The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1880-12-15
COMMERCIAL AGRICULTURE.
Something Neces sary 40 tle Farmer
who Would be successful.

In order to attain q high degree Of excel
lence in agriculture, writes Alexander Hyde
in Country Gentleman, it is not sufficient to
know how to raise good crops, to herd good
stock and make good beef and butter. Skill
full production is one thing, skill in buying
and selling is quite another thing, and it is
for the want of this commercial skill that SO
many farmers just scrub along and make the
ends meet, but never have a good bank &C
count. The great majority are satisfied il
the sales of their products are sufficient to
furnish groceries, dry goods and other sup
plies for their families, and leave a balanceto
pay taxes. This is SIMPLY saying that most
farmers, while they are industrious workers,
faithful to their families, and good, honest
men, are deficient as merchants. They do
not study the markets, and consequently do
not buy and sell to the best advantage. They
are proverbially poor accountants, and con-
sequently do not know how the incomes and
outgoes compare. They take no yearly &C.
count of stock, and therefore can't tell de-
initely whether they are progressing or re-
trograding. They guess they are holding
their own, but many a man who guesses that
he is making buckle aud strap meet is allow
ing his expenses to exceed his income, and is
slowly drifting into bankruptcy.
The English farmer excels the Yankee in
this regard. Compelled as he is to pay his
rent punctualIy every quarter, he is also COM
PEELED to calculate closely the income from
his crops, to keep account Of all expenditures,
and to look sharp at all pecuniary results.
Agriculture in the old world is much more q
commercial pursuit than it is here. The large
farmer there attends the market fairs, and
learns to scrutinjze prices both in buying and
selling. We know that it is said that the
producer must not be a merchant, that he
must trust all sales to middlemen, and that
all he has to do is to furnish a good article,
is just enough truth in this to make it plausi-
BILE, but it is sophistry, not philosophy. The
nearer the producer can get to the con-
sumner, the better for both. Cheats and COM
missions will certainly be diminished, and
while the profits Of the producer are increased
be is also stimulated to the production Of 9
superior article, IS he knows he will be held
responsible for all defects, and credited for
all excellencies. If his goods are sold to q
merchant, the consumer seldom knows who
the producer is, and the middleman stands
between the two, pocketing the credit and
warding off the blame. There is much truth
il the old maxim every man to bis trade
but it is part OF the trade for a farmer to sell
his W produce, and be may as we'll sell to
the consumer as to the merchant. Other
things being equal, he will prove by far the
most successful farmer who keeps his books
business-fashion, and understands the rules
Of commerce. Colman, in his European
Agriculture speaks Of 9 distinguished
Englishman, having immense estates, who
had become embarrassed in his pecuniary
affairs, from ignorance of bookkeeping
He therefore employed an expert accountant
to tie Ach him the laws of trade and the art of
keeping accounts. Having acquired this
knowledge, he was enabled to bring order out
Of confusion, and relieve himself from all
embarrassment.
The most successful farmers Of my &C.
quaintance are those who have what is CON-
monty called business talent; that is, the
ability to buy aud sell to good advantage, and
to keep Ineligible aud accurate records OF
~ 49,
all their transactions. Industry and frugality
are generally rtckoned as the corner stones
OF agricultural prosperity, but mu2titudes OF
farmers are industrious and frugal, and, one
may add, are sklllful agriculturists, who make
little Roadway in accumulatlng property.
These sometimes wonder how their neigh
bors, who do not work so hard, and often
take 81 holiday for visiting the marts OF trade,
still make the most money. The secret IS
that their neighbors are off not 50 much tor
8 holiday as for q good trade. They are on
the lookout when they can sell q span OF
horses, or buy a yoke of steers to best advan-
tage. They may work with their hands less,
but they work with their brains more than
the Flooding, but less successful, farmers.
This trading propensity has its limits. We
would not have the husbandman degenerate
into ] horsejockey, neither would We have
him drive too sharp a bargain. The high
toned commercial law of trade is that both
buyer and seller shall be benefited by the
bargain. Nine. Roland once said Il an al
ways sorry when | hear that . man has made
. good bargain, because | know that the