Method in Farming.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 169, 11 September 1886, Page 4

Method in Farming.

In our daily researches amongst agricultural literature that we may gather the. gold of common sense, practical experience,, and scientific discovery for the benefit of the readers of The 1 Farmer, we, have' coitne. across the following observations, which for the Avise advice' and solid business truth 'they contain w e comrnejid 'to the thoughtful perusal of all andsundry among the ranks of colonial farmers :-*-'' i ■••..' System i§ .the soul t of success and progress \in eyeiy hat)dicia|t, and most emphatically so in farming. In order to make any satisfactory advancement it becomes necessary to adopt and carry out a well defined system ~of labor. '• Let this fact be 1 deeply eingiaved on" the memory, for 'no people are greater Violators of- this sound -business, principle than farmers. As a consequence,' none have made slower progress in improving aad elevating 'thenaselves than they. While we do no*- believe that their tardy advancement iyj ov. ing entirely to their lack of method in tho 1 rdutine 'of fimn' life,' yet thereis no duuut but it has had much to do with it. And unless favmt rs amteiicl greatly in this respect', they and their calling must inevitably continue at a low ebb.' We. know well enough that the varied and 'ex- . tensive operations' of a large 1 farm are very hard to reduce to a thorough' system, but something approaching it 1 can be done and should bo attempted, and till then it is vain to look for -any decided program. All should make the effort to reduce thing's to a system.- The in st' attempts may be discouraging failures, but let all persevere. Failures are t'eachurs, and every effort mad& renders each succeeding one easier and more certain of success. - The farmer should' take a' prospective glance at the operations of the year, and then<draw up some plan of operations ' ttf guide him. The tanner should have with him at all times' a nole-boOk 1 and pencil to enter any suggestive 'or valuable thoughts as they occur. >■ Alany* happy 'idea would thus be preserved to him.V ( Bach day should have its routine of labour and duties all clearly marked out, for as are the daysso will be ihe months and years -There' ought to be l a regular time for 'feeding the slock, a time tfbr breakfast, a 'time to begin, work, & stated - recess at noon,- and a -regular -period for- closing the day's operations at night.- !i ' ' Another important rule is too 1 much 'neglected. • The farmer must Order hte work according to the state of the weather. He musb have work for the rainy days as well as for the fair days. By ordering his \tork according to the weather, especially iflhwinter, the tanner can perform more at less tax to the 'systenvthan he otherwise would. • One cannot »ork well in an open» exposed place on -a cold, windy day, but if he theltei Himself.* by fa-belt of' woods he can do a good day's' work. -In this way'tha farmer can- 'make better^ progress, and Mith more ease *and comfort tohimself and team, than= he can By % persisting in one, thiHg till .tho job is finished. However d«sirable and wise it-mdy be not/ to have " too> many irons in the fire atganie time, " yet the weather»is so potertt a factor iri the labours of the farm that it isal ways well nottohaVa any, Mede and Persian laws ' to observe. This change of work to suit 1 -the conditions of the weather will not interfere- \Vith system. This is a. part of the system. ' iOf course there is a certain amount of dailyroutine that must be gone through -with, despite the weather, but the field and 1 farm work will readily admitof change itf winter at least.. . '.>• ■' ,- I 5 ><■ ' »>• ■> It We insist upon ■ system. 'iThere' is ,na getting along without it. As the farmer •&hould l have a map of 'his farm so he* should, have the farm Work aIL mapped out; as 'fair as can be; nnd thus'by having a 1 definite object in view lie would the more certainly arrive at a deunito end; -,>.,..