Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1867-05-10
farm, @araen 4 alonsehpla.
GUESSING IN FARMING.

I;sa little surprising that, uot@ithstand-
.na the improvement in nearly everything ap-
nertaining to farming so little has been eifee-
ted toward inducing farmers TO operate ~ =
systematic manner, and keep record and
generally and specifically. But for one farm
er that does so ninety nine keep all their ae-
counts in their heads, tor they never know,
but guess it is so and so. They don't know
whether this, that, or the other crop pays
best whether they. can afford to sell their
produce at saeh and such price, or not
They can't tell if it is for their interestto con
Gnue such a course of husbandry, use such
fertilizer, cultivate field in such manner;
nor even at the end of the year are they sure
whether they are on the profit or loss side Of
the ledger. They guess it is about SO.
Neighbor Smith came in last evening while
J was filing mp my record, aud said, as be
noticed my occupation:
What you doin' book keepiu ~
esi little. Fixing up my accounts. /
suppose you keep farm accounts, don' your
Me? no. It's too much bother. | can
keep my counts in my head.
Don't YOU think It is better to have some
thing you can rely upon? Anybody is apt to
forget.
.1t's well enough for storekeepers and sieh
TO keep counts; but don't see no need of a
farmer dom 1t.
Isr't it as much for our interest to look
after our business as tits tor the storekeeper
10 attend to his?'
wall, yes; 1 5 pose 50; but, whats S the use
og a feller's 81 ending time to write down ev-
cry thing about what be does?''
1T pays, Smith"
Il don't see how
Well, see here. How was your corn crop
this year.
Pretty fair though the frost hurt it
some.
Shall you plant some more next year.?
.'Sartin l alters plant corn
What for2'
What for? Why, because alters do.
Yes: I see. Now, Smith, how much did
That held-of corn pay your?
PAY me? Well, guess about
THAT isn't it. Do you know"
.'Well, not exactly; but cal late
Never mind; but, really now, do you
know whether you made or lost money in
raising that field Of corn"
Dunno as do, for sartin.
Now, look here, Smith There is my
.cornGeld record. have written down eve
ry thing connected with it, aud to-day have
summed it all up, and | know all about it.
Here is the size of the field, the kind Of soil,
what grew on it lost year, when and how ma
ny times it was ploughed, narrowed and fur
rowed, and also the amount and kind Of ma
nure used, how it was put on, and what
used for top dressing. Then, here is the
time Of planting; time and manner of cultya-
ting; how far apart where the rows and the
hills; number of stalks in the hill when the
corn came up, and what variety it was
when it was harvested, etc, etc. And here
have got, in exact figures, the price Of eve
rything connected with it: Planting, boeing
and harvesting; the value of the corn. beans,
pump iins and fodder; value of manure; rent
of land; and every item set down in full So
| know exactly how much it cost me 70 raise
that piece Of corn; and, thus, whether it pays
me to continue raising it under such circum-
Stances
This is only an example, All other farm
operations should be recorded in somewhat
the same manner, and then there would be an
end of the continual guessing and think
ing and ignorance in regard to those things
we should know about.-G. Z. B. IN W0rk-
ing Farmer,