94 The Tm^iff and the Farmer. 



dollars and cents, not in terms that can be computed. 

 Here the cost of one thing depends on the cost of another 

 and that on the third, and so on till the circle is complete 

 of products of indefinite cost. What is the cost of milk? 

 That depends chiefly on the cost of other products, raised 

 usually on the same farm, hay, green fodder and grain. 

 What is the cost of these! That depends largely on the 

 cost of manure made on the farm. And the cost of 

 manure has much to do with the cost of hay and grain. 

 There you have a vicious circle. And if one knew what 

 a cord of manure cost when made on the farm, who can 

 tell how much of the manure applied went to the first 

 year's hoed crop, how much to each of the three or four 

 succeeding years' crops of oats, or grass I 



Then, when several crops are raised in the same year, 

 who can tell the cost of man and team for each in plant- 

 ing, caring for, and harvesting? It is all mixed up, even 

 where there are no cows to milk. 



Most of the work is done by the farmer and his boys. 

 What is a fair price to charge for them? He should 

 charge for his horses what they cost him, all things in- 

 cluded. How much is this? 



The extreme stupidity sometimes exhibited even by 

 farmers of general good sense in regard to cost is almost 

 beyond belief. Talking with the owner of one of the best 

 farms in the town where the author resides, the statement 

 was' made that his corn cost him but thirty cents a bushel. 

 Greatly interested as to how such a result could be 

 figured out, the inquiry was made: ''How much did you 

 allow for manure ? " " Nothing at all ; that was made on 

 the farm." 



Still another instance that fell to the author's notice: 

 There was a man said to be extensively engaged in vege- 



