Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1878-09-11
FARM AND fIRESIDE.
Farm Accounts.


rarely, if ever, make a detailed exhibit
of their debts and credits, which will
prove either side of the question. Yet
it is a self evident fact that farming
pays the nation. 1t is our great pro-
ducing industry. the handspring which
keeps all the machinery Of transpor-
tation, commerce and manufactures IN
motion, creating "a value of untold
millions out Of materials which have no
commercial worth until transformed by
labor. If therefore on the one hand,
farming does not pay the individuals
who pursue it, there must be some
thing wrong In the system by which the
wealth created by its labor is divided;
or If on the other, it does pay the
individual, there must be something
wrong in the system by which his
business accounts are kept, or he could
show by his balance-sheets, his exact
business income and expenditure, the
amount of his profit or loss The latter
is probably the general fac! or more
properly, it is the fact that the farmer
has no business system, and does net
keep his accounts III such form
and with such accuracy as to exhibit
the true results of his business
operations. 4 L. b.
Business enterprises in their income
and expenditure are one thing, and the
support of a family with all its mciden-
tai costs, another and very different one.
The farmer usually does not notice this
but assumes that the gross sum of his
yearly expenses are farm expenses,
though these may be but a
molety Of the amount. In his
calculations he is prone to error in
stating the capital invested in his
business, ia both its real and personal
branches, by treating the entire value
Of each as a business investment. Just
here the farmer should act on the same
principale that would be adopted by a
manufacturer to determine the amount
of his business capital. In it would be
included all buildings used tor manu-
featuring, and the land and privileges
occupied by the same, the machinery,
implements, vehicles and teams en-
pleyed exclusively in the business, each
and both raw and manufactured stock
on hand, and the credit balance be-
tween bills receivable and bills payable.
But he would exclude from it his
dwelling house and everything thereto
belonging both real and. personal, be-
cause they have nothing whatever to
do with his business but are an outside
expenditure distinchvely differing from
it.
The farmer sh ould take an annual
inventory and it should include all his
farming lands, and if he owes it, enough
woodland TO keep his farm fences and
exclusively from buildings in repair, all
his buildings erected and used exclu-
slvely tor the business of the farm,
stock ofall kinds kept, all teams kept
for farm work, all cash crops and ma
nures on hand, and the credit balance
between farm bills payable and re-
ceivable. From this inventory he
should exclude his clearinghouse and
all attached buildings. and grounds not
used for farm purposes, and all i'm
plements, vehicles, teams and fixtures
provided for the pleasure or comfort Of
bis family, because. as in the case Of
the manufacturer, they are all an out
side expenditure and net essentially
connected with his strictly business
operations. In the transaction of his
affairs he should charge to the farm all
labor, including board, whether it be
on the farm or attending to its business
abroad, or whether performed by per-
sons hired, or by the farmer, his wife.
sons, or daughters. But he should be
very careful to charge only for service
actually rendered. 2 u eva
1t is quite common fer the farmer TO
say that himself and family have labor
ed the wholly year. when the fact is,
some or all the members have spent.
weeks and even months in other bust
mess attending school, in travel, re-
creation on amusement; and it would be
a manifestinjustice to the farm to charge
it for time thus occupied. He should
charge all seeds, manures and fertilizers
used, whether produced on the farm
or purchased, all new implements pur-
chased, and for an repairs Of exclusively
farm buildings, fixtures, tools and vehi-
cles. and also for taxes and interest on
all real and personal farm property.
Contra: He should give the farm credit
fer every kind of crop or product sold
from it, at the price received, and for
all the grain, meat, vegetables, milk,
butter. cheese, eggs and other products
taken from his family, at their value
on the farm, and whether wasted or
consumed. THIS lastitem is Of the ut
most Importance, and chould be rigidly
adhered 10 by the farmer as by the
country merchant who charges to his
family all the dry goods, groceries and
necessary supplies taken by them from
his store. At the expiration of the
year, a new inventory should be taken,
embracing exactly the same items as the
original, and the sum Of this inventory
and credits balanced with the sum Of the
debts. and the first inventory will show