Wallowa County chieftain. [volume] (Enterprise, Or.) 1909-1911, 1909-12-09
THE BUSINESS SIDE OF FARMING
Professor Bexen Gives Some Valuable
and Interesting Pointers.

Oregon Agricultural College, COrval-
is. Dee 6.-The Oregon Agricultural
'Ollege has Just issued bulletin for
iree distribution emphasizing better
business methods on the farm.
Professor Bexell, the author of the
bulletin, says in his introduction:
1T Is a truism to say that the finan-
eial side of farming is of the utmost
Importance. But the 4aet remains that
this side of the worlds greatest indus
,ry. is almost entirely neglected by both
,he farmer and the schools. Professor
Bailey says on this subject: In visit
ing practically every farm in one of
the counties of the state (New York;
we did not find one man who knew
now much il cost him TO produce milk
OF 10 raise any of his crops
''The secretary of agriculture, in re
cent year books, points out the remark
able prosperity of the farmer; that the
export of farm products is vastly in
excess of all other exports combined /;
chat a million agricultural debtors
have been transformed during the last
ten wears into the same number of sur
plus depOsitOrs; that contrary TO his
reputation, the farmer is a great or
ganizer. and he has achieved remarka-
bic and enormous successes in many
lines of economic cooperation in which
the people of other occupations have
either made no beginning at all or have
nearly if not completely failed. He
points out that most farmers live bet
ter than the average merchant or me
ehanie.
1.-The business of farming assumes
two distinct phases: the productive
phase and the exchange phase. The
one aims to extract the treasures from
the soil; the other to place them in
the hands Of the consumer 1t is i'm
portant not only TO raise abundant
crops. but also to sell the products TO
advantage.
1.-The Importance of the exchange
phase is often lost sight Of farm
may. be forced TO yield to its maximum
capacity, labor may be managed prop
erly and waste reduced to a minimum
and yet the net result may be a loss
at the end of the year. As general
| economic proposition, it might be said
that large crops often result in serious
| loss TO society as a whole If the net
value to the consumer is less than the
labor and capital expended on the crop
society is the loser by the difference
| Hence the Importance of a thorough
understanding by the farmer as well
as by the merchant and manufacturer
of the laws and methods of exchange
| or commerce.
That farming is science has been
emphasized so much that the fact that
it is also a business is often lost sight
of. 1t is real business. and one which
pays the United States close to eight
billion dollars annually. 1t has been
demonstrated repeatedly that no legit
innate business pays better than farm
ing. 1t may be little more uphill
work at the start. since most farmer.
begin business with small capital. but
It is ineomparably safer in the lone
run, and will insure competence foI
old age with greater certainty than any
other occupation. But let it ever be
borne in mind that the condition foi
success is that farming must be con
Quoted on business principles
Not many generations ago it wa,
considered sufficient for the averag,
manufacturer merely to record mis- casi
receipts and expenditures and 70 keer
a tolerably accurate check on the casi
| balance. In many instances the left
trOuser pocket served as the debit side
and the right as the credit side of tn,
ledger. Modern business methods anC
sharp competition have changed thes,
notions until today it is necessary Il
know the cost of production in ad
vance to the smallest detail. Ancient
business methods prevail yet, very gen
orally, on the farm. The wonderful
progress of the American farmer is du,
to marvellous natural resources, labor
saving inventions, and natural inge
nuity, rather than to wise and prudent
management.
In certain respects farmer mus
combine the methods of the manufac
turer and the merchant. He must iearr
not only how to increase production
but also how to facilitate the profitabl,
exchange of his products He must re
duee the cost of production to the min
imum by increasing the quality ant
the quantity of his products, and b,
getting full value out of labor. Ii,
must manage so that his working force
farm hands, children, horses, all ar,
constantly employed. This requires
most skillful management in the rota
ton of crops, in the division of LABOR
in selecting seeds, fertilizers and stock
and, above all, it requires general pru
dence in purchasing equipment an,
supplies, and in marketing products
This class of farmers require a variety
of records to assist in the proper man
agement of their business. A first
class set of books is just as indis
pensible to them as to the banker O.
to the manufacturer.
The bulletin is illustrated with q
full-page engravings. 1t will be sen
free on request. Address Professor ]
A. Bexell, Corvallis, Ore.
Missing Rosenjack Seen.