38 WORCESTER COUNTY HOETICULTURAL SOCIETY [1911-12 



will simply give thought and inspiration for success. At our 

 next meeting we are to hear from the chairman of our library, 

 on the importance of literature in the horticultural world. 



Now turn to the business aspect or commercial side. It is 

 a complex undertaking to figure out the cost of a crop of 

 potatoes, a crop of apples, or a crop of onions. How are we to 

 ascertain the profit or loss of the different crops, if we do not 

 know what they cost us? I recently had a conference with 

 one of the officials of a local carpet mill, asking himx his method 

 of getting the cost of their products, and he replied that they 

 have every account so figured that they can tell you what the 

 cost of the smallest item that enters into each yard of carpet is. 

 They also keep a correct account of the different departments 

 to note the progress that is being made and whether this or 

 that material which enters into the product increases or de- 

 creases the cost in order that they may profit there by. 



This method is done in the different departments of our 

 state work. The Mass. Highway Commission knows the cost 

 of maintaining every foot of state road, the care of each tree 

 in the different towns and the different items that enter into 

 all these results. And now it seems to me that this is just as 

 necessary for the cultivators of the soil to know, as it is for 

 the corporations. We can tell specifically whether the charges 

 are just charges or not, and it is the only way to know whether 

 we are going ahead or going back. 



It is interesting to note that chances for acquiring land in 

 our New England states is far better than in the west. The 

 western land value is increasing and our New England land 

 is growing less. It is better here than there, for the great 

 transportation problems are solved, together with the fact that 

 our products are as good, if not of better quality. There is no 

 logical reason why New England land should not pay. It 

 seems that we should pay more attention to the leaks than the 

 profits. I think we might render a version of, 'Take care of 

 the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves," to, 

 "Take care of the leaks, and the profits will take care of them- 

 selves." These little leaks should be taken care of in our line 



