Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1853-06-09
Book Keeping among Farmers.

DoOA AScplAS dIunuS
We all know what to think ola tradesman
who keeps his accounts ~negligen,ly; who
sometimes charges his goods sold, and some.
times trusts to memory whose books are
seldom posted in one season. We predict
hl- failure. We hesitate to deal with him.
For his sake and our own we wish him a
better accountant.
The same remark may be made of farm.
ers. Probably no class Of men are more
habi'ua|ly negligent Of their acconnts.-
Because they handle a comparatively small
amount of money they consider accuracy
in keeping d. BIT and credit unnecessarily
the door. or window shutter beng their day.
book and ledger, and a bit of chalk their
writing tool. Why should they not keep a
we'd arranged nook account? Otherwise,
how cen they tell whether farming is pre- l.
able ot is running thea II debt? What IS
due to them and what they owe To- Others?
The farmer should chrge himself with the
interest on the cost of his farm, with which
he spend, for stock, tools, seeds, labor, tax.
~ D II 0lpIt WIN CNtlf tu|'Et,
and credit his foym with be,,ermet1ts, IN Ia.
Dor for others, produce sold, ana every IN
come. Then, ii at the end Of The year,
he fall short, he will at least have the sails.
faction of knowing where their money is
gone. Some undertake this and Continue
1t a while, aud gel discouraged with the APP
pearance 1t the debtor SIDE, aud give it up.
Is tins wise? itis best to took II difficulty
IN the face as IA preparatiru for overcoming
it. Why should we wish to put off the
reckoning tuaI must ,oetl, " come? Es
Pec'ally It such neglec, ljt,y ttnds 10 make
oar accounts rre,rlevAbl, mI,cale!
Besides tie h3blt OF chargIng ourselves
with every item expended tends 10 make US
cautious ahou, spending mcaullou>ly y. We
see just how fast our money IS gong, OF
how large a bill We are running up with our
creditors, and when we accaslonall, look
over our book, we may perhaps be remind
ed, here and there, that we might have dis
pensed with this or that %artlcle, and SO
learn a new lesson IN economy.
| have sometimes thought that farmers,
ny NV hCCpllS ChuCt dOCouitS, uIiutIStduu
less than others. He wonders that his sal
AIRED nelghoor, with SIX or eight hundred
dollars a year does not become rich. II he
had SO much, he lInagines he would save
one-half or une third OF it But should he
charge himself with rent. trewood, butter,
cheese, eggs, horse hire and every hue II.
EN- winch his farm or garden produces, and
which the other purchased, he would see
the mater in just light, and might perhaps
find that he had done his neighbor injustice.
He may learn what he may never have
thought Of before, that is, exactly how much
the maintenance of a family costs. The
farmer and his neIghbor may be equally
economical. The difference is. that one
knows what it costs to live, and the other
does moi.
Some of the best farmers in my neigh.
borhuod have KEEP their book accounts ac.
c%urately and persevetmgIy for years; and
literally they find tier accounts ~ II /, |.
a good plan 10 have a memorandum book
tor every day Ia the year, IN which entire.
might be made respecting the weather time
OF planting, journey undertaken, doniestic
affairs, and remarkable OCCURRENCES 1t i,
pleasant to look over such a book. and of
Ell profitable Ii might be used as an i'm.
portant witness IN pecnnlary transactions
aud IN various ways might be turned to use
fu' ends. My object in wrltlng will be at
tanned il shall have called the attention d
farmers to ii point in which they are imme
dlateIy and deeply interested. Monthia
Visitor.