The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1891-11-17
TIMELY FARM TOPICS.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION BY AND
FOR PRACTICAL MEN.

Business Methods on the Farm-Neces-
sity for Systematic Accounts i'm all
Departments-A Word About silos-
some Other Useful Suggestions.
With all the exhortations to farmers to
make greater use Of business methods on
the farm, we see very few of them explain
ing how such methods should be applied,
or wherein they would be specially valu-
able. Generalizing Is not the best way to
make truths plain. To come down to the
root Of the matter at once, let me ask the
reader how he is to know whether his
hoGs. bis poultry or bis COWS pay him
nroft. Z be- feeds sach class Of tn rs,l
animals from the same grain pinsf Inc
The COWS may be making profit on their
feed, and thus concealing deficit that
comes from Improbable hogs andhens. Or'
the COWS and hens may be conceallng the
fact that the hogs are running In debt TO
the farm. It is the same with other
kinds of stock, when all are fed from
common quantity OF feed stuffs. Occa-
sionally 1t is even worse than the case
mentioned, the COWS, hens and hogs
might each and all return less than the
cost OF their keep, and still the truth be
undiscovered, provided some other branch
of farm operations brought in sufficient
revenue to make up the deficiency. How
can it be told, whether a certain crop OF
corn, oats, wheat or potatoes, has been
profitable one to raise, If no account Is
kept of the cost of preparing the ground,
dressing caring for, and harvesting the
crop7
would have separate grain bins for each
kind of stock; then upon the first day OF
January Of each year, or upon the nrst
day Of one OF the spring months, II one
chooses, large blank book should be pro-
cured, and every time q sack OF bran or
oats is put into the poultry house, its cost
should be charged to the account OF the
poultry. II ground meal, bone or any
other article OF food is purchased for the
hens. let the cost be charged to them, and
whenever eggs or market poultry are
sold, let the proper credit be given. to-
gether with credit for the eggs and
poultry used on the table. II the hens
have eaten certain number of bushels OF
vegetables, their value should be charged
to the poultry account. At the end of the
year it will be pretty plain how the fowls
have paid.
The dairy will have charged to 1t the
feed that has been placed In the stable
bins, together with the value Of the hay,
ensilage and roots eaten; and credit will
be given to the same for the butter sold
and eaten, the milk sold or used. and the
estimated value Of the sklm-milk fed out.
The dairy should also be credited for the
value of the calves, when weaned, and for
the manure that Is made.
1t is not necessary to go further into
details, to show that this Is the only way
by which we can tell whether the work is
profitable or not. This is the only way,
II it is not profitable, by which one can tell
what branch Is handicapping all the rest.
1t needs no great knowledge Of book
keeping, to classify these important facts.
Anyone with common sense can make
such credit and debit entries, under the
heading of each branch Of his farm opera
tions, as he can himself readily under
stand, when he comes to reckon up the
cost and the value Of articles sold and on
hand The great point 10 to begin keep
ing such accounts, and the sooner one be-
gins the bstt5T.-W5Db b0nnefffH Ffaor
ticaI Farmer.