The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-05-05

ness methods and sharp competition
have changed these notions until to-
day 1t is necessary to know the cost
OF production in advance to the snall.
est detail. Ancient business methods
prevail yet very generally on the farm.
The wonderful progress of the Ameri-
can farmer is due to marvellous nat
urai resources. labor saving inventions
and natural ingenuity rather than to
wise and prudent management.
Too often good farm is compelled
to carry Improbable experiments, and
The whole business is pronounced q
1aiiure without an adequate attempt to
lind remedy. Ia addition to the finan-
ciai records, it is eften advisable to
keep accurate cost accounts of the
main branches of the business. In cost
accounting there are four principal ele-
1nents TO cOnsider-cost of material. la.
dor, interest and depreciation. The
cost records are Independent of all the
rest aad may be kept of every branch
of the business il desired or limited to
one or more phases-for instance, live
stock, grain hay. dairy products and
improvements. The agricultural ex-
pertinent stations are always willing
10 give the farmer important advice
and assistance regarding the stock,
grain. fruit. etc, best adapted for diff
ferent localities and purposes. But
conditions frequently arise where it is
Important for the farmer to carry on
his own experiments. Your own ex-
perimeat station will doubtless be glad
to cooperate and suggest methods for
carrying on such experiments even to
the extent of furnishing necessary
blanks and material. Important bulle-
tins on the subject may be had for the
asking from the department Of agricul-
fure. Washington.
Either of three methods may be
employed in finding the cost Of live
stock:
First Method.-Ascertain exactly the
total amount Of grain. hay and rough
age On hand at the beginning of the
year and produced during the year.
From this subtract the quantity sold,
including amount used by household
and for seed and the amount on hand
at the end of the year. The difference
is the quantity used for live stock.
The value at market prices is the ex-
penditufes of feed for live stock. Find
the total amount received for dairy
products, including amount used by
the household The difference be-
tween the cost and the receipts is the
gain. Nhe disadvantages Of this meth
cd Is that ne account is taken of indi-
Viduai animals nor OF different kinds
or stock. The herd as a whole NAV be
a paying investment and still there
may be individual animals carried at
a loss. II Is desirable that such rec
ords be kept at least occasionally as
will enable the farmer to eliminate I'M
profitable animals.
Second MethOd.-The following ac-
ltual record of a dairy herd Of twelve
cows.illustrates much more satisfac-
tory test than the preceding. Individ-
ual record was kept of the milk pro-
duced by each COW, as shown in Fig.
3, but the feed was weighed for the
entire herd and the average cost charg-
ed to each animal at market prices.
With this average before him a care
gul feeder will be able to make mental
corrections for each individual animal
accurate enough for most practical
purposes:
TESTS OF DAIRY HERD FOR MARCH.
s'.i 1909.