Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-03-18

Farm Accounts,
During recent visit to several intellipent
and successful farmers, for information on
some points of practical husbandry, we were
struck with the almost entire absence of ac
curate accounts. Every thing was done NV
guessing or estimate. The amount of A cron
per acre, the quantity of food given to fatten-
ing animals, or the result of any other exper-
iments, had not been determined with weigh
ing and measuring. Long experience NAV
indeed enable some men to judge quite cor
reetly IN this way, although they cannot give
satisfactory reasons for their opinions to 9TH
erS. But more commonly, this way of judg-
ing is very loose and inaccurate; and is ac-
companied with about such conclusions as the
Hlbernian reached, who said that he had OBJ
served that there had been good many more
women than men married the past year. Cor
rect statistics or an accurate register, would
probably have shown that he was mistaken.
similar register, kept by farmers, would
doubtless compel them to revise many of their
opinions.
Every farmer in order to be successful
should know just where he is making the most
money, or realizing the heaviest profits. He
then knows in what direction to extend his
operations. Some of our readers NAV have
heard an anecdote of the elder Bonaparte when
in Egypt, which serves to illustrate this
point. Accompanied by a number OF men on
horseback, he was riding on a dark night on
the broad sandy beach of the sea; suddenly,
by the rising of the tide, the water swept over
the beach and began to cover the horses legs.
The darkness of the night prevented them
from seeing the direction of the land, and all
was fright and confusion. Bonaparte imme~
dlately ordered them to form a circle with the
horses heads outwards. 'Now," said he call
ride forward-if you find the water growing
shallower, ride on; if growing deeper, turn
about and follow the rest" Farmers should
pursue precisely similar course; they should
90 In the direction of profits, and turn away
from losses; but how can they determine, un-
less by accurate accounts? Many unfortunate
cultlvator has been overwhelmed bv the tide
OF insolvency by not knowing in what direc-
ton to travel to reach solid land.
1t is important for every farmer to know
precisely what it costs him to raise a bushel
OF wheat, or of oats, corn, or potatoes he
can only ascertain this by taking a distinct
account through different years with each
teld-the cost of manure applied, the interest
OF the land, and the aggregate amount of all
the labor expended. He should also know,
not by guessing, but by accurate measuring,
what particular kind of management for each
crop affords the best return He should as
certain more than this-or whether the feed
ing of grain to animals affords him better
return than selling the same in market-iu
which calculation the manure of the animals
should not be forgotten.
In late number of the Country Gentleman
correspondent stated that the knowledge he
had recently gained by registered experiments
IN the cultivation of the potato crop would
have enabled him year ago to have realized
profit OF five hundred dollars. young
farmer informed us that the information he
mad derived, in relation to the most profitable
way OF feeding cattle, from the weekly use of
platform scale, had more than paid for it in
single year. A general system of such ex-
periments would amount to hundreds of dol
lars every year, and handsome fortune in a
farmers lite time.
The principal reason why farmers omit such
experiments, or neglect accurate accounts. is
that they 'haven't time" They come in at
night from long days labor, and are too
weary to give themselves any further trouble.
1t should be much more economical for them
to labor personally little less at the oars, and
give little more attention to the steering of
the vessel 1t would be better (although not
necessary to hire a few days at five dollars
per day. What would be thought of the
banker who should throw aside his book and
say, 81 haven't time to keep accounts, | am
SO busy loaning money and making out bills
OF exchange" Or of the railway manager,
who should say, 81 am SO much occupied
with attending to the affairs of the road that
l intend merely to estimate the profits, and
guess at the dividends" The mariner might
as well throw aside his compass and log
book, as the farmer his accounts. Is farm
ing 50 much more profitable than other bust
ness, or at least so much safer that he is
tempted to dispense with this very import
ant requisite, which, although not so essen
tsal as in the more hazardous business of
commerce, would contribute immensely to
his success?
Directions how to keep accounts are scarce
ly necessary. All that the farmer need OBJ
serve is to devote page to each field or crop,
or separate animal or flock, and place the ex-
penditures in one column, add the profits in
another. These accounts should be neatly
and distinctly kept, and not in the bungling,
mixed up manner sometimes witnessed. In
order that nothing may be forgotten, he
should always carry memorandum book in
his pocket, and everything set down at the
moment, to be copied off each evening.
Many suggestions will occur to him during
the day by way of improvement in cultivation
and management-these suggestions should
be Immediately transferred to his rnemoran-
dunn book. Such a course as this pursued for
few years, would give a vast amount of
practical information which he could not OBJ
tain in any other way, and which would be
worth to him many thousand dollars of solid
cash. Country Gentleman.