6O2 DECEMBER, 



the crop that receives it, or the accornpts would be 

 kept open so long as to create contusion. 



The time of balancing the books every year, 

 should be that of entering the farm : this is most 

 usual at Michaelmas; but the crop of the year is 

 not then disposed of: to avoid valuations, which 

 ought never to be relied on, when certainty can 

 possibly be gained, the old year's accomptsare to be 

 kept open long after the new year ones are began ; 

 that is, till the corn is all thrashed and sold, till the 

 fatting beasts are gone, and till all those circum- 

 stances are decided which relate to the preceding 

 year. This is essential to exact accompts, and can- 

 by no means be dispensed with. In this case, valu- 

 ations may be nearly 'rejected, but there are others 

 in which no management can exclude them : these 

 are, in live stock not bought and sold within the 

 year; and implements. 



A man may stock his farm with cows at lol. 

 each : but if he suppose them, some years after, to 

 be worth the same sum, he will grossly deceive 

 himself. He must value them every year, and also- 

 the young stock which he rears with a- view to keep 

 wp the number, or for sale: and the rule by which 

 he should make the valuation, ought to be the 

 price they would sell for at the moment. The 

 same management must direct him with succession 

 beasts, bought or bred for fattening; and also with 

 a flock of sheep. On which last head I must ob- 

 serve, that the want of keeping such accompts as I 

 am describing, is alone the reason for a difference 



relating 



