224 The Farmer^ s Business Handbook 



II. DUE -BILLS, ORDERS, RECEIPTS 



A due -bill differs somewhat from a note in 

 that it is a simple acknowledgment of debt. It 

 may be payable in money, services, produce or 

 merchandise. It is perhaps the simplest form 

 of commercial paper, for example: 



Ithaca, N. Y., July 1, 1901. 

 Due John Doe, or order, Thirty Dollars {or thirty 

 bushels of wheat). (Signed) Richard Roe. 



An order is a request for one person to sur- 

 render an amount of money or merchandise and 

 charge to the account of the signer, as: 



Ithaca, N. Y., June 1, 1901. 



John Doe: — 



Please pay to James Smith, on demand, the sum 

 of Twenty Dollars (or ten bushels of wheat), and charge 

 to my account. (Signed) Richard Roe. 



In all business transactions receipts are gen- 

 erally asked for and given. It must be remem- 

 bered, however, that the ordinary receipt is not 

 conclusive of payment. It is, at best, only prima 

 facie evidence of payment and can always be 

 disputed and modified by the allegation that it 

 was given under misapprehension, etc. If it is 

 desirable to close a matter up for all time and 

 to make a really binding receipt for moneys paid, 

 it should take something like the following form: 



