The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1897-11-13
FARMER AND PLANTER.
SOME FARM WASTES.

60 STOP.
The unnecessary loss of time is a
common farm waste and one which
not infrequently is responsible for
financial disaster. Detestable as is the
practice, there are various other and
harder ways in which time may be
wasted than by whiting store boxes
at the corner grocery or elsewhere.
Some OF the most abject farm drudges,
and there are few such. are among
the greatest MASTERS of time-slaves to
their work. because they never have it
systematically planned beforehand.
When task forces itself upon them
they go at it rough aud tumble; nat
ural and necessary result being seri-
GUS loss of time and labor. The per-
nicious habit of putting off loses
much time to the average farmer.
A friend put up a large rick
of excellent hay. One day in pass
ing he noticed one OF the weights had
become detached and the hay was be-
ing blown slightly by the wind. Five
minutes time would have replaced the
weight and made all snug, but he
hadn't time just then" and it was
left for a more convenient season. That
night storm arose, the stack was
blown down, the hay damaged, and it
took the farm force nearly two days to
rebuild the stack. Thus are thousands
of farmers and others saving ~ min
utes now at the expense of days later
on.
But the saving of time does not i'm
ply incessant toll; there are in every
community farmers who are always
up with their work. have time to at
tend the fairs, institutes, picnics, and
to give the young folks an occasional
day off; these are the people who econ
omize time and strength. The waste
of strength through taking the hard
est way for things. is being felt
ON farms all over the land, in
the house as well as in the
field. Those who plan to save time
by making every lick count, will usual
ly economic their strength as well,
while those who are always behind
hand, always tired out will never
catch up, never become rested, until
But many who use their heads a
great deal do NOT get on. simply be-
cause they scatter their fre-waste
their energies on things that do not
pay. We remember, years ago, having
kIr.=yn an old farmer, a well-educated
man, Industrious, yet who never
amounted to much" as the world goes,
because he was constantly following
fads and letting the farm care for
itself, largely The well-modulated
tones of the boomer" in almost any
line, was music to his ear. Terri
tory" was purchased; companies were
organized aud stock taken; bright red
machines. intended for impossible
purposes of an experimental M
tures came at him tale" first and
We're duly taken in, though later it
developed that both Johnnie Green
and the machine" had Teen sstaken
in" This man was an expert in GER
tain lines. which he felt were too low
aud too slow for linn, and had he con-
centrated his efforts upon these, his
life would undoubtedly have been a
grand success.
Take the successful farmers of any
community-those wide-awake, pro-
gressive fellows who meet prosperity
half way-you will find them concen-
trating their energies upon their
farms; utilizing their means, time and
talents to the best possible advantage
by doing great deal of brain. work
living demonstrations of the fact that
gray matter is the best known sub
stance for making the cream rise.
A waste of talent ometimes occurs
on the farm through keeping the boy
ut home and trying to make farmer
of him when his heart aud talent are
in some other occupation. Not every
boy farm-born is born farmer; and
while parents find it hard, many times,
to see their son leave the old home to fix
himself for some profession other than
agriculture, yet If his talents lie in an-
other direction it is unwise to waste
them by tying him to the farm against
his will. You may succeed in keeping
him on the farm, but the chances are
that you will never make him first
class farmer. The farm is the place
every time for the boy who loves it,
and he should have every possible
educational advantage which will help
him attain the highest success as a
farmer; but better by far be first
rate teacher, lawyer, carpenter or
blacksmith than second or third-rate
farmer. There is room at the top, and
almost any boy or girl will climb ii
they get started on the right ladder
Agricultural Epitomist
ENRICH THE SOIL.