CHAPTER XI 



BOOK-KEEPING 



The average British farmer has little inclina- 

 tion towards all that he includes as " book-learn- 

 ing," and this is at once a strong characteristic and 

 serious fault. He thinks nothing, as a rule, of 

 farming " by the book," of theory, of calcula- 

 tions, of book-keeping, and of experiments. The 

 only way in which he can be induced to try a new 

 scheme or article is by seeing a neighbour do it 

 first with successful results, so that one enter- 

 prising man will presently leaven a whole neigh- 

 bourhood with some improved manure or imple- 

 ment or method of culture. 



The fa 61 is that farmers do not read enough. 

 In America the Government Department of Agri- 

 culture spends huge sums on experiments, and 

 issues countless leaflets and bulletins to its farmers, 

 who read them intelligently, and take advantage 

 thereby. Their agricultural papers have an im- 

 mense circulation, and everywhere the Yankee 

 farmer is an alert proposition with the latest 

 implements and labour-saving devices, with tele- 



89 



