Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1867-05-02
Guessing in Farming,

1t is a little surprising that, not
withstanding the improvement in
nearly everything appertaining to far.
ming, SO little has been effected to-
wards inducing farmers to operate in
systematic manner, and keep record
and account Of their arm operations
and business, generally and specific
ally. Bat for one farmer that does
so ninety-nine keep all their accounts
"in their heads" and consequently
are tightly termed guess farmers"
for they never know, but guess it is
50 and 50. They don't know whether
this, ,that,or the other crop pays hest :;
whether they can afford to sell their
produce at such and such a price, or
not. They can't tell if it is for their
interest TO continue such a course Of
husbahdry, use such fertilizer, cult
vate a field in such a 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 even
ing while was filling up my record,
and said, ,as he noticed my occupation:
What you doin'--book- -keepin' ?"
"YeS little. Fixing up my ac-
counts. l suppose you keep farm ac-
counts, don't you ?"
'Ne no. It's too much bother
can keep my counts in my head"
Don't you think it is better to have
something you can rely upon? Any
body is apt to forget"
Its well enough for storekeepers
and sich to keep counts but don't
see no need of farmer doin' it.
Isn't it as much for our interest to
look after our business as it is for the
storek"eper to attend to his ?"
Wall, yes s'pose so, but whats
the use of feller's spending time to
write down every thing about what
he does ?"
1T pays, Smith
Il don't see how"
"Well, see here. How was your
corn crop this year.
Pretty fair thought the frost
hurt il some"
"Shall you plant some more next
year?"
"Sartin. | alters plant corn"
"What for ?"
What for? Why, because | alters
do"
YES sec. Now, Smith, how
much did that field of corn pay you ~
"Pay me Well | guess about"
That isn't it. Do you know ~
well, not exactly but ! caP-
late"
"Never mind but, really now, do
you know whether you made or lost
money in raising that field of corn p
Dunno as / do, for sartin."
NOW, look here, Smith. There is
my 'cornfeld record Ihave written
down every thing connected with it,
and to-day | have summed it all up,
and / know all about it. Here is the
size of the field, and the kind of soil,
what grew on ii last year, when and
how many times it was ploughed, har-
rowed and furrowed, and also the
amount and kind Of manure used, how
it was put on, and what l used for
top dressing. Then, here is the time
Of planting time and manner of cul
tivatiDg how far apart where the
rows and hills number of stalks il
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
every thing connected with it e: Plan
ting, hoeing and harvesting the val,
ne of the corn, beans, pumpkins and
fodder ; value of manure rent OF
land ; and every item set down in
full. So | know exactly how much il
cost me to raise that piece of corn
and, thus, whether it pays me to con.
tinue 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 thinking
and ignorance in regard to those
things we should know about.