Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-02-02
Why Records Help In Results.

luOusduu WuO, kc0piuS ~ ioOoAuo "
their business, know nothing abou
their standing for the reason that the!
are not able to carry such details IL
mind. The dairy farmer or any othe
kind Of farmer has no right TO depent
solely on memory for the living, vita
details of his business. There are tot
many facts that must be studied II
their relation to each other and to th'
business as whole to permit Of suct
unbusinesslike methods.
The very essence of improvement ant
progress lies 10 ones ability to compare
present results with past results and t
plan fer better results in the future
Such comparisons and plans are impos
sible without the record OF facts.
The dairy farm to q greater degree
than any other farm is benefited b!
such records. The dairy farmer hal
greater opportunity for improvement
and can expect greater returns from i'm
provemeut than any other kind OF farm
er.
A mere cash account is not suffici
cient record for dairy farmer. 1t II
necessary to keep an account with ou
cash but the bank will keep this for u!
il we deposit all receipts and make al
payments by check.
The vital records on the dairy farm
are the records of production. Alons
with these must go the records OF cost
These records bear no relation to tn,
cash account, but they furnish the facts
on which respectable cash account
may be created.
Every dairy farmer should classify his
productive enterprises. He has his
dairy herd, the large factor; his swine
herd, his mares and colts, possibly sheeE
aud poultry. He must determine the
unit of production and from his genera
knowledge of his business set stand
ard which he expects to attain. Th'
unit of production of the dairy herd II
undoubtedly the cow. How much mill
and fat should she give? How muct
does she give? In these two questions
is the whole secret of progress. TC
know the facts milk aud fat record
must be kept. Without such recorr
no progress is probable. Yet how many
dairymen keep these simple, illuminat
ing records of their business?
With sheep and swine the flock ol
drove is usually the unit of production
Such records are simple but extremely
Important. What was the produce OF
dozen sows or of 40 ewes? How did il
compare with last year or two years
agoP Was the increase satisfactory
On the dairy farm the acre yield is o'
vast Importance. Every acre representi
definite investment of capital. Whal
is it producing to pay interest on thai
capital? Only the farm records proper
ly kept will reveal the answer. Will an
acre in timothy produce as much feeo
value as an acre iu alfalfa or clover? Will
an acre in oats return as much as au
acre in corn or Kafir? Is the scrubby
pasture keeping as many cows as !,
would if cleared up and properly seededi
Ouly the records of yields and the feed
ing values of the products will give the
answer.
IL records of yield alone are kept il
may mislead the farmer aud cause hin
loss. Along with these records must g
the records of cost incurred in obtaining
these yields. High yields are valuable
only when they show a profit. Very
low yields usually show a loss. Very
high yields may also show loss. The
things necessary 10 obtain them may
cost more than the returns. There IL
a happy medium which will show the
greatest profit. Where that is, only
close study of carefully and correctly
kept records will show. Profit is the
final answer for the labOrs of the dairy
farmer, and maximum profit Is obtained
only by knowing conditions and follow
ing the line that shows the greatest re
turns.
Records of cost should be records o.
absolute fact. Such record Is unsafe i
founded on a supposition or ideal. LIE
the facts be put down and then compare
them with the ideal. In that way onl!
can the dairy farmer get the true meas
ure OF his skill as a dairymau.
But records of cost and production ar
not the only records that must be kept
The dairy farmer has milk, or cream
or butterfst, young stock, and man!
other things to sell. His ability as
business man is measured to large ex
tent by his ability to sell his products t
0est advantage.
II the sales show no profit over pro
ductiou the cash account will be rathe
slim. Sometimes the total sales will b'
considerably larger than the total cos
for given year but 1t may be tha
the dairyman has turned part OF his in
vested capital into cash. Without rec
ords the farmer is apt to mistake thi
for profit. A properly kept set of rec
ords would have shown him his errol
and he would have treated this extr'
cash on hand with more respect.
The dairy farmer must have records t.
guide him iu his work. The man wh'
can carry everything in his head is ST
out of the ordinary that he does no
change the fact that records properl.
kept are the only guidepost to success
full work.