THE BUSINESS SIDE OF FAllMING. 251 



the payment of the last instalment of pew rent, and the 

 number of loads of apples delivered at Deacon Hansom's 

 cider mill. I venture the statement, that not one farmer in 

 five hundred keeps a regular set of books, and yet they are 

 ready to contend that farming does not pay. That will be 

 a more happy question for discussion when they have re- 

 formed their business system and can prove their state- 

 ' ments by actual figures. 



The great lack of the present system of farming in the 

 Eastern States is the cash income. Goods enouirh are sold, 

 but not for cash. They are traded away on the store pay 

 system, which is an utter disgrace to any man's business 

 history; the merchant fixing the price both ways, and the 

 farmer oftentimes taking goods he does not want. The 

 custom is behind the times, and the quicker it is changed 

 the sooner prosperity will follow. 



Specialties of farming can be followed to advantage. The 

 drift of the times is tbot way. They can be made leading 

 features of general farming. When the special branch is 

 decided upon, push it, as business men. Talk upon it when 

 occasion ofiers. Advertise it on your letter-heads, a thing 

 that fiirmers seldom do, and occasionally in the papers. Let 

 the public know what you are doing, and you will find some 

 of them ready to help you by their purchases. Trying to 

 do business without advertisius: is said to be like throwins: 

 a kiss to a pretty girl in the dark, — you may know what 

 you are doing, but no one else does. 



Politically speaking, farmers are a strong power, and in 

 these severely practical days business must seek the aid of 

 every power. By their concentrated vote they can do much 

 towards the election of men who are either directly con- 

 nected with agriculture, or in sympathy with it. They can 

 introduce bills into legislative bodies, and thus secure laws 

 that will regulate the sale of milk, butter and cheese and 

 punish for their adulterations, fix standards for weights and 

 measures and size of packages. Make quarantine rules and 

 regulations for animals, pass laws which will prevent con- 

 tagious diseases from entering their flocks and herds, guard 

 against fraudulent predigrees in stock. Direct congressional 

 and other appropriations of money for agricultural purposes 



