Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-07-28
BOOKKEEPING VALUABLE
TO POULTRY RAISERs
Simple Accounts Which Record Cost,
Profits and Other Data Very
Necessary.
PUT CHECK ON YOUR FEED BILL
Tracing Progeny Through Incubator,
Rroodcr and on the Colony Range.
To Succeed. 1t Is Essential to
Know Cost of Your Stock.
b, II. ARMSTRONG ROBERTS.

BY II. ARMSTRONG ROBERTS.
There was time when the poultry
keeper could indulge in wasteful. in
efficient practices and still come out
with a profit. lie could keep Il flock
of chickens without paying any par
ness and the chances are they would
make some return.
But that time is past. To-day the
poultryman must have an accurate
knowledge Of tho performance of his
flock. otherwise his enterprise is moth
Ing short OF a gamble. attended by
grave risks-nonproducerS He must
Gull the undersira hles and detectives
Hens that loa: about the promises.
Eraftins on the farmers hospitality
as 1t were, are not TO be tolerated
Such loafers mast be eliminated. eject
ed. and paving tenants put in their
places
In preceding article the trapnest
was recommended as the only posi-
tive index to the productive ability OF
the individual fowl which information
furnished the best guide for mating
for future generations, and upon which
substantial success depends
The trapnest register. however. is
only part OF the system records that
are necessary 10 cover the farms oper-
atoms. II registers results alone. one
might say, which are of little value
without costs In other words. how
is one to tell if the hens are paying
tenants" unless some tally is kept
on their board and lodging? 1t can't
be done.
To have an understanding Of ones
position or progress in any line OF
work. it is absolutely essential 10 keep
oooks-accounis. Conducting poul-
Try farm. # only backward outnt.
is no different from other enterprises
Ill this respect. Imagine the confusion
that would exist If manufa curing con-
Germs and business houses ran their
affairs without a precise system of
bookkeeping. They could not survive
TO SUCCEED NUT
KNOW YOUR BUSINESS
~ Yet man ypoultry raisers especially
the little fellows, those with small
focks attempt TO run their places
without records, often without so much
as a memorandum OF feed bills In
the majority of times they have no
way of telling whether their hens are
an asset Of liability. or what il costs
t. produce dozen eggs or a pound
OF meat. For all they know it may
he cheaper to buy finished products at
the store which is frequently the case.
Their work is hit-or-miss. haphaZard.
TO say the least
To those who are unaccustomed to
keeping poultry records il may seem
rather diihcuIt 10 keep tabs on a nock
a. hens. ON the contrary, il is quite
simple. some items are rather OBJ
scurc at first, hut II they are studied
out and initiated one by ONO. a simple
general scheme viii evolve one that
VIII be easy 10 follow from day to
day. and require but a !ow minutes
work
Unless special detailed information
Is desired il is not necessary TO adont
more than iwo-column systrm--dehit
and crodit--in which all the items in
come and expenses, are properly ar.
ranged nc point to !cmenlhcr. BOW
ever. is To include all the items \
good record Should he complete con
oiSe and convc"leni: above all 1t must
he accurate 'The best way 10 insure
accuracy IS tc make tho entries latly
The 6col' column, though II is the
least 'esilah!, no doubt. VIII =, con.
si7"'C frSi Expenses invariably cone
ahead OF icvv;ue
Feed bills are the chief occupants Of
The debit column. &c sure 10 enter
every item pertaining TO them The
bare cost OF the feed is seldom tho
only conSi liberation. What about sacks
freight. hauling and $50 on These
items arc chaTEeahl" al course. mos,
empty sacks are redeemable. therefore
when they are returned to tho feed
dealers credit should 10 made for
them.
Labor oomI@ neHf. feed as an item
an e ~ "a 'b@sinesS proposition
whether performed by tho man OF the
house or assisted hv his wife and chill
dren. i is often overlooked in connec-
ton wltA 'hc small Aock because the
greater part Of the work Is done al odd
moments
P-rhaps only a few minutes are re-
CURED several times a day for feeding.
watering oEE-c-.er'!ng. cleaning and
SGperFts.oH Estimate the ,ot4l time
ana t'it9'% u ny a suitable wage rate