268 
Management of a Home Farm. 
8. The Bailiff. 
He is in Ireland designated a steward, in Scotland a grieve or 
overseer, while " farm manager " will either describe or designate 
the office all the world over. The duties and occupation attached 
to this position are certainly among the most pleasant which can 
be met with : they are not the most highly paid, probably because 
pleasure and profit together are more than can be often obtained. 
The same activity and abilities devoted to almost any other line 
of business would generally procure very different emoluments. 
The bailiff occupies an intermediate position, between the 
owner and those with whom he has dealings through the farm. 
Hence, although retaining his individuality, it is right that he 
should as far as possible carry out the views and intentions of the 
principal. If a resident agent has the control, he in most 
respects represents the owner ; it is, therefore, well that there 
should be a fair understanding at the outset. The principal or 
his agents have the ric/ht to interfere or to direct at any given 
time, and if the bailiff" acts wisely he will give such general 
directions as will ensure their orders being attended to, though 
bis own for the time shall remain unfulfilled. But this is a right 
which few honourable men care to exercise, except in an unfore- 
seen emergency. The employer may also purchase, either 
personally or by commission, any stock which his taste or fancy 
may incline to. It makes no difference in the world to the bailiff" 
but to lessen his responsibility ; let his temper, therefore, remain 
unruffled. In a case which we knew some years ago, where the 
owner was fond of buying and selling personally, a very great 
mistake had been committed in the purchase of a lot of Irish 
animals, which, with all the feeding that could be given, had 
ultimately to be turned out at a sacrifice. " I told your Lordship 
so," said the bailiff" ; and a cheque for the quarter's salary was 
the immediate result of that morning's remark. It is no use 
offering one's opinion, unless such opinion is asked or expected ; 
for we again repeat that the principal has a perfect right to take 
that share in the management personally which he sees fit. 
Times, also, will occur when the manager is requested to be 
in attendance upon his employer, and that, too, at a period when 
business urgently claims his presence elsewhere. By all means 
attend the former, and make such arrangements as you best can 
for the latter. Country gentlemen especially, have often so many 
engagements on hand, that they cannot aff"ord to wait, but must 
be waited upon — besides Avhich, they pay for such attention. 
The settlement of marketing and other incidental expenses 
often forms a source of annoyance, which had better be avoided. 
There have been cases where no expenses at all were charged— 
