The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1883-04-14
A Plan q Farm Operations.


might be. of the contemplated structure.
He would certainly need something OF
this kind in order to get out the timber
of the right size and lengths. also to de. |
termine the quality of the boards required
to enclose it, and the number OF thou
sands OF shingles needed for the roof, a.
well as the quality and size of nails and
other materials required in its construc-
ton. II the farmer himselfis not a good
mechanic and does not know the rules
for making estimates for such structures,
he will call some one to his aid, perhaps |
the carpenter to whom he intends to
give the Job. and with his assistance the
plan will be drawn up and every detail
carefully studied. even to the size and |
number of stalls for the horses or other |
stock and the space for storage OF fod-
der; in other words the farmer will
count the cost before beginning to build.
But we regret to say that good many
men who would be extremely careful in
making preparations to build so simple
structure as barn, proceed year after
year in their farm operations without
drawing up any sort of plan in advance
of actual labor in the field. Perhaps it
is understood that such . field will be
planted to corn il it can be put in order
by the time of planting, and another in
oats, If work does not crowd too much
somewhere else, and so on all over the
farm but there is no fixed plan OF opera
ton, with careful consideration ofthe
chances OF getting the ground ready in
time and in the best possible order. VI
course, every farmer knows very nearly
how long it will take to pillow given
number OF acres, also to harrow, roll,
cross-plow, plant or sow broadcast or
in drills the various crops he expects to
put in; consequently it would not be any
more difficult to draw up plan of these
operations than to draw up one for
barn. In both cases bad weather might
| interrupt the work. but this must always
be taken into consideration, and allow
ance made for 1t.
But the exact number OF acres to be
titled, the kind of crops, the amount OF
labor required fo- each. with the time at
which the seed should 90 into ground,
should be carefully noted on the farm
plan. When this has all been done, the
questions of cultivation and OF harvest
ing each crop arise. for it often happens
that some kinds of crops requiring at
tention with cultivator and hoe will in
terfere with the harvesting OF another
equally valuable, and the farmer needs
to look out for such cla$hing in time TO
avoid it, unless he has an abundance Of
assistance in the way of farm laborers.
which, we regret to say. is seldom the
case. The result is loss on one crop be-
cause it is overrun with weeds, or on
another because it cannot be harvested
at the proper time and in good order.
Now, the builder knows in advance
about how much stone or brick man
Law in a day, also how many shingles,
and how many days work it will take
to frame the building. enclose it and
finish the various parts, or he could
never make an estimate OF the cost ol
any structure; and while the farmer
might do the same thing in all his opera
, tons, he seldom attempts it. Hence thu
annual cry of '.oyerrun with weeds, "
| .scrops wasted for the want of help
"grain rotting in the field" etc.. all o
which is due to the absence OF plans Of
, operations and simple rules of business
, among average farmers.
III the I8Cllcf OICC kSbS oOAAstA>A 81. -
} work it is hard to catch up. for the weed
, grow while he sleeps, and every da.
? they are left undisturbed only increase
I the cost of their destruction. Thos
e who cultivate the soil know these thing
I by heart, and many to their sorrow; an
e while we would not hold out any encoul
agement to those who are seeking to fin
g some method Of farming without labor
we do think that much hard work an
Q vexation Might be avoided by bein
q more careful in drawing up plans II
: future operations on the farm. Nine
tenths OF our farmers undertake NOR
: than they can accomplish with profi
r They will plant twenty acres OF corr
, when ten is all they can possibly hoe an
. cultivate properly, and the result
= hurry. vexation of mind, and pot
e Weld. The same is true with nearl
!. every other crop; and while all wi
9. acknowledge the fault, they will try
s again next year, hoping to come o.
Q better. although just how it is to be dol
they have no idea beyond the faint hoI
> Of being lucky.
J. It is no wonder that in the absence
l. all system or plans so many farme
u have q hard time Of it. and their CHI
I. dren are glad to escape on the first oppo
le tunity and try something else We ha'
Il an idea that more than one farm
r; might, il he would. call to mind the ia
g that his first note was given for . reape
a. mower, or other implement. because
81 put in bigger crop OF some kind thu
n he could conveniently gather witho
~ outside aid. The implement was pu
- chased, the note given, and when
y maturity it was exchanged for . moi
10 gage on the house. From such misst'
P many farmer can date his beginniI
70 to 90 down-hill and his annual strugg!
70 to raise money to pay interest. i
40 many are over ambitious, and like
- have it said they have the largest nu'
10 Der Of acres in corn Of any in the ne'g
&c borhood. or have raised the most .whe,