Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1867-02-07
Farmers Eoonomizing Time.

Of all the industrial pursuits in
which our population are occupied,
none suffers so materially from mis-
management and waste of time as
farming. Almost all other callings
have an UNMARRIED routine, and the
machinery moves so many hours each
day, summer or winter, warm or cold.
Not so with one who cultivates the
soil. No "ten hour" system can sue
ceed ON the farm, in the long summer
days, when every hour counts, and
when the farmer feels that "time is
money" When the foul weed and
tenacious grasses are doing their ut
most under hot sum- to dispute with
the cultivated crops, the possession
of the rich soil, when the ripened har-
vest and the new-made hay are wait
ing to be housed, the farmer, the sue
cessfuI farmer, finds the day none too
long "from sun to sun"
He who tills his own acres is, not
withstanding, the most independent,
the most free of any among us. And
this very freedom, may easily, nay
often does, work his failure. If you
go among the farmers in the winter
season, you will find they have plen-
ty of leisure. True, they have their
thrcshing to attend to, their wood to
cut, and perhaps hay to haul home
from distant stacks. But, attend to
these at their convenience, much time
is frittered away in such a manner as
would surely work ruin in any other
pursuit. That the farmer should have
relaxation from his severe labors is
right and proper. And while others
have their recreations mostly in mid
summer, he must take his in winter.
But recreation and reasonable enjoy
ment are no waste of time What we
refer to is spending the days, whole
days and half days, frequently with
out any forethought or plan, and pro-
ducing no tangible result If any far
mer will make record at the close
of each day during the winter, of the
probable nett results of the day, he
will be surprised to find how much
he is losing from mere want of fore
thought and plan. We would have
our farmers remember that time is
money, not only in summer but in
winter too.
There is much winter work, on al
most every farm, which should be
performed just as Systematically as
the harvests are gathered in summer.
Swamp lands to be cleared up no
time but winter is fit for this. Fuel
to be procured and stored until anoth-
er winter. Fencing material to be
prepared and distributed, ready for
the opening spring. Supplies of any,
and all kinds, wherewith to replenish
the manure-heap, the stable and the
pigsty There are few farmers where
the materials for the manure and COM
post-heap may not be had in abun-
dance for the mere hauling and eve
ry load will make a return in gold.
These things should be attended to
noa0, in winter And they should be
attended to Systematically OF all oc.
cupations, that of the farmer requires
the most rigid adherence to rule and
this rule should be made to apply to
all his time, because no other man is
so free to use his time as he pleases.
Let the work be planned out in ad
vance planned for fair weather OF
foul planned so that every day will
tell planned with view to what
will be wanted when the long sum
mer days come again ; planned SC
that time may be economical, not
wasted N. Y. Observer.