66 4. OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE BOOK OF THE FARM." "A book? O rare one! Be not as is our fangled world, a garment So follow, to be most unlike our courtiers, CYMBELINE. A book for the special purpose of instructing young farmers, such as it should be, and such as they are entitled to expect from the hands of experienced agriculturists, is yet a desideratum in the agricultural literature of this country. I am disposed to question the ability of any one man to write such a work; as its accomplishment would require a rare combination of qualities. The writer would require, as a primary qualification, to be a highly experienced agriculturist able to indite lucid instructions for conducting a farm. He should also be a clear-headed mechanician, to describe with minute distinctness the principles and construction of agricultural implements. He should, moreover, be an accomplished man of science, to explain to conviction the rationale of every operation. Onerous as the task thus appears, I shall, nevertheless, attempt to write such a book. With adequate assistance I trust, I shall be able to overcome at least the practical difficulties of the undertaking; and as to the scientific part, men of science have not yet brought science to bear upon agriculture in so satisfactory a manner as to justify them in contemning the rational explanations given of the various operations by practical men. Could I but succeed in arranging the various operations as they successively and actually occur on a farm, in so lucid a manner, as that any young farmer might comprehend the exact purport of each piece of work, as it developed itself in the field, I should certainly do him essential service. In accomplishing this, it is scarcely possible to invest, with sufficiently attractive interest, the descriptions of the minute details of the various operations, so that their aptitude to the purpose intended may be appreciated. Careful attention to these details, in themselves I own irksome, will the sooner enable the young farmer to understand thoroughly the connection of successive operations, and by the understanding of which he will be forewarned of the approach, and be able to ascertain the import, of the particular end for which they are preparatory. Besides shewing by anticipation the successive operations as they arrive, could I also give clear descriptions of the labour performed for each crop, as it is carried on simultaneously on a farm, I should achieve a still greater service for the young farmer. He would then clearly comprehend a difficult department of his art. To accomplish these ends, I purpose to arrange the matter in the following manner, and for the following reasons. The entire business of a farm necessarily occupies a year; but that year embraces in some years more, and in others less, than twelve months. The agricultural year, moreover, both in its commencement and termination, does not correspond with that of the calendar; and those periods are determined in this way. The beginning and ending of every agricultural year are entirely dependent on the duration of the life of cultivated vegetables which constitute the chief product of the farm. In the temperate regions of the globe, vegetable life becomes dormant, or extinct, according as the vegetable is perennial or annual, at the beginning of winter. The beginning of winter is therefore chosen, in the temperate zones, to commence the agricultural year, and, of course, the labours of the farm; and when winter again approaches, the labours of the field have performed their annual revolution. The same sort of work is performed year after year. To understand those labours throughout the year is the chief aim of the young farmer; and to describe them to him satisfactorily is the principal object of this book. Two modes of describing farm-business may be adopted. One is to arrange it under different heads, and describe all similar operations under the same head, as has hitherto been done in systematic works on agriculture. The other mode is to describe the operations as they actually occur, singly, in succession, as is to be done in this work. Both methods describe the general farm business, and both may be consulted for any particular part of the business. But how the relative position of any particular part of the business stands in regard to and influences any other, can only be shewn by the latter method, and it does so at a glance of the eye. Moreover, as some parts of farm business commence, and others terminate, at one or other period of the year, the latter method. can clearly indicate what the other cannot so well do, in which period any particular operation is commenced, continued, or terminated; and it gives the details of each operation much more minutely than the other method. The agricultural year, like the common year, is distinctly and conveniently divided into seasons, which regulate all farm work. I have given the seasons as full an influence over the arrangements of the matter in this book as they really possess over the business-matter of the farm. The whole business-matter is divided into four parts, each bearing the name of the season that influences the operations that are performed in it. By this arrangement every operation, whether requiring longer or shorter time for completion, is described as it takes its turn in the fields. The work that occupies only a short time to begin and complete, in any one season, is described in a single narrative. Very few of the operations of a farm, however, are begun and completed in one of the seasons, some extending over the whole four, and most into two or three. Any piece of work that extends over almost all the seasons, can nevertheless be described with great accuracy; for although, in its progress towards completion, it may altogether occupy an extended range of time, each season imposes a peculiar kind of operation towards the advancement of the work; which peculiar operation ceases, and a different kind is entered upon at the season which concludes the work. These cessations of labour, connected with the same work which extends over several seasons, are thus not mere conveniences, but necessary and temporary finishings of work, which it would be improper to resume but at a subsequent and appropriate season. In this way all the more extensive pieces of work are gradually advanced, in progressive steps, season after season, until their completion; while the smaller are concurrently brought onwards and completed, each in its proper season. Before proceeding further, let me guard the young farmer against imbibing a misconception regarding the length of the seasons. In the year of the calendar, each season extends over a period of three calendar months; and the same three months every year compose the same season, whatsoever may be the nature of the weather. Every season of the calendar is thus of the same length. The seasons of the agricultural year, though bearing the same names as those of the calendar, are, on the other hand, not of the same length every year, but their duration is regulated by the state of the weather. The agricultural seasons have characteristic signs to distinguish them. The spring revives the dormant powers of vegetables; the summer enlarges their growth; the autumn develops the means of reproduction; and the winter puts a stop to vegetable energy. In the year of the calendar these characteristics are assumed to last just three months in each season, but in the agricultural year, notwithstanding that the characteristics of one season extend over, or are contracted within three months, still that season bears its proper name, whether it encroaches on or is encroached upon by another season. The spring, for example, may be encroached on by the protraction of winter on the one hand, and the earliness of summer on the other; a case in which results both a late and short spring,-a state of spring which creates very bustling work to the farmer. So with the rest of the seasons. This elastic property in the agricultural seasons contradistinguishes them from the seasons of the calendar which possess no elasticity. The commencement, continuance, and termination of field work, being therefore entirely dependent on the seasons of the agricultural year, and those seasons, in their turn, being as dependent on the weather, it follows that field operations are entirely dependent on the state of the weather, and not on the conventional seasons of the calendar. Whether an agricultural season be long or short, the work that properly belongs to it must be finished in it whilst it lasts. If it be of sufficient length, the work to be performed, admitting of a considerable latitude of time, may be well finished, and if not so finished, the crop runs the risk of failure. Should any season happen to be shortened by the weather, by the preceding season encroaching upon it, the work should be so far advanced during the preceding prolonged season, that, when the proper season for its completion arrives, as arrive it will, the finishing may be accomplished before its expiry. Should any season be curtailed by the earliness of the succeeding one, and the weather improve, as in the case of summer appearing before its time, no apprehension need be entertained of accomplishing the finishing work in a satisfactory manner; but should the weather prove worse, as in the premature approach of winter upon autumn, then extraordinary exertions are required to avert the disastrous consequences of winter weather The unusual proupon the crops. traction of any of the seasons in which a work should be completed is attended with no risk, except that too frequently from the consciousness of having plenty of time to complete the work, unnecessary delay is permitted, until the succeeding season unexpectedly makes its appearance. In such cases procrastination is truly the thief of time. During the protraction of a season, much time is often wasted in waiting for the arrival of the succeeding one, in which a particular work is most properly finished; but in a contracted season, a great part of the work is hurriedly gone through, and of course slovenly performed. The most perfect field-work is performed when the agricultural and conventional seasons happen to coincide in duration. The greatest difficulty which the farmer experiences when first assuming the management of a farm is in distributing and adjusting labour. To accomplish this distribution and adjustment correctly, in reference to the work, and with ease as regards the labourer, a thorough knowledge is requisite of the quantity of work that can be performed in a given time by all the instruments of labour, animal and mechanical, usually employed. It is the duty of the young farmer to acquire this knowledge with all diligence and dispatch; for a correct distribution of the instruments of labour enables the work to be performed in the most perfect manner in regard to the soil,-with the smallest exertion as regards physical force,and with the greatest celerity in regard to time; and, in the adjustment of those instruments, every one should just perform its own share of work. These essential particulars I shall point out, in their connection with the work in hand. In descanting on the distribution of labour, I shall incur the hazard of being prolix rather than superficial. The general reader may dislike the perusal of minute details; but the ardent student will receive with thankfulness the minutest portion of instruction, especially as he can only otherwise acquire this kind of instruction by long experience. The distribution and adjustment of labour is a branch of farm management that has been entirely overlooked by every writer on systematic agriculture. Constant attention on the part of the young farmer to the minutia of labour evinces in him that sort of acuteness which perceives the quickest mode of acquiring his profession. The distribution of the larger pieces of work may proceed satisfactorily enough under the skill of ordinary work-people; but the minuter can best be adjusted by the master or steward. The larger operations would always be left in a coarse state, were the smaller not to follow, and finish them off neatly. There are many minor operations, unconnected with greater, which should be skilfully performed for the sake of their own results; and they should be so arranged as to be performed with neatness and dispatch. Many of them are frequently performed concurrently with the larger operations; and to avoid confusion both their concurrent labours should harmonize. Many of the minuter operations are confined to the tending of live-stock, and the various works performed about the farmstead. Attention to minutiæ, constituting the chief difference betwixt the neat and careless farmer, I have bestowed due consideration on them. They form another particular which has been too much overlooked by systematic writers on agriculture. Implements of husbandry may be considered the right hand of the farmer; because, without their aid, he could not display the skill of his art. Modern mechanical skill has effected much by the improvement of old, and the invention of new implements. Modifications of construction and unusual combinations of parts are frequently attempted by mechanics; and though many such attempts issue in failure, they nevertheless tend to divulge new combinations of mechanical action. It is desirable that all mechanists of implements should understand practical agriculture, and all farmers study the principles of mechanics and the construction of machines, so that their conjoined judgment and skill might be exer |