The Glenwood post., 1916-03-25
FARMERS ARE URGED
TO Keep ACCOUNTS

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Glasgow, scotland.-An address on
ga Farmers Accounts was given by
George A. Ferguson, Surradale, Elgin,
at meeting of the Glasgow and West
Of Scotland Agricultural Discussion 3d.
ciety. The chairman, Sir Charles Bine
Renshaw, pointed out that recent legis-
lation made it imperative for farmers
to keep accurate accounts, as any claim
made for remission or consideration
under schedule o, of the finance act
No. 2, under which farmers were now
to be assessed on their full rental, in
stead Of, as formerly, on part of It,
depended on their being able to bring
the whole Of the facts before the as
SCISSOR.
Mr.. Ferguson said that ever since he
began farming, it had been "a never
ending mystery to him to find that
Scottish farmers could get on so we'll
while almost entirely neglecting their
accounts. A farmer who could produce
proper balance sheet was rare ex-
ception. The percentage of farmers
who kept accounts as they should be
kept was about 5 per cent. If, by ac-
counting, the farmer could put his
finger on the weak spot, how much
better he could do than he did at
present. Even slight discovery
might turn to be big thing, in this
respect, as the farmers business was
such that discovery could be dis
closed to his neighbors and thereby
made national benefit. Well up as
was the agricultural position. in Scot
land, they must still be watchful to
keep pace with the times. Already
they were outclassed by two small Eu-
ropean states in the matter of aver
age production. They had not been
caused by better opportunities, but by
lessons taken from adverse causes. The
basis of success in these states had
been accounting. Careful tabulation
had allowed production to be made
with almost mathematical precision. If
successful in Denmark and Holland,
why should it not be in Scotland7
Already, Mr.. Ferguson continued,
they benefited by an example taken
from Denmark in the milk records
now firmly established in the west OF
Scotland. These records had had great
results. The need for reform was ev'
erywhere admitted, and so freely. con-
firmed by those directly engaged in
farming, and by all indirectly connect
ed with it, that it was matter for
regret that rapid alteration had not
already taken place. 1t was well
known that waste went on at many
farms for want of method. The cause
of this waste, through lack of ado
quate accounting, was to be found IN
q want Of understanding as to its ben
efits, and its possibility of accomplish
ment. The mind of the farmer must
be disabused Of the belief that HIS
bookkeeping was a matter entailing
a great deal of work and effort. 1t
really presented no such difficulty, as
the Bookkeeping necessary for the rep
resentative farmer was easy and SIM
pie. AS regarded the farmer himself
he need not undertake the making up
of complete balance. In other busi-
ness it was quite customary for men
engaged in merchandise to make An
arrangement with their auditor or with
an accountant to direct the making up
of the balance sheet. Why then should
this system not be adopted by the rep
resentative farmer? After describing
in detail how the system he favored
might be carried out, Mr.. Ferguson
concluded by saying that it rested with
the colleges and government depart
ments to give assistance in much
cao1ad raform