The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1885-11-14
FARM WORK IN WINTER.


Though . Season Of Comparative Leisure
It Should Not be O Period of IdIeness.
The necessary work to be done on
every farm occupies considerable por-
ton Of the short winter days. while the
long evenings and some part of the re-
naming daylight may be more profit
ably devoted to reading. study and
planning the business of the ensuing
year than in severe manual toll. The
average farmer gets. in the course Of
the year, more muscular exertion than
is for his best good. The mind will not
act as freely when the body is wearied.
and it is undoubtedly lack of good
headwork that necessitates much of the
severe toll of which most farmers COM
plain.
So important do we regard time for
thought that we believe it would he
money in the pockets of all farmers if
they would take an hour or so every
day, even during the busiest season.
and that in the morning, when the mind
is most active, in planning and thinking
of what they should do and devising the
hest methods for doing it. They surely
can not afford to let their minds lie idle
ct time when study, reading and re-
Election are the most important duties
which they can perform. Not that
farmers should not work to some extent
during every winter for they can think
and plan better while around the farm
seeing for themselves what needs to be
done. If they observe intelligently they
will find great deal more to be done
than they should think of attempting
without help.
So. while the farmer himself should
take time in winter for visiting other
farmers, comparing notes and learning
as much as he can about his business,
he will also, because of this increased
mental activity, discover enough work
to keep at least one hired man busily
employed through the winter, and
on large farms two or more. This is,
perhaps. as great a shock as we can
well give to old-fashioned conservative
ideas on this subject We fancy we
hear many farmers who have read thus
far enchanting in mingled surprise and
disgust: Would you have farmers in
through the winter to do chores and get
up firewood for the following season."
Most certainly we would not. If no
more than this is to be done, the farmer,
unless he has other occupation, can
we'll do it himself. He win need fol-
health as much exercise as these tradi-
tional employments will give him.
Winter is season when many things
can be done more eheaply than at any
other time of the year. Most farmers
do not think so, because what little they
hire is at day rates, which for short
winter days are proportionately much
dearer than day help is during the
busy summer season. This is of neces
sity the case, that workingmen may
make both ends meet during the winter
season. Most of them get days work
so infrequently during the winter that
they are obliged to charge one dollar
for it, and this is dearer than 81 80 in
summer. But give these men steady
employment and they can well afford to
work for wages that will little more
than assure them a living and the
saving of their summer earnings
Many single men can be hired through
the winter for their board and from five
to six dollars per month additional.
And If farmer finds an unusually
active and handy man for the winter he
can well afford to pay something more.
1t is not good policy at any time to
drive hard bargains with hired help in
the matter of wages. This is especially
true in winter. when more than ever de-
ponds on the zeal and interest which
help take in their work. The board is
necessarily large portion of the wages
that can be afforded in winter for work
on farm. But it is unfortunate that
the phrase doing chores for their
board was ever invented. Doing the
chores is rarely, if ever. an equivalent
for home in winter. and unless
hired man is able and willing to do
more than the chores, the sooner he is
off the farm the better for his employer
On the other hand, if the winter is an
open one. the hired help are able to
perform great variety of farm opera
tions, and they should be made to I'M
derstand that they will be well repaid
for all that they can do. This under.
standing that the laborer is sure to
have whatever he can fairly earn is
best for all parties. 1t is essential to
securing good help on the farm at any
season.
With favorable season. if a farmer
can not devise means to keep one hired
help profitably employed through the
winter he is not fit for his business
Did you not miss last summer, perhaps
in the busiest time. some conveniences
oil hoY. or rrat q no.
found at your neighbors You could
not possibly do the needed work next
summer, or at any other time when
labor was hurrying you to your utmost.
Such jobs must often be done in winter,
or not be accomplished at all What
ever can be done at this season of COM
parative leisure to facilitate next
summers work, or to make next years
crops better, is clear gain. 1t is not an
infrequent experience with those who
understand this fact that the labor
they employ during the winter pays
better profits than that they hire at
dearer wages during the busy season.
In the summer they work at routine
Jobs many of which must be done,
though half of them do not pay. In
the winter hired help do the extra jobs
which every farmer knows would be
profitable, could be find time to do
them. but which stand to-day, as they
stood ten years ago, without being
done.
In an open winter low places may be
underdrained, taking care to finish as
rapidly as the ditch is dug. Fence rows
may be cleared out that have been an
eye-sore for years, aud the land brought
under cultivation. Half cleared places
in the wood lot, now practically worth
less, may be brought into condition for
cropping. This will be getting some
new land free of tax, for taxes have had
to be paid on it ever since you owned it,
though it gave you no return. The
stone and sand may be got ready and
conveniently placed for putting base
ment under your barns or other out
buildings. The supply of plaster that
you will need next spring or summer
can better be drawn on a sleigh than
ON wheels through the mud, or after the
roads have settled, when the teams
should be busy blowing. The winter
made manure may be drawn and spread
on the field, and finally. if there are
days when nothing else can be done.
ocoasional 1nads IF mamma NAV ha