The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1884-10-18
Book for Farmers


past few years in advocacy of plain, at
the same time comprehensive, system of
bookkeeping for the use of farmers. It
is often stated that farmers are the only
class of people that are engaged in a
business employing considerable
amount of capital who do not keep set
of books. 1t is a rule in the bankrupt
courts in most countries that no trader
who does not keep set of books can OBJ
tain his discharge. If this rule was ap-
piled 20 farmers none of them, however
unfortunate in business, would apply to
a commission Ill bankruptcy to be re-
leased from his obligations on making
over his property. A farmer generally
carries his accounts in his head. His
balance-sheet at the end of the year is
his pocket-book. Ifhe has no outstand-
ing notes, no store bills or other obliga-
tons, but a considerable sum of money
in his pocket, he naturally concludes
that his labor and capital have been
protitably employed during the year.
If, however, he has no cash, and is re-
peatedly asked to pay debts contracted
during the year, he ascertains without
applying to an expert accountant that
he has been losing money instead
| of making any. If asked at the close of
prosperous season which department
of farming or stock-raising has been the
most profitable he is not able to answer.
If he started in the business of farming
with considerable capital invested in
land, stock, and tools, and, after series
of years, is obliged 10 sell out in order to
meet the demands of his creditors, he
would find it difficult to give a very
satisfactory reason for his failure. Few
farmers can give such an account of
their gains or losses as would be of any
great value to one who was about to en-
gage in the business of farming. Very
few can tell with any considerable degree
ofaccuracy what kind of crops or what
class of live stock has paid best during
series of years.
1t is claimed that farmers have more
need to keep books than traders and
manufacturers have, because their bust
ness is more complicated. Some have
held that an account should be kept
with every field, so that it NAV be as
certained at the end of each year
whether the crop produced on it paid
the cost of production, including inter
est on the value of the land. They also
held that an account should be kept
with every animal on the farm. They
| would ascertain the worth of the food
fed to each, and would carefully esti-
mate the gain III weight of the meat
producing animals, the value of the
young they raise, the worth of the milk
given by each COW, and the value of the
fleece taken from each sheep. By
adopting that course, it is claimed, the
relative value of each animal can be de-
termined. By referring to the written
| record 1t may be seen which animals are
profitable to keep, and which should be
disposed of. 1t is held that remarkably
| fine focks and herds may be built up in
that way. Some have gone so far as to
advocate keeping an account book with
every hen in the poultry yard 1t is
generally admitted that farmers are poor
business men, and it is believed that a
ludicious system of bookkeeping would
improve their business habits and render
their business more profitable. Several
systems of agricultural bookkeeping
have been proposed that would appear
to answer the purpose. As a rule, how
ever, they have failed to give general
satisfaction. The great majority of far
mers do not understand how to keep a
set of books, and those who do not are
not willing to take the time required to
learn. Some who have received in
structions in the science and art of book
keeping, declare that they have no time
to keep books during portions of the
VOC VIII
fields. Others complain of the cost of
the books required for keeping farm &C
counts, and at the great trouble in max
ing the different entries.
SAN expert accountant gives it as his
opinion that it is impracticable for
farmers to keep such set of books as