Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-04-11
The Farmers Work.

The work of the farmer, perhaps moro
than that of any other man, is depend
ent upon and governed by the seasons
There is q special time for nearly every
special kind of work which he has in
hand, and much that he does cannot be
done at any other time than in that
which has been provided. for it in the
economy of nature. He cannot if he
would change the order OF sequence in
these things, and there is no course to
be pursued except that of compliance
with a law which he is as powerless to
amend as he is to successfully disobey.
The success of the pursuit Of agriculture
is largely dependent upon the rigid OBJ
servance of these laws. Nature is ever
ready to help the farmer, but she must
do it in her own way and at her own
time. No good farmer fails to recog-
nize the Importance of being always
| ready for the changes and requirements
of the aso He knows that there is
a time for fertilizing, a time for plant
Ing, a time for cu%ltivating, q time for
| harvesting, and a time for selling. He
knows that June is not the time to break
up the ground for corn, Lor December
|ahe time for harvesting the crop; that
each grain and vegetable must be placed
in the soil when the season and the ele-
ments are ready for it; that the mature
product, to he perfect, must be given
sufficient time to ripen, and yet not be
allowed to deteriorate in quality by per-
hitting it to remain uncared for until
the period of maturity has been reached.
1t is the work Of long years to practl-
cally and thoroughly learn tn Sc things,
vet he is not master of his business if
he fails to familiarize himself with them.
There is a great deal, and much more
than many people imagine, in being
promptly ready for the changes of the
seasons oRthe farm. That it is infinite
" better to push ones work than to
be pushed by it is the experience Of
everyone who has given both kinds of
management a fair trial. 1t is, of
course, impossible to do the same kinds
of work at precisely the same date
each successive year. So great are the
variations of season and temperature
that there will necessarily be a differ
ence of q fortnight or a month in plant
ing for a certain crop this year and
next. A late spring or an early n
may necessitate quite a change in pro-
gramme in matter Of time. But this
need not and should not interfere with
the farr .er's beng prepared for either
event.. There is no good reason why
one should not be always ready to take
advantage of ar unusual p~ropitiousness
of season. If time can be gained by an
unexpected favorable opening of spring
or early arrival of summer he should be
in a position to realize the most posi-
BILE from the advantageous circumstan-
ces. If the season be late there is no
loss in being ready for it early. Indeed
there is ever then a gain in being always
on time. There is such a thing, of
course. as being IN too great a hurry
in rushing the work of the farm. Plow.
ing, planting and harvesting may alike
be so unseasonably early as to be profit
less. There is no great proneness.
however, in this direction. We take it
that delay is charggeable with agricul-
tura! failure to a much greater extent
than is undue haste. The most sue
cessful farmer is the one who avoids
both these extremes. Always ready and
always in good time he never rushes
inconsiderately ahead of nature, and is
only placed at fault in his calculations
by some very unusual development of
season or some circumstance beyond
his control. The country wants more
clear-headed, thoughtful, well posted,
ever ready men in its agricultural in
~terests, in order to make the chief oc-
cupation of our people in the highest
degree remunerative and thrivlng.--
Narona! S.ockman. -