136 



34. The fences around buildings, garden and yards, are of posts and 

 boards, in part painted. I have a few rods of wire fence, but don't think 

 much of it. The main fences are built with large oak rails, eight rails 

 high, and when built were about six feet high. Some of this fence 

 has been standing twenty-seven years, without repairs, and is now good. 

 There is no doubt but that a large part of the fences will last, with few 

 repairs, fifty years from the time they were built. There are good 

 substantial gates to all the enclosures save one : one pair of warping 

 bars yet. The exact length of the fences, and the cost of construction, 

 I cannot give. 



35. All small grain is weighed or measured. Corn is estimated 

 from a single wagon load, measured, or that from a certain number of 

 stocks. Roots are measured. Hay is estimated by the load. Daily 

 accounts are registered, including debt and credit, with each field, which 

 are numbered, and all transactions of the farm, state of the weather, 

 &c., except the products of the dairy, and what fruit and vegetables are 

 consumed in the family. Of these, no account is kept. 



36. Not being a book-keeper, my mode of keeping books is proba- 

 bly not the best or most accurate. It is simply this : a book is kept 

 where all the transactions of the farm, as above mentioned, are daily 

 registered. Another where receipts and expenditures are entered, and 

 items specified. From these books, the results for the year are ascer- 

 tained, when the product of that year are sold, and not until then, as 

 estimates in matters of this kind are not always reliable. And further, 

 as this method of keeping books was at first adopted mainly to ascertain 

 the profits of each crop, and to see what remained, after a living for self 

 and family, the items of family expenses have been generally passed by and 

 not taken into the account in footing up. The practice of keeping regular 

 farm books, by all who are capable, especially by the young, would, 

 without doubt, lead to better methods of farming and make it more sat- 

 isfactory, and greatly increase the profits. 



37. It will be seen by what is stated above, that to this question 

 (perhaps the most important of the whole) a definite answer cannot be 

 given. Reasons, in addition to the above, are, a part of the products of 

 the two last years remain unsold, and team, tools, and board for help to 

 carry on an adjoining farm (not my own) have been furnished, and no 

 account kept. These, if added, would greatly increase the profits. I 



