The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1875-12-18
M;kt 8at&&+
Work that Pays the Farmer Best.


Work that Pays the Farmer Best.
From the american Agriexlturist.
l do not mean to say that farmers do
not work hard enough. They often
work too hard 1 know intelligent,
well-to-do farmers who do all their own
work in the winter. And they boast Of
it. Nine-tenths of the work they do
could be done, with little superintend-
ence and direction, by man who would
be willing to work for little more than
his board. Surely this is false economy.
There are many things on a farm that
YOU can not hire done. You must do
them yourself-or see that they are
done. am sure it would pay such a
farmer as | have in my mind, to get
man to help him this Winter to do most
of the hard work. And let the farmer
himself spend his time in seeing that
everything is convenient about the
house, in the wood shed, and in the cellar.
Let him look to the stock He can save
fodder and grain enough to more than
pay for the board and wages of the man.
But this is not half the advantage
The stock will receive more care, and
all their little wants will be supplied.
Said farmer to me last Spring, When
we were drawing out manure, | let the
boys drive to the lot and stayed in the
yard because | could put on better loads.
And the cows commenced to give more
milk right Off" Now this man is one
of the best farmers in the county. He
keeps thorough bred Short-horn bull,
and raises capital grades. He has a
splendid barn, that have several times
thought ought to be figured in the
American Agriculturst." He thrashes
by steam; cuts his straw and hay, and
corn-fodder, with big feed cutter,
having an elevator attached. and is
one of our model farmers. But there
is no nonsense about him. He is no
fancy farmer. He is up by four O'Clock,
(Which is the worse thing l know about
him), and looks after his stock. Dur
ing the dav he is in the field or in the
woods He reads the American Agri-
culturist," and | believe gets up club
for it, In short, he is an active, indus
trious, intelligent, experienced farmer !;
aud yet when he is piling manure in the
yards, his cows give a perceptible in
crease in their milk. Why? One of
his handsome grade Short-horns that
be is so proud of, seeing him around,
goes up to him and says, as plain as a
COW can say, "Give me lock of hay"
and he gives it to her. Another says,
"Mr Stephens, don't you thing that
rack wants cleaning out" and on look
ing, he finds to his surprise that there
is lot of dirt, and wet hay seeds, and
rubbish at the bottom. He scrapes it
all out and rubs it clean with some
straw, and as soon as his load is filled,
and while he is waiting for the next
wagon, he gets little feed and puts it
in the rack, and the cows eat it and feel
grateful. Between the next loads he
takes the currycomb and brush, and
gives one of the cows a good cleaning.
The other cows come round him, and he
has gentle word and friendly pat fol-
each of them. He is a good looking
man, and the cows like to look at him
He is gentleman and his presence has
a soothing effect They chew the cud
of contentment and peace. AS he goes
past the pump be asks the cows if they
want little fresh water They had
net thought about it, but they drink a
little just to please him. And so it goes
on all day. No wonder the cows gives
more milk at night.