Nebraska advertiser., 1881-02-10
Agriculture Commercially Considered.
Alexander Hyde in Country Gentleman.

Alexander Hyde in Country Gentleman.
| In order to attain a high degree OF
excellence in agriculture, it is not suf-
! ficient to know how to raise good crops,
/ to herd good stock and make good beef
and butter. Skillful 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 ends meet. but never have a good
bank account. The great majority are
satisfied if the sales of their products
are sufficient to furnish groceries, dry
goods and other supplies for their fami-
lies, and leave a balance to 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 mer-
chants. They do not study the markets,
and consequently do not buy and sell to
the best advantage. They are proven
bially poor accountants and consequent
ly do not know how the incomes and
Out-gOes compare. They take no yearly
account of stock, and therefore can't
tell definitely whether they are progress
ing or retrograding. They guess they
are holding their own. but many man
who guesseS that he is making buckle
and strap meet, is allowing his expenses
to exceed his income, and is slowly drift
ing into bankruptcy.
The English farmer excels the Yam
kee in this regard: Compelled as he is
to pay his rent punctually every quar-
ter, he is also compelled 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 a commercial dursuit than it is
here. The large farmer there attends
the market fairs. and learns to scrutin-
ize prices both in buying and selling.
We know that it is said that the pro-
ducer must not be a merchant, that he
must trust all sales to middlemen, and
that all he has to do is to furnish g good
article, and the price will take care of
itself. There is Just enough truth in
this to make it plausible, but it is sOph-
istry, not philosophy. The nearer the
producer can get to the consumer, the
better for both. Cheats and commits
siOns will certainly be diminished, and
while the profits of the producer are in
creased, he IS also stimulated to the
production of better article, as he
knows he viii be held responsible for all
defects, and credited for all excellencies.
If his goods are sold to a merchant the
consumer seldom knows who the pro-
ducer is, and the middleman stands be-
tween the two, pOcketing the credit and
warding off the blame. There is much
truth in the old maxim, ''every man to
his trade" but it is part of the trade
of the farmer to sell his own produce, !
and he may as well sell to the consumer !
as to the merchant. Other things being |
equal he will prove the most successful |
farmer who keeps his books business
fashion and understands the rules of 1
commerce. COlman, in his European
speaks of a distinguished
having immense estates.
" no had become embarrassed in his pc
cuniary affairs, from ignorance OF book
keeping rather than lack of skill as a
farm manager. He therefore employ
ed an expert accountant to teach him
the laws of trade, and the art of keep
knowledge, he was enabled to bring or
der out of confusion, and relieve him.
self from all embarrassme nts.
The most successful farmers of my
are those who have what
s commonly called business talent; that
S the ability to buy and sell to good ad- .
7antage, and to keep ineligible and ac-
,urate records of all their transactions.
Industry and frugality are generally
as the corner stones of agricul- ,
ural prosperity, but multitudes of far
ners are industrious and frugal, and, ,
me may add, are skillful agriculturists,
Who make little h, adway in accumula-
ing property. These sometimes won
Ter how their neighbors, who do not
work so hard, and often take a holiday /
or visiting the marts of trade, still |
make the most money. The secret is
hat their neighbors are off not so much !
or holiday as to make good trade. t