8 The Farmer's Business Handbook 



bring him through in good shape, ready for 

 use, more certainly than he can a hand-rake. 

 The need of careful driving may be emphasized 

 by the inventory as it cannot be in any other 

 way, when, because of careless driving and feed- 

 ing, the horse valued at $150 at the beginning 

 of the year is worth but $75 at the end of 

 the year. 



Every provident housewife should have a list 

 of all the principal articles under her control, 

 with date of purchase and cost. Whenever the 

 cost price is not known, present estimated values 

 should be affixed to the list. I know of one 

 family that keeps such an inventory in a small 

 tin-box, which is placed in another box buried 

 in the ground near the house. In case of dam- 

 age or loss by fire, such record is likely to be 

 of great value, for the insurance companies re- 

 quire a specific statement in detail as to the 

 character of each article and its value before 

 adjusting a partial claim. 



Recently, at a sale of household goods, the 

 inventory was used as a basis for setting the 

 prices of these articles. By this means a uniform 

 average of 50 per cent was obtained for articles 

 in good condition. 



The following brief inventory of stock, tools, 

 household goods, assets and liabilities will serve 

 to show the simplest possible method of determi- 



