Democratic messenger., 1889-05-04
The Farmer a Business Man.

how to turn a good furrow
prepare the soil for the seed
stop the growth of weeds, and
promote the growth of plants
has not mastered the art oi
successful farming. Nor has
the man who knows only how
to raise fine hor.cs, sleek cat
tie. or fat swine, or how to fer.
tilize his fields to the best ad.
vantage, raise the best corn OF
potatoes. or the highest yield
of oats or barley. The man
who to-day really makes a
thorough success as a farmer,
must combine all these ele-
ments acknowledge and many
more.
What would be thought OF
the manufacturer who did not
know to a fraction Of a cent
the cost of the raw material
and labor of a yard of cloth.
or the manufacturer of leather
who did not know the exact
cost of the material or labor
required to make a case OF
boots and shoes, or the manu-
facturcr of olcomargarine who
knows what it costs per pound,
and laughs in his sleeves at
the farmers gilt-edged butter.
And yet how many farmers
can tell the cost Of a pound of
butter or pork, a bnshel of
potatoes or corn, or a ton of
hay? They sell their products
for what they are offered, not
knowing whether they are
making or losing.
When farmers come to real
izc that farming is a business
as much as manufacturing or
banking or buying and selling
goods and by a careful keeping
of accounts learn to figure the
cost of every article they pro-
duce. then a successful begin
ming will have been made.
Let them keep debit and credit
with every acre Of corn or po-
tatoes or beans or grain.
Charge each acre with inter
est on its value. the amount
of fertilizing material used on
the crop, the cost of labor in
its care. Credit it with the
value of the crop produced.
a like account should be kept
with the herd of cows. Ifany
of the number entails a loss
upon you dispose of her.
Keep strict account with
the orchard. Debit it with
the labor employed in its care
and in harvesting of its fruit.
Credit it with the value of its
product, andlearn from the bal
ance on the right side of the
ledger that It's one ofyour best
friends. have said that the
farmer needs to be educated
for his business. One branch
of study | would particularly
recommend; that is book
keeping. | speak from per
sonal knowledge and cxpcr-
ience, and know it pays. 1t is
like the compass to the mari
ncr.
The farmers book is one of
reference, to which he can at
any time refer for date or ar
ticlc bought or sold. and price
given or received for the same.
This book will solve the prob
lem. Where does our money
go to-" and perchance lead to
a more careful consideration
and economy.
Having learned to calculate
the cost of the products of the
farm. the next business is to
learn how to sell them. Make
a study oi the markets. and
learn for yourselves the prices
of things you wish to sell. II
you cannot ilX your own prices,
you can ut least prevent being
taken advantage OF. AZ. Il.
Farmer.
A Scrap of Paper Saves Her Life.
II was just an ordinary scrap of wrap.
ping paper. hut II saved her life. She was
IN the last stages oi consumption, told by
physicians that she was incurahlc and
could live only short time: she weighed
less than seventy pounds. On "a piece of