108 THE FAT OF THE LAND 



than eight dozen eggs a year ? Eggs sometimes 

 sell as low as twelve cents per dozen." 



Four Oaks hens never have laid one-cent eggs, 

 and never will. They would quit work if such 

 a price were suggested. Ninety per cent of the 

 eggs from Four Oaks have sold for thirty cents 

 or more per dozen, and the demand is greater 

 than the supply. The Four Oaks certificate that 

 the egg is not thirty-six hours old when it reaches 

 the egg cup, makes two and a half cents look 

 small to those who can afford to pay for the 

 best. To lack confidence in the egg is a serious 

 matter at the breakfast table, and a person who 

 can insure perfect trust will not lack patronage. 

 If, therefore, a hen will lay eight dozen eggs, she 

 is welcome to say to an acquaintance : " I have 

 just handed the Headman a two-dollar bill," for she 

 knows that I have not paid fifty cents for her food. 



Of course the wages of the hen man and his 

 food and the interest on the plant must be 

 counted, but I do not propose to count them 

 twice. Four Oaks is a factory where several 

 things are made, each in a measure dependent 

 on, and useful to, the others, and we cannot 

 itemize costs of single products because of this 

 mutual dependence. I feel certain that I could 

 not drop one of the factory's industries without 

 loss to each of the others. For this reason I kept 

 a very simple set of books. I charged the farm 

 with all money spent for it, and credited it with 

 all moneys received. Even now I have no very 



