Great labor and
devotion are needed on a farm at special seasons: I am of the opinion
it was a mistaken idea that no day's labor should consist of more than
ten hours. Our kind-hearted leader, who had not known the necessity for
great personal, physical toil, long-continued, in order to produce
special results, frowned on long hours, and did not lend his magnetism
to induce persons to toil out of regular time, except possibly in the
haying field; and therefore the days were clipped to stated hours, when
it would have been better to have extended them occasionally beyond the
regular time.
A large crop was hay. Near the main farm was a lot of some fifteen
acres of grass land that was a part of the original purchase, but
entirely independent of contact, and at some distance towards West
Roxbury village. It was called the "Keith Lot" and was the best hay
field. All the meadows grew heavy crops of grass; it was not all
"herd's grass," but consisted of a variety of species, and went under
the name of "meadow hay," which was considered second in quality.
There were the mistakes of beginners made. Some crops were lost that
might have been saved and made profitable. Of apples there were not
many.
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