1G8 



NEW ENGLAND FARIklER. 



Aprix 



COST OP CHEESE. 



The Herkimer County, N. Y., Farmers'' 

 Club recently discussed this subject. The re- 

 porter for the Utica Herald remarks that in 

 old times, Herkimer county farmers did a fair 

 business in making cheese at 7c per pound. 

 This fact as a basis has led many astray. They 

 naturally conclude that all above the 7c which 

 cheese now brings must be clear profit. The 

 majority of farmers keep no current farm ac- 

 counts. Taey can not tell what a bushel of 

 grain or potatoes costs, or in fact any other 

 farm product. They sell their products at pri- 

 ces which seem to be high, very much higher 

 than in former years, and conclude that they 

 must be laying up money rapidly. At the end 

 of the year, when all the products have been 

 sold and all the various accounts and expenses 

 are to be paid, the rugged fact presents itself 

 that there is "no money in the locker," and 

 there is some considerable astonishment where 

 it has gone. The first thought which occurs is 

 that some useless extravagance has been in- 

 dulged in, or more than usual losses have eaten 

 into the profits. On carefully revising the op- 

 erations of the year, men fail to find the leak. 



Three detailed estimates of the cost of mak- 

 ing cheese were submitted, two of which 

 showed an actual loss, with cheese at $14,228 

 per 100 pounds. The annexed statement was 

 made by Eleazer Rice, of Fairfield, Herkimer 

 County, who, we are informed, is one of the 

 best farmers in Herkimer county, as well as 

 one of the most successful — a sound, clear- 

 headed business man. In this estimate, the 

 farm is thrown in, or called nothing, nor is 

 there any charge for personal or family services 

 or labor. 



RECErPTS, 



50 cows, 400 pounds to the cow, 20,000 fcs 14c . . $2,800 



EXPENSES. 



Interest on cows at $70 and utensils, wagons, &c., 



$5,000 at 7 f cent $ 350 



Depreciation of cows and loss from disease, aver- 

 age 350 



Depreciation on teams, utensils, &c 250 



Ferrlilizers 38 



Taxes on land and personal property 150 



nori>e shoeing and repairs of tools, &c., 50 



Kepairsof buildings, fences, &c .average . ... 150 



Inourance ^ 



Incidentals oO 



Paid for hired help oW 



Hoard &c., of hired help '^^ 



For making cheese at factory, boxing, &c., . . . 400 



Total $2,544 



ProfiU ^256 



The price of farms is very high in Herkimer. 

 One of the gentlemen who furnished an esti- 

 mate of the cost of making cheese paid $130 



per acre for 81^ acres. The sale of another 

 farm at $140 per acre was mentioned, and was 

 said to be a fair average of lands in that 

 vicinity. Remarks were also made upon the 

 high cost of labor, which had ranged from $25 

 to $30 per month, with board, which, with 

 flour, «fcc., at present prices, equalled a sal- 

 ary of $500 to $600 per year for the most or- 

 dinary laborer. 



FAKMERS' CLUBS. 



It is sometimes said by members of farmer's 

 clubs that a subject selected for discussion is 

 not a practical one, because it does not re- 

 late directly to the care of stock, the handling 

 of the soil or implements, or the general man- 

 agement of crops. Is it so ? Will not dis- 

 cussion upon any topic that relates to the busi- 

 ness of life expand the mind, bring new or 

 useful ideas to it, and give it new powers to 

 discuss those questions which are of the most 

 importance to us ? 



The great need of the farmer at the present 

 day is the want of more intelligence upon gen- 

 eral things ; a knowledge o? principles, rather 

 than of practices. He guides the plough well, 

 and knows that without this preliminary oper- 

 ation he could secure no profitable crops. He 

 is satisfied, too. that the crops absolutely re- 

 quire a still further comminution of the soil than 

 the plough affords ; but has he inquired what 

 principles must always be at work in the soil 

 in order to give him any crop, and especially 

 to give him an abundant and profitable one ? 

 He must find what these are, and then he will 

 know how to prepare his soil to set them at 

 work. 



It is not enough for the farmer that he dis- 

 cuss over and over again, the manipulations, 

 merely, of the farm. He must venture more. 

 He must have questions before him that will 

 call him away in some degree from his life- 

 long practices on the surface, to the rich and 

 unused treasures which lie below — the princi- 

 ples which give life and action to all. 



He must not only prepare his soil for the 

 manures which he applies to it, but for those 

 more subtile substances which his hands cannot 

 grasp, but which the soil can grasp and retain 

 if it is in proper condition to receive them. 

 This will afford him a delightful study, and 

 will lead the mind gradually to that general 

 intelligence that is so much needed. 



