husbandry

noun

1. (countable, uncountable)The occupation or work of a husbandman or farmer; the cultivation of crops and the raising of livestock; agriculture.

   “If the Church be God's Huſbandry, then, thoſe that be imployed in Miniſterial work, ought to be men of great judgment and experience in ſoul affairs; for theſe are the labourers whom God, the myſtical Huſbandman imploys and entruſts about his ſpiritual Huſbandry.”

   “The number of perſons required to cultivate the land in farms, would not be the whole increaſe that incloſure would promote; for there would be many more required to make and repair all ſorts of utenſils for huſbandry and houſhold-furniture, and alſo artificers for building, and their clothing would likewise cauſe employment for many others.”

   “On grain farms, it is considered good economy to keep one sheep for every acre of cleared land which the farm contains; on those where mixed husbandry is practiced, two; and on those exclusively devoted to sheep, three.”

   “But often as a cultured tree knows nothing of the husbandries which beautified the stock from which it sprang, and thus caused its beauty, so youths know nothing of the spiritual husbandries of past days, to which they are indebted for the moral attractiveness they have to others, and the moral strength which they themselves deem sufficient.”

   “Both the foraging in fields and woods and the small husbandries of household and barn have now been almost entirely replaced by the "consumer economy," which assumes that it is better to buy whatever one needs than to find it or make it or grow it.”

2. (countable, uncountable)The prudent management or conservation of resources.

   “There's Husbandry in Heauen, / Their Candles are all out: […]”

   “As to Perſons of Quality, they give Security to appropriate a certain Sum for each Child, ſuitable to their Condition; and theſe Funds are always managed with good Husbandry and the moſt exact Juſtice.”

   “They are […] to stand accomptable to their Maᵗˢ [Majesties] as well as for the provideing of good, sound, and wholesome Provicons for the health and sattisfaction of the seamen serving in their Maᵗˢ shipps and fleete as that the whole service shall be managed with all possible frugallity, and good husbandry on their Maᵗˢ behalfes.”

3. (countable, uncountable)Administration or management of day-to-day matters.

   “The underwater ship husbandry discharge is composed of materials discharged during the inspection, maintenance, cleaning, and repair of hulls and hull appendages performed while the vessel is waterborne. Underwater ship husbandry includes activities such as hull cleaning, fiberglass repair, welding, sonar dome repair, propulsor lay-up, non-destructive testing, masker belt repairs, and painting operations.”

4. (countable, obsolete, uncountable)Agricultural or cultivated land.

   “[H]ow carefull God had beene in providing Tithes and Oblations for the Prieſt under the Law, giving him not Lands and Huſbandries amongſt the other Tribes, ut in nulla re avocaretur, that hee might have no occaſion to be withdrawne from the Altar; […]”

5. (countable, uncountable)Techniques of animal care.

   “Dr. Durfy was asked in his written cross-examination why it was his opinion that poor husbandry led to the conditions seen in all of the tortoises if he did not observe their habitat. Dr. Durfy replied "…The abnormalities and illnesses seen in the tortoises, especially when you consider that all of them are affected, are due to improper care, inappropriate diet, lighting humidity, temperature, hygiene, to name a few, are what causes issues in these species – poor husbandry."”