108 THE FAT OF THE LAND 
than eight dozen eggs a year? Eggs sometimes 
sell as low as twelve cents per dozen.” 
Four Oaks hens never have laid one-cent eggs, 
and never will. They would quit work if such 
a price were suggested. Ninety per cent of the 
eggs from Four Oaks have sold for thirty cents 
or more per dozen, and the demand is greater 
than the supply. The Four Oaks certificate that 
the egg is not thirty-six hours old when it reaches 
the egg cup, makes two and a half cents look 
small to those who can afford to pay for the 
best. To lack confidence in the egg is a serious 
matter at the breakfast table, and a person who 
can insure perfect trust will not lack patronage. 
If, therefore, a hen will lay eight dozen eggs, she 
is welcome to say to an acquaintance: “I have 
just handed the Headmana two-dollar bill,” for she 
knows that I have not paid fifty cents for her food. 
Of course the wages of the hen man and his 
food and the interest on the plant must be 
counted, but I do not propose to count them 
twice. Four Oaks is a factory where several 
things are made, each in a measure dependent 
on, and useful to, the others, and we cannot 
itemize costs of single products because of this 
mutual dependence. I feel certain that I could 
not drop one of the factory’s industries without 
loss to each of the others. For this reason I kept 
a very simple set of books. I charged the farm 
with all money spent for it, and credited it with 
all moneys received. Even now I have no very 
