Definition of "husbandry"

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.

1669, John Flavell [i.e., John Flavel], “The Proem”, in Husbandry Spiritualized or The Heavenly Use of Earthly Things. […], London: Printed and are to be sold by Robert Boulter, […], page 14

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.

1760, Thomas Hitt, A Treatise of Husbandry on the Improvement of Dry and Barren Lands. […], London: Printed for the author, and sold by J. Richardson […], and J. Webb, […], page 43

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.

1847 April, [Henry Stephens Randall], “Letter V. Profits of Sheep Husbandry in the Southern States.—I. Direct Profit on Capital Invested.”, in John S[tuart] Skinner, editor, Monthly Journal of Agriculture, […], volume II, number 10, New York, N.Y.: Greeley & McElrath, […], page 461

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.

1864 May 1, Thomas T. Lynch, “The Young Ruler; or, The Great Refusal: A Sermon”, in E. J. Evans, W. F. Hurndall, editors, Pulpit Memorials. Photographs and Specimen Sermons of Twenty Congregational Ministers, with Brief Memoirs by Several Friend, London: James Clarke & Co. […]; Hodder & Stoughton, […], published 1878, page 445

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.

2009, Wendell Berry, “Sanitation and the Small Farm”, in Bringing It to the Table: On Farming and Food, Berkeley, Calif.: Counterpoint, part I (Farming), page 83

On a sunny March day Ogada is traveling with her colleague Munir Virani in the Masai Mara region of Kenya. Virani is here not to study his beloved birds but to speak with herdsmen about their cows. Livestock husbandry, it turns out, is essential to vulture welfare.

2016 January, Elizabeth Royte, “Vultures Are Revolting. Here’s Why We Need to Save Them.”, in National Geographic‎, Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society, archived from the original on 4 December 2016

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

c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act II, scene i], page 135, column 2

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.

1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “Of the Inhabitants of Lilliput; […]”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume I, London: […] Benj[amin] Motte, […], part I (A Voyage to Lilliput), pages 106–107

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.

1848 September, John Barrow, “Ancient Naval Records”, in The Nautical Magazine and Naval Chronicle, [...] A Journal of Papers on Subjects Connected with Maritime Affairs, volume XVII, number 9, London: Simpkin, Marshall, and Co. […], paragraph 17, page 482

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.

1999 April, “Phase I Discharge Determinations”, in Technical Development Document for Phase I Uniform National Discharge Standards for Vessels of the Armed Forces (EPA 821-R-99-001), Arlington, Va.: Naval Sea Systems Command, U.S. Department of the Navy; Washington, D.C.: Engineering and Analysis Division, Office of Science and Technology, Office of Water, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, section 5.1.24 (Underwater Ship Husbandry), pages 5-22–5-23

[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; […]

1641, William Prynne, “Comprising the Several Treasons, Comspiracies, Rebellions, Contumacies, Disloyalties, Warres, Dissentions, and State-schismes of the Bishops of London, Winchester, Durham, Salisbury, and Lincolne”, in The Antipathie of the English Lordly Prelacie, both to Regall Monarchy, and to Civill Unity: […]. The First Part, London: Printed by authority for Michael Sparke senior, pages 335–336

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."

2020 April 17, Lyndra Griffith, “Kamstra et al. v. Animal Welfare Services, 2020 ONACRB 2”, in CanLII‎, retrieved 18 May 2022