The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-02-08
A Sensible View OF the Case.

by A. b.
l am one of the "hornets stirred up "
by "Vermont Woman" 1 have also
read the articles recently published in
the Boston Journal, commenced by
" M. E. B." and her correspondent, in
which the privations of farmers wives
were bemoaned and their position and
advantages promptly defended by one
who simply signed &C." to praise
worthy, sensible, cheering view of life
on farm. Now, after reading the
articles by "Vermont Woman" Nos.
l, 2 and 3, "L. B. B." and Young
Farmer" on the subject, 1 think this
question is well opened for discussion
" How shall we increase an insufficient
income so as to equal or exceed reason
able outgo?" 1t has been great help
to our business to keep book-account
of every dollar and dime paid out, when
and what for, and also of money taken
in the same way. Though we have
done this faithfully for thirty years, it
is still constant wonder how the COL
umns do count up. think in no other
way can we know how we'll farm
ing does pay, and it is constant in
ducement to try sharply to increase the
credit side of the entry. If the ex-
penses overrun the income, they are
there in black and white, and if it be
possible the next page or the next foot
ing will come out better. If the farmer
and his wife unite in this bookkeeping
it is very easily done, not otherwise;
and the children should know of and
help keep the cash account. They will
in this way soon learn where the money
goes and what it costs to live-yes, and
how to plan to earn money on farm.
But we have not yet learned how to as
certain the cost of crop or the ex-
penses of any field, as some writers
tell us we should do. Days works are
broken into by the churning, by farm
tools breaking and some one having to
take them to the village for repairs.
How can we know what it costs to run
the farm? How can we know how much
it is worth to board the family, when
sugar, milk, cream, butter, eggs,
poultry, apples, berries and garden
products are never measured, weighed
or priced? If we multiply the number
in the family by the price of board at a
hotel or in eating-rooms, deducting the
cost of groceries on the cash-book, the
farm would come in bravely on the
credit side, but who ever thinks of
doing that? We can tell to cent how
much cash is paid to hired help, how
much for takes, just what the annual
interest amounts to and how much for
Tubing the butter, packing syrup and
shoeing the horses; but how can we
know how much it costs to raise a ton
of hay or make a ton of butter? If a
farmer aims high and feeds his cows to
make three hundred pounds of butter
per COW, and if it takes all the money
he gets for it to pay his hired help
and meat-bills, recorded figures will
show how the case stands. 1.-The builds
hen-house on an approved plan at a
cash cost of S25, keeps twenty-five hens
and sells eggs enough the first year tc
replace the money, he will know that il
it is on the book. And without contro.
versy, if he pays expenses, clothes him
self and family and has six per cent on
the investment besides, he has reason
for contentment.
And we would like to ask how many
there are who can make that showing
after charging the farm with the labor
done on it at prices the farmer would
have to pay if he hired it all.-EDIToR.