Middletown transcript., 1896-02-22
OF Interest
ITO Farmers

KEEPING ACCOUNT WITH THE FARM.
A. e. Griffin writes in the "Ameri-
can Agriculturist." Farmers, as a
rule, are too negligent in this matter.
They often complain of hard times,
cheap wheat, and low prices for all
other farm products when they are
utterly unable to state just what
their products cost them per BUSH
ell or per ton. It is one of the most
satisfactory accounts a farmer can
keep, and has been largely the means
of enabling the writer to reduce the
cost of producing bushel of wheat
from $1.25 in 1882 to 34c. in 1894,
allowing the same pay for labor ex-
pended and for rental Of land in each
case. The cost cf all other crops was
also reduced, but the reductions were
not so marked as in the case noted.
While it has strong tendency to re-
duce the cost Of production, this is not
all. 1t enables a farmer to know wheth-
er he can afford to sell his products
at prices prevailing when he wants to
sell. If he raises them at loss he
will know it, and again it is great
help in showing him which crop pays
best ON his farm, so that he Can grow
more of what is adapted to his soil and
climate and is most profitable
Any cheap memorandum book will
answer the purpose, but an indexed
ledger is better. Then plant your farm.
and name or number the fields, stat
ing how many acres each cont aims.
When you begin farm operations in
the spring, charge the field with all
labor at given price for hand and
team, given price for hand where
team is not used, also all seed grain at
what it is worth at the time as seed,
and lastly, charge the field with GER
tain amount Of rent or interest on in
1estment. Don't forget 10 keep dates
for all these charges, for they are a
wonderful satisfaction in after years.
When you gather the crop give credit
for the product in bushels or tons, and
at the end of the year it is an easy mat
ter to determine the exact cost OF each
product. When once accustomed to
keeping such accounts, the desire to
continue them will grow. Try it the
the coming.
One grave mistake made by many
dairymen is to feed out the poorest of
everything that they have at the begin
ming of the winter, and save the best
till the last. l say feed the best first
if there is any best, and the cows will
remain profit .ble enough 50 that you
can afford to supplement their poorer
feelings of spring with b5tter rations.
Cows due to calve late in March can
be profitably milked till February, and
under first-class diet during this pro-
longed lacteal period they are really in
better vigor for the parturient ordeal
than if they had remained dry. Don't
force mich cows out Of warm stable
two or three times day 10 drink wate
of an icy temperature. They will shake
their heads in protest and swallow on
ly about half what their system need
for the elaborat ion Of milk. 1t is a
dead loss in mi TX yield all winter to
water them in this too common style.
One of the best plans I ever knew was
the bringing of running water into the
stable, which was there maintained at
a temperature of about 45. Whatever
be your plan of watering, tie icy chill
should be taken eff, aid the cattle have
a chance TO drink shielCed from cold
winds. In t his way the cows will
dilnk cOpl0usly III winter, which will
add mat erially to their milk flow. We
repeat, however, that ventilation, sun
shine and exercise are necessary to keep
COWS in the best of health.
One way to save money.-During the
winter many conveniences AMI ie ,es-
siry farm tools ana implements may
be made in the woikhouse. Hayracks,
wagon beds. swing gates, aatertr5ughs
and tauks, tool racks. s. ak rakes, chick
en- coops, shipping crates, and berry
boxes are simple in construction. Any /.
bright farmer, with the assistance of
can make all Of these and
more. The expense will be much lees
than if bought in town or hired made.
The tools which every well-regulated
farm ought to possess will answer. We
have in mind u young farmer who does
Ill this kind Of work. and he isprosper-
Ing in spite Of hard times, cheap pro-