The Glenwood post., 1915-12-18
FARMERS MUST USE
BUSINESS METHODS

"A chicken will pay more in proper
tion to what it consumes than any
other stock on the average western
farm, and one SOW, which will eat the
refuse from the table, will net more
than ten acres of ground, +" said 1. D.
o'Donnell, agriculturalist for the de-
partment of the interior, speaking be-
fore the Real Estate exchange on "Be5-
ter Farming at recent meeting of
the exchange.
"The farmer who comes from the
east puts in oats for. his first crop.
The fact is that in Nebraska, Colorado
and many of the western states this
crop does not pay. He ought to be ad-
vised concerning the conditions. Every
storekeeper in a country town ought to
have one clerk who is well Informed
and can tell the newcomer the things
he should know. The real estate man
who sells the land ought to be able to
tell him something which will aid him
in the new venture. He is out here
under new conditions and should be
started right
Mr.. O'Donnell told how the business
men of Great Falls, Mont, had aided
| the farmers of the district to start the
dairy business, loaning money to them
at low rate of interest, and how the
Merchants bank at Billings had loaned
$4,000 at 6 per cent, which was in-
vested by the farmers. The entire dis
trict was stocked with dairy cows aud
every note was paid within eighteen
months.
Sin this western country they are
| coming to do more of the diversified
farming" said the expert. ga man
who had his entire land in an orchard
few years ago now has but third cf
it in trees. The loss on orchards mas
been great in some years. Now the
profits on other things make up for the
loss on that part. The rotation of crops
and the condition Of the stock are
coming in for share of attention.
"The business methods Of the farm
is the important thing. Every farmer
should have a bookkeeping system-it
need not be a difficult one-but he
should keep accounts of the profits and
losses and give up that which does not
pay. If he does not know where he is
losing money he may go on indefinitely.
| The business system is absolutely nee
! essary to successful farm
DIR. Elwood Meade, professor of eco
nomics at the University of California,
| an advocate of the rural credits system
controlled by the state, was another
speaker. A former resident of Colo.
rado and thoroughly familiar with the
conditions, DIR. Meade holds that such
a system could be of immeasureable
| benefit to the state.
The great problem of the farp 10
day is equipment and Improvement. We
are rapidly coming to that day when
the souHS man VI lHuustTy With III"
characteristics which make desirable
citizen avail nothing on the farm if he
lacks money! said DIR. Meade. "Under
the old order of things we left man
to struggle and achieve success or fail.
ure. That day has passed in other
countries and we should adopt the same
system.
"When those countries realized the
impossibility of financing farm un-
aided they extended rural credits to the
farmers at a lower rate of interest and
smaller margin of security. Every
where it has been stimulating in its
effect, contributing to the growth Of
ambition, adding to the productiveness
of the lands and making for better
homes.
"Every state ought to adopt the rural
credits system. The state is an organ
iZation that lasts. 1t has gains to make
in taxation, trade and commerce ana
the financing of the man on the land
should come through legislation.
|