Milford chronicle., 1911-11-17

should De III cOuulJlOu W ASH
services with the maximum amount |
of efficiency. Under present condl-
6ons active 14O0 pound horses are
more economical than those weighing |
100 pounds. Thee heavy horses
properly hitched to our modern inn
Elements Of tillage will accomplish
more than four of the lighter type
driven bv two men working with
less efficient tools. The business man
studies constantly to reduce the cost
per unit of work. This spirit should
be emulated by the farmer. Worn
ont horses, broken harnesss, dull,
inefficient tools, and thoughtless,
careless workmen have no place on
the up-to-date business farm.
Labor. on most farms, is the great
est item of expense, and is an inn
nortant factor in determining the
profits of the farmer. 1t is dlthcult
to make all labor profitable all the
time. M,ny farmers are so constl-
tuted that they cannot get along well
with hired labor. They either fail
to appreciate the proper relation that
should exist between employer and
emplove and allow the laborers to
rnn over them on the one hand, or
incur the i'll will of their hired hands
to such an extent that they will
sbirk whenever the employer turns
| his back. Poor help, or good help
poorly managed, are great handlcaps
/ to financial success. Labor the
farmer must have, as much of 1t as
he can use proftably. Efficient,
steady married men employed by
the wear. made comfortable and con-
tented. are most satisfactory from a
| business point of view.
Owing to the high price OF labor,
one is apt to reduce the supply lower
than is consistent with best results.
In have been much interested In
Studying the expenses and incomes
ON IFS farms in New York State.
These farms were divided into dairy.
general. fruit, potato and truck types
The total average expense OF each
farm for a year was Sl29l. The
greatest single item of expense was
labor without exception, amounting
to nearly one-half of the total, or as
much as all of the other expenses
combined,
In comparing the most profitable
and least profitable farms, 1t was
; found that on all types but dairy
farms. the most successful were those
that spent the most money for labor
While it must be admitted that 1t i
3 difficult to keep the labor balanc'
satisfactory, it is Of such great i'm
nortance to financial success or fail
nre that managers can afford to Civ
the whole question very serious an'
careful consideration.
FARM ACCOUNTS.
D If we were to believe all that W
n hear of the business methods @
0 farmers. we should infer that the
$ are generally lax in keeping system
: attic records of their farm operations
: Without such records it is impossibl
to reckon cost or to have a tixe'
K basis in an effort to reduce It, With
i out some sort of accounting one can
It not tell which branch Of his bushes
is costing the most to maintain, o
j. which is bringing in the largest re
it turns. I have found it satisfactor.
S in NV experience to divide the worI
is of the farm into departments, ant
Y keep the account of each on a car
is held loosely on its edge in box @
T. convenient size On one side OF tn
card were recorded the charge
n against the department, and on tn
n other side all of the credits wer
is kept. 1t was a simple matter a
n any time to see Just how any de
y uartment stood. This system re
IS ouires but a few minutes each da
l. to keep. and enables the farmer
If tell which line of his efforts is bring
e ing in a fair return and which
'e losing money.
e A paper Of this character woul
If not be complete without some reiel
e ence to the problems of marketing
d These are more complex and MOI
1t difficult to solve, 1 believe, than 1
f almost any other business. A larg
l. part Of farmer s produce is perish
t able and must be sold when read,
l. regardless of the condition Of th
4 market, while most manufacture
le goods can be laid on the shelf anc
ie in the case of a glut, the factory ca
be shut down until there is a proii
h able demand. Again, in referenC
S. to transportation, the farmer is ofte
- Dofae hTUhf