Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1872-07-25
From the Maryland Farmer.
The LifeEOf;a Farmer.

easier, pleasanter and healthier, and
his home. more attractive, beautiful
and enjoyable, by aaeareful attention
to certain rules too often fors
l.. Too much work is frequently
undertaken, or more land attempted
to be cultivated than the means at
his command will fairly allow. Hav-
ing once started onlthe wrong path,
and only looking It'd ethe profit that
may accrue if all his plans can be ac-
c,mplished, he presses all his ener-
gies into the service, only to find at
the end of the season that the task
he had imposed upon himself was
too heavy, and that much of his labor
has been wasted frpmi the want of
prudent, cautious calculation at the
beginning. It would have been far
better to ) husband Bis strength and
that cf the force at his command, so
that the work couldtbe kept within
the ability Of the field hands and
nothing sighted. Larger acres under
cultivation than cafSbe cropped sue
cessfully, make show and put on an
outward appearance Of prosperity !;
but it is wholly delusive where there
is weakness behind itall. Less land,
better tillage, and fewer mortgages
would do some Of our counties an i'm
mense amount Of geod, and not only
keep tile minds Of embarrassed own
ers easy, but ultimately bring them,
by concentration Of means and power,
an increase of PROSPERITY. The SEN
timent underlying the desire to pre-
serve intact 1.-the paternal acres, is
one which every right thinking mind
| will respect. But there is a point at
which 4 sturdy adherence to it tends
to work serious injury to the owner
of property which hs become an in
pumbrance. This especially the
case WHOM the patsrnal acres are
sadly we ghed with, paternal debt.
For the working Farmer it is far
better that he shoul&lay out for the
season only so much swork as may be
witkin his means ana capacity, and
to do we'll whatever work he under
takes. 1t is also most desirable that
the impoverished land owner, and
and there are many such, should par
tition off portion Of this land into
smaller farms, or seq outright what
he cannot manage Mnveniently, and
concentrate all his ability on small
LEI number Of acres. A hundred
acres we'll manuredsand we'll titled,
will bring him more profit than three
hundred acres indifsrenlly manured
and hurriedly tilleds
2. The work on the farm should
be better systematized than it is usu-
ally. 1t is important that the work
should be SO arrangesEthat there shall
be time allowed for doing everything
that may be required to be done,
withnnt- undue. strsIra and allowing
fer contingencies, 50 that there shall
be a fair margin to count upon in any
event. When once such regulations
are laid down they should be rigidiy
adhered to, for any departure from
them, unless under exceptional cir
cumslances, would be likely to prove
embarrassing. More time is frequent
ly lost at The last moment in thinking
what to do and how to do it, or
where the means to do it shall he
found, than in performing the work
when once determined on and begun
with method and conducted will.
precision. Think, then, beforehand;
map out the things to be done, and it
will be matter of surprise after
while to find how easily the days
routine runs in its groove. OF course
perfect regularity, under all condi
tions Of time, pace, and weather, is
not to be expected, lor Cne Dest plans
fail just as the best regulated rail
way train may break wheel or be
shunted off the track by a damaged
rail.
But any method carefully devised
for carrying on the work Of a farm
systematically and with a due regard
to the circumstances OF the farmer OF
planter, and his ability to command
sufficient force of field hands, when it
is more wanted, is infinitely superior
to a hap-hazard, HAPPY go lucky"
way of trying to do the same things
and just missing it. THERE'S nothing
more beneficial in carrying ON syste-
matte farming than the keeping of a
regular account of income and expen-
diture, and simple diary of each
days occupation, with the condition
of the crops and the state of the
weather. We venture. to say that
the man who does this for two years
faithfully, will find it of so much ad-
vantage, as means of reference and
as assisting to correct slips Of the
memory, that he will scarcely fail to
continue it thencelorward.
8. Pay more attention to the health
Of the body. Care in changing from
thin to thicker garments, or the re-
verse, as the case may be, in accord
ance with the variations of the wealth
er, will often prevent severe attacks
of sickness. Malaria should always
be guarded against, not only by eau
tion in exposing ones self to its bale,
full influences, but by the use OF small
doses Of quinine, and in damp situa-
tions by keeping the apartments dry;
even in hot weather some fire has to