298 FARM MANAGEMENT 



190. Keeping one's credit good. Since few farmers 

 have money enough to conduct their business to good ad- 

 vantage, it is of the greatest importance that the credit be 

 kept good. Nothing is more detrimental to one's credit 

 than allowing innumerable little bills to go unpaid. It 

 is much better to borrow enough from some one source, or 

 allow one large bill to stand than it is to allow small bills to 

 accumulate. In making promises to pay, one should be 

 sure that he does not promise too soon. It is much better 

 to make the promise far enough away so that one may do 

 better, rather than not do so well, as he agreed. 



Roberts has well expressed the experience of the farmer 

 who always has things charged in his " Farmer's Business 

 Handbook." 



" Most sane people are extremely unhappy when their 

 outgo is equal to or exceeds the income. Some are really 

 unhappy only when the bills come in ; while others live in 

 dread of petty debts scattered they know not where, and 

 in amounts which have been forgotten, not knowing 

 whence the next dun will come or how or when disgrace 

 may fall upon them. How often I have seen a noble, 

 industrious farmer marketing his chief money crop of the 

 year, the wheat or the wool, or the fat live stock! With 

 what honest pride he laid the check for several hundred 

 dollars on the bank counter and then stuffed that ' wad ' of 

 bills into his ' side pocket! ' Then with what a cheerful 

 voice he asks at the desk of the grocer for the amount 

 of his account! ' Fifty-six dollars and seventy-two cents,' 

 the clerk responds. ' There must be some mistake ; it 

 cannot be more than half that.' The items are looked up, 

 the charges are correct, the bill is paid! In a voice out of 

 which some of the courage has gone, he asks for his account 

 at the dry goods store. This is nearly one hundred 



