The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1889-01-08

Why IL Does Not Pay to Hire Cheap and
Incompetent Farm Help.

be engaged, the saving of time is al
ways more or less an object. 6n the
farm, of course, this often is some
thing more than an item at one time
than at another. During the busy
season of planting, cultivating and
harvesting, every hour is of consider
eble Importance, and it is especially
necessary to economic time as much
IS possible.
One Of the best means is to work by
some system. The man who goes out
to the barn in the morning, feeds his
hogs, milks the cows, and then feeds
the work teams, goes and gets his
breakfast, and then has to wait until
the teams get through eating before he
can start out to work. is not economic
ing time. As well be obliged to come
back to the house about the time he
gets fairly started TO feeding, in order
70 cut sufficient supply OF stove wood
60 cook breakfast. He is not working
60 the best advantage, and yet this is
Just what many farmers do one-third
Of the time. simply because they have
no system. Many useless steps are
taken requiring the loss of more or
less time. for no other reason than q
want of system with the work.
So far as possible, one task should
follow another so that the least time
will be lost in changing from one to
the other, not only in doing the neces-
sary chores about the place, morning
and evening, but also in the field work
does this apply. In changing from one
field to another and from one kind of
work TO another, often much time Is
lost, and that, too, at time when the
work IL very pressing. Then, often
when there is much to be done, all
seemingly necessary to be done at
once, the mistake is too often made of
making a start at too many things at
once, rather than finishing up one task
at time, often losing considerable
time changing from one to the other.
Knowing what you want done and how,
will often save considerable time. We
often lose valuable time determining
how We want the work done, and then
in getting every thing ready, when by
a little planning ahead or systematic
ing the work much time could be saved.
Much can be saved by preparing ahead,
having, as nearly as possible, every
thing in readiness, and then by adopt
ing regular system more time may
still be saved. 1t is always an item to
keep up with the work, and in order to
do this, and at the same time keep as
small an amount of extra help as pos
sible, some system must be adopted
and carried out.
Let us take the economy of labor as
an example. In one sense skilled
labor is not necessary on the farm, yet
in another it is very important The
man whom you can direct to start to
the pillow field. who has skill or knowl-
edge sufficient to determine for him
self the best plan of blowing, to adjust
his pillow and the team so that good
work can be dOne-fOr instance, IL
you want corn planted, you can tell
him how you want il planted, and IL he
has a sufficient knowledge of his work
to 60 ahead and do his work properly
is certainly worth more to the farmer
than the MN who can only follow, and
who oblig.s you to be on hand to in
struct him constantly. The idea that
anybody will do on the farm if he has
sufficient strength TO do the work is an
erroneous one. A knowledge of how
work should be done, as well as the
ability 10 perform it, is very necessary
in farm help, and the man that is
capable OF going ahead with the farm
work without your being obliged to
show him all the details, is worth con-
siderable more to the farmer who must
depend more or less upon hired help,
than the man not having the knowl-
edge necessary to go ahead.
Plenty of men may be hired at low
prices who can hold the lines and the
handles of the pillow, but this does not
necessarily imply that they can drive
team or handle a pillow so that good
work can be done.
Because man can dig or has
strength TO use hoe is not proof that
he can make a good garden, or proper
~ clean the growing plants, and the
difference between a man who can
take hold and do good work, Is worth
considerable more either by the day or
month, than the one who must be
shown how. As a rule farm work is
always pressing at this season. The
farmer can not afford to loose much
time; every thing must be pushed II
the necessary work is done In good
season. If help is hired it Is done
with the expectation that aid in keep
ing up with the work will be secured.