60 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [P. D. 4. 



It is hoped that dairymen will be impressed with the impor- 

 tance of keeping accurate records, not only at a time like this, 

 >A'hen it is absolutely essential, but at any other time. Farmers, 

 in order to be successful, must be more and more businesslike, 

 and no business of any considerable size is run successfully 

 without the keeping of accurate accounts. Of course, in most 

 lines of business it is possible to employ expert bookkeepers who 

 can do this work. A farmer ordinarily cannot do this, and 

 must of necessity be his own bookkeeper. He is very busy 

 during the day, and finds it in many cases difficult to keep his 

 books at night, when he is tired. Therefore he should seek a 

 very simple method of keeping these books which will occupy 

 only a minimum of time, but be reasonably accurate as well. 

 The agricultural colleges of New England have been working on 

 this problem, and each college has issued a book which has 

 seemed satisfactory for this purpose. However, it seemed de- 

 sirable to have a uniform book throughout New England and 

 make this as simple as possible. To this end the Chamber of 

 Commerce has called together some of the agricultural experts 

 from the different agricultural colleges in New England and 

 asked them to work out a very simple account book which 

 could be used uniformly throughout New England. This has 

 been done. It is hoped that the farmers of New England will 

 adopt this book and use it very extensively. It is distinctly to 

 their advantage to do so, especially in these war times when 

 production costs are essential. 



I believe that the Massachusetts dairy interests could not do 

 a better piece of work to place the dairy industry of this State 

 on its feet than to make a drive for keeping of records by all 

 dairy farmers. 



Mr. C. J. Grant. I would like to ask Dr. Gilbert if he 

 thinks the 10 per cent, managerial ability and business risk 

 which is allowed is sufficient to enable a man who has good 

 ability in running a business proposition to go into the business. 

 For instance, suppose a man runs a 30-cow dairy; how much 

 does he get out of that 10 per cent after he takes out the busi- 

 ness risk for his managerial ability? 



Dr. Gilbert. In answer to that I want to sa}^ in the first 



