Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-03-17
Farm Bookkeeping.

OPPONENTS of book farming speak from
strong vantage ground when they quote
the words OF inexperienced and incompe-
lent writers on agriculture. Perhaps no
where is this more apparent than when
agricultural writers assert that book keep
ing Is rs necessary TO success in agricul
ture as in any other occupation. The con-
trary of this assertion is proved true by the
large number of successful farmers who
have seldom, in all their lives, put pen to
paper. | once, as administrator, settled
the estate of a successful farmer, deceased,
the Bookkeeping of whose whole life
might have been contained on half sheet
of writing paper Very certainly, with
the aid of book keeping, he would have
been far more successful; and | do know
that had he kept books, the settlement of
his estate would have been accomplished
with much less waste His excellent
memory passed away when he did, but
his books would have been in my hands.
In early life | served an apprenticeship
of six years as an accountant in whole
sale commercial house. For fifty years
since then have been farmer II was
but natural that | should bring book.
keeping habits into my agricultural life; ;
and now, wri ing from the standpoint of
experience, l do highly recommend to
farmers to acquire skill and habit in keep.
ing accounts.
1t is necessary to acquire this habit and
skill by practice; for have learned, from
long association with farmers, that to ex-
pect farmer not much used to pen, and
entirely Impractical in accounts, to enter
at once readily into their nse, is as IDLE as
ID expect man in mature years to at once
use his left hand as deity as his right.
The art OF Keeping accounts on simple
plan may readily be acquired, and will
become familiar by practice-and then
their extension on plan more involved
and elaborate will become an easy work
In the commercial house where l learned
bookkeeping, every item of entry passed,
in double entry, through blOtter, day
book, journal and ledger, and found final
summary, adjustment and proof in year
| ly balance-sheet. But farmer may, with
advantage, commence with only two books,
one ruled as writing paper is ruled, and
the other, in addition, also ruled for mar
| gin date, head lines and for dollars and
| cents.
The first is memorandum book, and is
place for record of everything which
| it is desirable to record, viz, agreements
about line fences; a record of all con-
tracts; accounts of crops and their yields
charges, on short time, of small matters.
A department may be set apart for useful
recipes; also one for an account of the
weather; and one for the arrival and de-
parlure of visitors. Entries designed for
the ledger may be made here in detail, and
afterwards at leisure posted In short,
any desirable record may here find a
place of entry.
The second book is a ledger. Here all
accounts of a permanent character be-
tween farmer and those with whom he
does business, which can be expressed in
dollars and cents, should be recorded. A
department shculd be set apart in this
this book for the record of all prOmissory
notes given or received. On one page,
headed " account of promissory notes, "
and on the opposite page, account ot
payments thereon" should appear IA per-
feet description of each note and its his
tory thereafter. Then may follow ordinary
accounts, with which almost all men are
familiar, such as " debtor Thomas Brown
contra credit" One element of double
entry should by all means be used-that
is, an account headed on one page,
" debtor, cash received" and ON the other
page, " cash paid, credit" This is called
q fictitious accOunt-cash is treated as a
person, charged with the amount of cash
on hand and with all sums received, and
credited with all sums paid out. The
very great advantage Of this account will
appear to every one who for one year will
correctly keep H.
after becoming familiar with this sim,
pie system of bookkeeping, farmer can
easily add other elements of double entry
to great advantage. But to expect more
than tins, at commencement, is TO expect
more than in most cases we will find
i Cor. Ohio Farmer