Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-08-10
DO Ypur Work Well.


Mr.. Thomas p. Munfort, we'll known
writer of agricultural literature, is al
lowed to give some advice to the farmer
readers of THE GAZETTE this week. We
are not much on giving advice ourself,
but wen occasionally permit others to
do something in that way where the adj
vice does not seem to be coupled with
abuse for supposed shortcomings, and
where there appears TO be something of
whoiesomeness in the advice offered.
Mr.. Muufort says il doesn't pay the
farmer to half do anything. The thought
is suggested by noticing the way
thousands of persons in Texas and else
where conduct their farm operations.
On one farm we find man who goes
through everything with rush, merely
giving touch here and lick the g,
seemingly intent solely on getting
through as much work as possible IN the
shortest time, without any regard as TO
how il is done or what the result may be.
On another farm Is the man who runs in
a rut. He has learned one method of
doing things, and no matter how differ
emily science and progress have taught
others to do them he holds to the old
ways and refuses to depart therefrom.
Some persons would call this man hack
farmer-oDe who follows in the footsteps
of his ancestors, and who never thinks
for himself. The chances are that he
does the most work and chooses the most
difficult ways of accomplishing his aims,
with the least possible result. He works
like slave but his work is wasted. IN
his old fash toned way he tries TO COM
pete with men who move forward and
bn han NJ
new inventions. No matter what you
call him, he is a farmer on the wrong
track. He can never be much of a sue
cess for the reason that his work is not
well done, due to his deficiency in
knowledge and his failure to adopt the
improved methods common to the pres
ent age. He is simply a farmer sadly
behind the times.
Mr.. Munfort says there are other far
mers who do not at all perform their
work we'll, for various reasons. 1t may
not be regarded as constitutional weak
ness with them, but that's the way they
get through with it all the same.
Successful farming in this age requires
forethcught and management, ano the
man who performs his whole duty and
farms to the very best advantage must
til nix. He must get out of the ruts and
mar forward in time with his fellow
farmers. He must not figure on plant
ing the greatest number OF acres posi-
BILE, but he must devote himself faith
fully to q thorough cultivation of what
ever amount of land he can safely and
probably handle. He must not settle
down to the cultivation of one crop, year
after year, but he must alternate as
often as the condition of the markets or
the state of his soil demands.
The really progressive and conse-
quentiy prosperous farmer never does
things by halves. He never attempts to
spread his labor over twice as many
acres as he is capable of cultivatiug,
thus performing two the labor that is
for the production of q good |
crop. He does not rush blindly along, |
following the same method, without ever |
once stopping to consider the proprie.y of |
it. He farms by system He reasons, |
thinks and moves systematically. He |
works to a purpose, and accom- plishes |
of time and efforts.
IN a word. continues Mr.. Munfort, the |
farmer who is not making his business
pay is advised to do little more solid
thinking than he has been heretofore
ioing. There must be some good reason
FOR his want OF success, since it is a we'll
known fact that there are plenty of very
successful farmers. Thousands of farm
people depend too much on muscle and
Drawn, and too little on the brain. This
$ an intellectual age, and the mind can
accomplish wonders where the muscle
ails. Thought, reason, observation and
'tudy are absolutely essential to success
n any calling, and farmers must learn
hese these things, for, unless they do,
hey are but half performing their
lutIes.