Norwich bulletin., 1918-03-22
Figures that Do Not Tell the Truth
a beginning at the revision of his cost

a beginning at the revision of his cost table.
 Whose land was this he worked, his own or somebody. eIsefs? If the lat ter, what rent did he pay for 1t: If his own, what did 1t cost him and what were his taxes? It certainly had to pay some tax and the money invest ed had 8 right to a reasonable inter- est. Again, I have to skip these items, for there is nothing on whicf to base something that is. all that can be said
 Didn't 1t cost him anything for fencing in? Or did he let the neigh bors' cows have free run of it? Most gardeners have to protect their plats from invidious attention by hungry animals of all sorts. And most neo- pie have 10 pay like Sam Hill for any thing whatever in the way Of fence materials. Here's another item of which we can only say that it amount ed to something in the way Of cost, but we're not told how much.
 Did he plant his seed right on top of the unplowed soil? Up my way we have to blow or spade up the dirt be- fore we can get a seed-bed. If he did either, what did that work cost him? There's not penny charged for it.
 Or for narrowing. Or for marking: Or for cnltivating and wedding. Or for any other form of labor on the crops. Or for delivering them if they were sold, as his credit statement plainly intinates. Or for harvesting and stor- ing tfeuD if they were put into his own cellar.
 
 thing to put up, after he had bought it at less than llalf-price. What did he fasten it to? The stuff won't stand up, edgeways, of itself I have to get and drive stout stakes and staple it to them. Did this chap beg his stakes and steal his staples and forget to pa, the boy who helped him urireeI ana stretch the wire? It takes me con-. siderable time to get and fashion and sharpen and drive the stakes for my peas, though I don't have to buy them; for I can find plenty of suitable tim Der in my own woods. But most of us have to buy staples and pay wages. Neither of which are as cheap as mud 
 When the average gardener sells peas and beans and corn and melons and the like, he has to deliver If he uses a team, this takes time, which is money. Also horse-feed, which is just about as precious and hard to get If he uses a motor-truck it takes gaso- line and oil, neither of which run in brooks up my way. Not s single one I'of all t1ese expenses is so much as hinted at in his table of cost.
 What's the use of talking about such one sided bookkeeping?
 e off a very small garden. if he'll cnedit it with oil it's, production and charge lit with not. more than a quarter of its actual. hard cash cost, That's on pa- | per. In fact and in vegetables, results | are seldom so remuneratiFe. l Yet I suppose that scores and hum dreds of city-tired people have read or will read about this mans profit of $32.15 from an outlay of $S.75 and feel assured that they can do as well, and | do 1t "as easv as rolling off 8 log Many, no doubt, will believe the sam guine author that this way be doubled or trsbled,' if only the requisite amount of push and sumption are lgiven the job.
 | Worst of all, some will try 1t out After which they will perhaps know more about it though they may not look quite so pretty,
 ]
 It is, I suppose, the part of a hired and paid advocate to make out the best possible case for his client. We won't criticise when such 8 one tries 1 hard to earn his fee.
 1 But durn these volunteer rhapso- dists!
 The very worst enemies of the country and country life. today. are not its detractors but it's professed friends. It's fool friends. I an almost tempted to say.
 "Go it by all means," the old man
 said
 As he laid his hand on the young
 mans head:
 "Go it by all means. go it fast: leo it while money and horses last IGo it till credit and cash have fled,
 But don't slop over" the old man said 1 The trouble with many who assume to speak as advocates of the country land the farm is that they're too anx lious. to make out a strong case and paint a glowing picture.
 They skinp everything on the debit side and stretch to it's utmost every thing on the credit sheet.
 This may show good intention: but