l6o AGRICUl/rURE OF MAINE. 



of production. One of the reasons why the average farmer in 

 this country has not succeeded better is because he does not know 

 absolutely what it costs him. He figures that he had so much 

 money at the beginning of the year, that he fed and clothed 

 himself and his family, perhaps he sent some of his children 

 away to school, he may have put $50 or $100 into the bank, and 

 he feels that he was prosperous and that he was making some 

 money because he has done this and at the end of the year 

 he has his herd of cows and his buildings are kept up. Now 

 a man ought to be able to earn his living anrl a living for his 

 family and get more than $50 or $100. That is where the 

 farmer, I believe, has made a mistake. He has been contented 

 with getting a living and a small margin of profit, without 

 considering the actual value that has been put into the produc- 

 tion of his crops and his milk. I think our weak point today 

 is the fact that we are not applying business principles, and by 

 business principles I mean an absolute record of the money that 

 we receive and that we pay out and what it costs us to produce 

 potatoes per acre and milk per quart, andi such other opera- 

 tions as go to make up our farm operations. H we did that we 

 would be surprised at the results, and would be on our guard, 

 and I believe it would make us better business men and make 

 us more prosperous. 



Mr. Guptill — I coincide with Mr. Thompson in his belief in 

 this respect to quite an extent. For instance, I introduced the 

 subject here for the consideration of this audience, of business 

 principles in selling exactly what the law demanded and no 

 more. I did it to see how the audience would take it. As a 

 matter of fact, the farmers of this State do not make the laws. 

 Somebody else makes the laws and sets up the standards. I 

 cannot see that the farmer can afiford to sell milk which is 

 above standard unless he gets extra pay for it. Yet Air. Thomp- 

 son said in his address that you should produce extra nice milk 

 and try to teach the people to come up to it. If a man drives a 

 milk route in a city, working night and day to make a living, 

 it is a different proposition. 



Mr. Thompson — My idea of a first class, high grade product 

 is not necessarily a milk rich in fat, but it is a milk that is pure 

 and wholesome. I agree with you to a certain extent on this 



