St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1884-01-12
What Next |!

| Truly. 1t Is wise man who knows
what to do next. Herein lies the whole
secret of farm management, where the
old saying aptly applies.
TO be sure, there is a certain routine
about farm work. but unlike many other
caliings, it is subject to interruption and
change with the varying seasons which
bring about from time to tine new con-
d tons and phases.
The farmer who can best adapt HIM
self to these varying conditions is usu-
ally the most successful farmer. He
must not only be well prepared to meet
pres mt demands upon him in the way
of labor, but he must also anticipate. ii
the finishing of one seasons work is
delayed until another season with its
attendant duties is upon him, he labors
under all the disadvantages incident to
| unreasonable work. 1t is hard to re-
cover ground so lost, and that is the
reason why we see SO many farmers 4
few days behind time with their work
oil the year round.
1t is not always the habitual procras-
tinator, or the shiftless man, that ..gets
left in this way. 1t is often the too
ambitious one.
In the early fall our neighbor (never
ourselves), in his anxiety to clean up a
stumpy or stony field, puts all his avail
able force into this work, allowing his
corn to stand unhusked and his veoeta-
bles to remain in the ground during the
fine weather of early autumn. So long
as the weather is fine he feels perfectly
easy concerning them, The potatoes
are better off in the ground, he thinks,
and there is no hurry about the corn, of
course.
Such q man deserves to husk with
cold fingers, as he surely will. The
worst of it is. that his procrastinating
habits sometimes lead to serious losses,
which Others must suffer with him.
The man who is always little behind
with his farm work will usually be a lit
tie slack about making his family COM
Portable for the winter Even the Door
dumb animals under his care must suf-
fer in consequence of his mismanape-
ment. The corn fodder will be bleach
ed and injured by long continued expo
sure, but it must be fed out, or he will
come short in his winters supply of
feed. Owing to the delay of outside
work. the stables are not put in order
for proper protection against severe
winter weather, resulting, again, in dis
comfort to stock, and loss to the owner,
The cellar is not banked until the frost
has worknd in, thus causing a portion
of the vegetables to become frosted.
The supply of wood is exhausted, and
during all that weather when good, dry
wood is most needed. the family are
obliged to SILVER around greenwood
fire.
These things might be endured, and
perhaps more, if it were only a matter |
of economy. The scomforts of farm
life are usually the result of mismanage-
ment, in some form, and m;smanage-
ment always brings in its train loss as
well as discomfort
Let us look into this matter little,
and strive to see what work should be
done next. Precedence should be given
to the regular farm work. If that be
performed in season, it can be done
more advantageously. thus, in the end,
giving more time for extra work in the
way of improvements than could other
wise be gained; Il can also be done
more pleasantly and comfortably and
many unnecessary losses avoided. 1t
ioes not take many of these losses to
,over the Margin Of profits possible to
,ealize.-W D. Boynton, IN Proirss
Former.