 

 admit of; relerving the warmth uf temper for extraordinary 



occafions ; 



