Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-03-04
A9rieutturat.
Farm Work for Winter.

Il
weeks since, we said TO him, in the course oi
conversation, what are you doing this winter ?
III verv concise, and dJubtiess truthful
reply, WAS, s. Nothing - meaning thereby
that he merely getting home his usual
st jck of fuel, and tending his small stock Of
cattle. There is reason TO believe that
many farmers spend TO little profit much
tim every winter, which, if properly eIn 10y
cd, would render the inclemcnt DAVIS of that
season as valuable TO them as those Gl plant
ing or harvest time. We wish 10 call 10
mind some of the duties u the performance
of which this season is peculiarly favorable
L. Success in any business demands care
full thought on the part OK him who pursues
IL. 1t does not come from has guidance Of
chance or instinct, or inspiration. <ucce5s
comes from we'll devised plans carefully
executed. The thoughtful is generally
the successful one. AMI thu remark is as
true Of the farmer of the manufacturer or
the merchant. If he would make the most
of his situation he must from tune t. time
survey it carefully, not only generally. but
in all its details. He must consider we'll his
previous operations and learn the cause and
Consequences OF their several successes or
failures. He must study the condition Of
his farm in all Its parts its peculiar adapta
tions and all its capacities OF Improvement
Havin- done this, ne Is prepared to settle
his programme of procedure for the succeed
ing year, without which he vill simply drift
well defined and carefully maturcd plan
of the years work Is of vast import nce.
Without a high degree Of success Is simply
impossible. But all this cannot be done IL
a day or a week, or when he is pressed with
hard work tie can best do 1t when mos- at
leisure, and particularly favorable for il are
the stormy days Of winter.
Q a lar greater degree Of skill and intelli-
gence is now entering into the conduct Of
the various operations OF husbandry than
formerly. Important advances are being
continually made towards better cultIva
ton Of the soil. the improvements of the
breeds OfdOmestic animals and the pr0duc-
ton OF new and better Implements Of nus
bandry- OF these the farmer cannot afford
To be in ignorance. The very high price OF
IaDO- readers Of vast imp 1rtancc economy in
the use Of it, together with the selection OIL
such products for cultivation and such q
system of hushandTy shall secure the most
profitable net returns. While the know.e lge
requisite for this Is gIined in part from
experience, very much can be obtained only
from n careful study Of agricultural period
Gals and books which record the efforts and
thoughts Of others in similar directions.
The best time u PeTusc these Is IN winter.
when the evenings are long and the day.
Oftentimes but partially occupied by 0ut-oE
doors work. The success OF oar farmer
quires careful, pttient thought, and q kn0wl-
ed - Of the best ways of doing Whatever Is
70 be done on the farm. Inc brain and
the hand must work together and support
each other.
3. We take it for granted that every good
farmer keeps accurate account of his re
ceipts and expenditures. Thed of trusting
to the memory a record of business trausac-
tions, oftcntimes Involving large amounts
by. 81 has the day Of oring them in chalk
upon the doors Of the barn or the house. or
in pencil upon loose fragments of paper
liable to be lost or misiaid at any time. he
account book Is as necessary in the farm
house as in the counting room lt costs too
much to do without it.
Some persons net only carefully record
their pecuniary transL ciOn5, but keep
accounts with their several fields and crops
AMI note, also, from time TO time, the tenn
perature and important changes Of weather
the progress of vegetation and the results of
experiments made. Such records are both
instructive and suggestive in proportion TO
their importance and the accuracy with
which they are kept. If, for instance, upon
examination it appears that the balance due
from nei ghbOr i. who don't believe in 90 book
farming has averaged some one hundred
dollars or more for the last five years, the
natural inference arises that halt a dozen
dollars a year might have been saved by a
pretty frequent settlement of his account
And if upon further examination it shall
appear that while field No. l is paying a net
profit of two hundred dollars per annum,
field No. =, of the sane ze and quality Of
sol. is paying three times that amount, a
knowledge of that simple fact will probably
lead to the improvement of No /, and the
consequent increase of its owners income.
We know Of no more profitable way of
spending little of the leisure of winter than
in studying a well kept farm journal and
account book It may at times cause
Struggling at the shoulders, but it will pro-
mote economy. enterprise and thrift.-Con
cord, n. IT., Monitor.