Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1884-10-23
Bookkeeping fer Farmers.

ers are she only class of pe57le that ara
engaged in bus ness employing a con-
! siderable amount Of capital who do not
keep set of books. II - rule in
the Bankrupt courts in most countries
that no trader who does not keep n set
of books can obtain his discharge. II
this rule was applied to farmers none
Of them. however unfortunate in busi-
ness. would apply to a commission
/ in bankruptcy TO be released from his
/ obligations on making over his proper
IS. A farmer generally carries his ac-
cGdnts in his head. His balance sheet
at the end of the year in his pOck et-
book. II he has no outstanding notes.
no store bills or other obligations. but :
considerable sum OF money in his pOck-
Il. ne naturally concludes that his labor
/ and capital have been prDntably en-
/ ploved during the wear. II, however.
ne has no casn. and is repeatedly asked
to pay debts contracted during the year.
he ascertains without applying 10 an
expert accountant that he has -been los
ing money inste I'd OF making any. II
asked at the close of prosperous sea
son which department. OF farming OF
stOck-raising has been the most prSfita-
bic he s not able 70 answer. If be
=tarfel in the business OF farming wi; 4
considerable capital invested in land,
stock and tools and. after n series of
years. is obliged TO sell out IN order 10
meet the demands OF his creditors. he
would find II difficult 10 give 4 very
satisfactory reason for his failure. Few
farmers can give such an account of
their gains OF losses as would be of any
great value 10 one who was about 10
engage in the business Of farming. Ne-y
few can tell with anv considerable de-
gree of accuracy what kind OF crops CT
what class OF live stock has paid best
during \ series of years.
Ii IS claimed that farm rs have more
need to keep books than traders and
manufacturers have. because their bus
ness Is more complicated. Some have
held that an account should be kept
with every .ieId. % that il may he as
certained a the end Of each year wheth-
er tse crop produced on it paid the cost
% production. including interest on the
Taipe OF the land. They also held that
an account should be kept with every
animal belonging TO the farm The
world ascer. ain the worth of the food
20 each. and would carefully estimate
the gain in weight Of the meat-prodUc-
ing animals. the value If the young
they raise. the worth of the milk given
b. each COW. ald the value of the flesh
taken from each sheep. By adopting
that course. it Is claime,l. the relative
value Of each animal can be determined.
BY reserr.ng 70 the written record il
may be seen which animals are prOfita-
bic to keep. and which should be dis
posed o. Il is held that remarkably
line hocks and herds may be built up in
that way. Some have gone so far as %
advocate keeping an account with every
hen in the poultry ward IL Is general
IL admitted that farmers are poor busi-
ness men. and il IS believed that iudi-
cious system OF book keeping would i'm
prove their business habits aud render
their business more profitable Several
systems of agricultural bookkeeping
have Teen proposed tha; would appear
- answer .he purpose. As n rule.
however. they have failed 10 give gen
eral satisfaction. The great ma ;0rity
OF farmers do not undcrs and how to
keep 4 st OF books. and those who do
not are not vii. NJ To take the time
required TO learn. Some who have re-
ceived Instructions in the science and
art of bookkeeping. declare that they
lIsge no time TO keep books during the
portions OF the year when there IS the
most 10 do in the fields Others com
PLAIN Of the cost of the books required
Tor keeping farm accounts. and at the
great trouble in making the different en-
tries.
An expert accountant gives il as his
opinion that il Is impracticable for
farmers to keep such 4 set Of books as
viii furnish the information desired
from them. lie states that il is 4 COM
parafiveiy easy matter 10 keep accounts
for a manufacturer OF trader. but 4 very
difficult one TO keep them for farmers.
The manufacturer purchases materials
and employs labOrers TO work them up.
When the arti. are made il IS very
EASY 10 estimate their cost. He sells
ihem for money. and the gain o. loss in
he busins $ Is easily ascertained The
.rader simply buys and sells The diff [
sreuce between the purchase and selling I
price constitutes his profit OF loss. In I
iarming there i nothing like simple T.
urins. Everything connected 4
with raising a crop : exceedingly COM I
Diicated- Most 0f the operations reach .
over from one year to another. The /
ground i often in preparation for GER
ain crop several years. : field i sOwn-
% clover for :he purpose OF raising a 4
Hop O wheat two OF three years hence 4
are purchased that may be /
n use lifetime. Land Is nnderdrained. 1
iot for immediate ELECTS, but with u
flew 10 permanent improvements. An
,rchard Is set eut that mas not produce
rIit for = dozen years None of tie
operations Of farmers resemble those of
lie Ira Ter in being simply buving and
elling. Il ! true that the farmer often
,uys an sells stock. But he generally
.eeps and feeds the animals several
months before he dispOses of them. Il
5 easy o. lind the difference between
he purchase and selling pr.ce. but cutie
liiiiculf Ia estimate the cost OF the care
nd feed during the time they are kept
N the place. a foreign agricultural
Ociety recently offered = prize for the
est system Of bookkeeping for farm
=. Several systems were submitted.
mt all Of them We're condemned as be-
~ quite too complicated IL therefore
ecnmmended that farmers keep simply
diary and cash-boOk; the first 10 con-
lin record OF important occurrences
n the farm. a. the time Of seeding and
arvesting. and the second To contain
n account of all the purchases and
ales AMI ali expenditures Of money fOs
ycEy kind Of labor. - Cksclg0 IiMicS.