The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1891-11-13
THE FARM AND HOME.
BEGIN NOW TO USE BUSINESS
METHODS ON THE FARM.
me Only way to BE SURE It Psys-over
Fattsd Meat II Unprohtabls-
sheep Pointers and HOusS-
h0td Hints.
BusIness Methods on the Farm.

With all the exhortations to farmers
20 make greater use of business meth
ods on the farm. we see very few
of them explaining how such methods
should be applied. or wherein they
would be specially valuable. Gener-
alizlnR is not the best way to make
truths plain. To come down to the
root of the mutter at once. let me ask
the readers how he Is TO know whether
his hogs his poultry or his COWS pay
these animals from the same grain
binsp The COWS may be making a
profit on their feed. and thus conceal
ing q deficit that comes from unprofit-
able hogs and hens. Or the COWS and
hens may be concealing 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 a
common quantity of feed stuffs- Occa-
sionally IL 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 n profit
able one 10 raise. il no account is kept
of the cost of preparing the ground
dressing. caring for, and harvesting
the crop.
would have separate grain bins for
each kind of stock; then upon the first
day of January OF each year. or upon
the first day OF one of the spring
months. il one chooses a large blank
book should be procured. and every
time a sack of bran or oats is put into
the poultry house. its cost should be
charged to the account OF the poultry.
II grouno meal, bone or any other ar
Gcle 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,
together with a credit for the eggs
and poultry used on the table. II the
hens have eaten a certain number of
bushels OF vegetables. their value
should be charged to the poultry &C
count At the end OF the year it will
be pretty plain how the fowls have
paid.
The dairy will have charged to it
the feed that has been placed In the
stable bins. together with the value q
the hay, ensilage and roots eaten; an
credit will be given 10 the same. for
the butter sold and eaten. the milk
sold or used. and the estimated value
of the skim milk fed out The dairy
should also be credited for the value
of calves, when weaned, and for the
manure that is made.
1t is not necessary to go farther 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 bookkeeping.
20 classify these important facts Any
one with good common sense can
make such debit and credit entries.
under the heading of each branch of
his farm operations as he can himself
readily understand, when he comes TO
reckon up the cost and the value of
articles sold and on hand. The great
point is to begin keeping such accounts,
aud the sooner one begins. the better.
Practical Farmer.