Farm Accounting. 



The farm is a factory in which thought, money, and labor are applied to soil and natural 

 forces in order to combine them into produce for consumption. So long" has mankind been 

 engaged in farming that many of its processes can be followed by persons with very little 

 conscious learning, and with no account keeping, just as in former times, it was easy to 

 secure game with a simple bow and arrow. The fact that a certain amount of farming suc- 

 cess can be attained without bookkeeping, has made the farm the one kind of factory where 

 bookkeeping has not in the past been universally deemed necessary. Other factories, un- 

 less quite small, can no longer run successfully without careful attention to accounts. The 

 larger the establishement the greater the need of bookkeeping, until we reach the great iron 

 works, wood works, machinery works, clothing works, etc., where, if the books were not 

 kept for a single day, confusion would reign, and where if books were not kept for a single 

 month, dissolution would set in. 



At the present time, we are beginning to witness the coming oi men skilled in account- 

 ing, who have applied their skill to the farm with the result that large farm chains are be- 

 ing organized, replacing the many small farms which are not safeguarded by a scientific 

 system of accounting. Those who think clearly cannot fail to see that a proper accounting 

 system reduces the labor and mental strain of the prosperous farmer, while the farmer who 

 is still struggling with large payments and small income, must depend on account keeping 

 until his books have guided him to at least a comfortable degree of success. One must get 

 the account keeping attitude now-a-days, if he would master his business. 



The stories of the successes of our forefathers in subduing the wilderness with their 

 vast physical energy, like the stories of knighthood in the middle ages, should contribute 

 the qualities of heroism and chivalry to the sons. But the sons cannot make any eminent 

 success in business today unless they add to their forefathers' vigor, the incisive judgment 

 and adaptability to surroundings demanded by present commercial development. The mod- 

 ern guide to success is the intelligently kept ledger; the modern consultation room is the 

 bookkeeper's desk. The proper study of accounts will do much to restore to the farmer the 

 primary standing which has been usurped by other masters of business where bookkeeping 

 is more highly specialized. 



This set may be classed as belonging to advanced accounting in the sense that it is a 

 complete scientific scheme of accounting equal in grade with that used by the banker or mer- 

 chant. In operation it is simple and should not, on an ordinary farm, require more than five or 

 ten minutes per day for its successful use. The principles given are to be thoroughly mas- 

 tered but when once mastered they should be adequate to future needs. 



We hope to see in time to come the evidences of well kept books in the material pros- 

 perity of the thousands of farms that adorn the thorofares East, West, North, and South. 



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