CHAPTER VI. 



The Farm Accounts. 



But this is just what we find, from analysis of the 

 farm accounts handed in, is not being done, or is being 

 done in a most inadequate fashion. 



To take a few instances : — Mr Rew gives the accounts 

 of a large and well-managed farm on Salisbury Plain 

 (827 acres) for a quarter of a century between 1868 and 

 1893. Labour has averaged £774, and for the last two 

 years stands at £7^^ ^^^ £7^7^ showing no diminution. 

 For manures, feeding stuffs and seeds, the average of 

 1868-78 was ^^714; from 1878-93 these items averaged 

 £i2'^6, and the last two years were ;^iii8, andi^ii93 

 respectively. For the period 1 868-78 rent averaged ;^956 ; 

 for 1879-85, ;^845 ; for 1886-88, ;^740 ; and from 1889 

 rent has been £^ 36. The total profits were, from 1 868-78, 

 ^■2655 IIS 7d, and from 1886-88 inclusive, ^^675 2s 3d ; 

 losses, from 1879-85 were £1777 8s 6d, and from 

 1889-93, ;^279 8s 9d. Profit and loss were calculated 

 after allowing 5 per cent, interest — £zSo on the average 

 capital of ^^7000.^ 



To what extent this farm has been over-rented is 

 shown by the following figures: — From 1879-93 — the 

 period of depression — ;^ 10,8 14 was paid in rents, and 

 a loss of ;^i38i 15s incurred by tenant. In the last 

 five years, £267^ was paid in rents, and the loss was 

 j;^279 8s 9d. It is plain that a further reduction of rent 

 of about 13 per cent, through the whole period would 

 have enabled the tenant to make ends meet (without 

 any reward for management and skill), and a similar 

 ' Rew, Salisbury Plain, p. 14, App. C. V. Farm Accounts, p. 184. 



