THE FARM LEDGER 



26. A modern s.vstom of accounting is one that automatically 

 furnishes statistics of a business in such foi>ni as to be readily re- 

 ferred to by tlie owner, and furnish him a safe guide for its man- 

 agement along prosperous lines. On a farm the books should be 

 so kept that all questions regarding either the tinances of the 

 farmstead or its owner can be answered without looking up data 

 in ancient files or other books of record than the Ledger. 

 As for the Ledger, there are nearly as many kinds of rulings now- 

 adays as there are businesses. This results from a desire to har- 

 monize the books with the business, and when attained, insures 

 accuracy and a great saving of labor. The farmer should adapt 

 his bookkeeping to suit his conditions, and the best system for him 

 is one that differs from the usual method by dispensing with sep- 

 arate Day Book and Cash Book, using one book only — the Ledger 

 —which, if rightly kept, will answer every purpose. 



27. SIZE OF LEDGEK.— All that is required is one large 

 enough to admit of opening all the accounts necessary to properly 

 care for the rotation followed on the farmstead. It is best to use 

 one book each year. It is much handier when wanting to refer to 

 the records of any former year or when comparing one year with 

 another. 



28. RULING. — It should have the regular single entry rul- 

 ing, of which the following is an example: 



EXPLANATION Or COLUMN 



PAGE 



OP 

 CASH 

 BOOK 



OR 



Lteacn 



Blank books ruled like the above can be bought at most stores 

 in every village, the cost running from seventy-five cents up. ac- 

 coT'ding to size, quality of paper and binding. 



