The Parma herald. (Parma, Idaho) 1903-1917, 1909-12-09
THE BUSINESS SIDE OF FARMING
Professor Bexell Gives Some Valuable
and Interesting Pointers.

Oregon Agricultural College, corvaI-
lis, Dee e.-The Oregon Agricultural
college has just issued bulletin for
free distribution emphasizing better
business methods on the farm.
Professor BexeIl, the author Of the
bulletin, says in his introduction:
cit IS truism to say that the Hnan-
eial side Of farming is Of the utmost
Importance. But the aaet remains that
this side Of the worlds greatest indus
try is almost entirely neglected Dy seth
the farmer and the schools Professor
Bailey says on this subject: In visit
ing practically every farm in ono of
the counties Of the state New York;
We did not find one man who knew
how much it cost him TO produce milk
or to raise any Of his crops
1.-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 10
excess Of all other exports combined;
that a million agricultural debtors
have been Transformed during the last
ten years into the same number Of sur
plus depositors; that contrary to bis
reputation, the farmer is a great or
ganizer, and be 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 OF have
nearly if not completely failed He
points out that most farmers live bet
ter than the average merchant or me
chanic.
'fThe business Of farming assumes
two distinct phases: the productive
phase and the exchange phase The
one aims 10 extract the treasures from
the soil; the other to place them In
the hands Of the consumer It is i'm
portant not only to raise abundant
crops, but also to sell the products to
advantage.
THE importance of the exchanges
phase IS often lost sight Of A 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 a general
economic proposition, it might be said
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.
.tThar f1---fro~ - . -...-.. - -
emphasized 50 much that the fact that
it is also a business IS often lost sight
Of Il is real business, and one which
pays the United States close to eignt
billion dollars annually. Il has been
demonstrated repeatedly that no Iegit.
/ innate business pays better than farm.
ing Il may be a little more uphill
work at the start, since most farmers
begin business with small capital. but
II IS incomparably safer in the long
run, and viii insure a competence fol
old age with greater certainty than any
other occupation But let It ever bs
borne in mind that the condition fol
success Is that farming must be con
Quoted On business principles
Not many generations ago it wa.
considered sufficient for the averag,
{ --3AoAACNA-cA merely 10 lcCOrQ Els cast
receipts and expenditures and 20 keer
tolerabiy accurate check on the easl
balance In many instances the lefr
trouser pocket served as the debit side
and the right as the credit side OF tn.
ledger Modern business methods anS
sharp competition have changed thes,
notions until today it is necessary t.
know the cost Of production in ad
vance to the smallest detail. Aneieni
business methods prevail yet, very gen
orally, on the farm The w6nderfu
progress or the American farmer Is du.
to marvellous natural resources, labor
saving inventions, and natural inge
nuity, rather than to wise and pruden
management
In certain respects a farmer mus
combine the methods of the manufae
turer and the merchant. He must lear
not only how to increase production
but also how to facilitate the proftabl.
exchange of his products. He must re
duee the cost of production to the min
imum by increasing the quality ans
the quantity of his products, and b,
getting full value ont of labor. Ii,
must manage so that his working force
farm hands, children, horses, all ar,
constantly employed. This require
most skillful management in the rota
ton of crops, in the division of laOor
in selecting seeds, fertilizers and stock
and, above all. it requires general pru
denee IN purchasing equipment an,
supplies, and in marketing products
This class of farmers require a variet
of records to assist in the proper man
agement of their business A first
class set Of books is just as indi:
pensible to them as to the banker o
to the manufacturer
The bulletin is illustrated with Q
. full-page engravings- 1t viii be sen
free on request Address Professor
A. Bexell, Corvallis, Ore.