HOW TO KEEP FARM ACCOUNTS. 



5. THE HOUSEHOLD ACCOUNTS.— Now, about the 

 Household Accounts. Are there any reasons why they shnuhl be 

 included in the farm ledger? Have you ever known a banker, 

 merchant or manufacturer to include them in the books of his 

 business? Couldn't he, with as much reason for so doing, include 

 them in his books as you in yours? Some argue, that on the farm 

 the household expenses are so closely related to the farmstead's 

 earnings that they must be included. Very true as far as it goes, 

 but they have no place in the farm ledger. Elaborate accounts 

 have been shown in which the "Garden Account" was charged 

 for all labor, seed and other expenses and credited with the dif- 

 ferent vegetables used from time to time at the market price. Do 

 not do this nor allow any more detail to creep into your books of 

 record than will be of use to you. If you think about this a little 

 you will not want to. As for "Garden'' or household accounts, re- 

 member that when you hire a man by the year for a certain sum, 

 you allow him in addition to the amount agreed on — pasture for 

 cow and a garden or truck patch. You figure his labor worth the 

 wages you pay him plus the pasture and use of the small plot of 

 ground for his garden. And this is the best plan for yourself too. 

 The live-stock, implements and buildings are a part of the farm- 

 stead's equipment. These, together with the farm, enable you to 

 produce a profit from your labor and management. And for this 

 the farm owes you something each year. You msy never have 

 figured on this but if you are going to begin an account with your 

 farm, you should open a "Personal" account and charge yourself 

 with all money you take from its earnings for personal or house- 

 hold use. At the end of the year you should charge the "Labor" 

 account for whatever amount yon tliiiik you've earned, making your 

 wages large enough to fully meet all expenses for clothing, groc- 

 eries, church, education, relaxation and all other necessaries to 

 which your family is entitled. ^Vhateve^ you decide that you and 

 your family can get along with — charge to your "Personal" ac- 

 count and keep the detail of househqld accounts out of the farm 

 ledger. If you do this, the same as any other business man would 

 do, your bookkeeping will be much more simple and satisfactory 

 in every way. 



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