Putnam patriot., 1930-01-23
TIM ELY EARN TOPICS
 bB the County Agricultural Agent

Successful business management depends upon improved business methods. Today in every business venture competition is so great that only those who analyze their business from standpoint of costs can stay in the market and be successful.
 Farmers as whole pav less at tention to this particular phase of their operations than any other type Of business men and yet the farmer has as much if not more competition from outside sources than any ether type of business man.
 The words farm accounting" when mentioned to a farmer are generally met with a reply-something like this-"Well. l can tell whether my business is running in the hole or not by the amount of money I have left at the end of the year.. or 'T am too tired to keep accounts and am not very good at figures anyway" Does the first question as to whether ycn are making any money answer what you want to know? Many farmers complain about surplus of different products and yet continue to produce them at a less. A very simple farm account book has been put out through the Extension Service and is being kept by some of the leading farmers in the state. Through the use of this farm account book in ccopera- tion with the Extension Service three definite services can be rendered.:
 A total of the receipts and expen- ses and investment on your farm can be analysed to fit your business as a whole or any particular line such as dairy. poultry, vegetable, fruit or or other type of farming. These com pared with other farms that are either successful or unsuccessful give you some idea of what other people are doing.
 A second service enables you to see how efficiently each part of your farm business is being run.
 We have as a third service a com parison with the organization and practices of men who have proved most efficient in different lines of work. and a fourth service which is available to those who wish it is as- sistance in rearranging farm prac- tices through the Extension Service.
 Some of the results of keeping farm account books of this type in the state have figured up in this way; \ group of farmers who kept farm ae count books for five years or over have received an annual increase in profits of over $500 per year. Those who kept farm account books for haA in crease in net income of over $500.
 An analysis taken from the "Bu reau Farmer" in an article by NJ. l.. Mosher of the University of Illinois, gives the following statement: "The results of this service is shown in an analysis of the net income of eight Woodford County Farms where farm records have been kept in the Extension Service projects since 1926. This analysis shows that the in come of these farms was Sl,000 greater each year during the period, 1925. 1926, and 1927. than 1t would have been had the same method of operation been employed during that period that was in vogue on the farms when the record project start ed"
 I must admit that it takes a little time to do this work but ten or fifteen minutes day would do the whole thing. At this rate your time would be worth approximately S11 per hour. I should call this pretty good wages for little time spent in farm accounting.
 If you are interested in earning some of this money a postal card or telephone call to your county agent. will give you further details and as- sistance along this line.
 RAYMOND E WING,
 County Agricultural Agent.