FARM RECORDS AND ACCOUNTS 889 



repairs, oil for lubricating machines and the purchase of new implements. 

 There should also be a charge for housing. The machinery account should 

 be credited for machinery rented or sold. The balance of the machinery 

 account should be distributed in the same manner that man and horse 

 labor is distributed. Since the important machinery is used with horse 

 power, the distribution is based on the time records kept for horses. 



Plan of Farm and Cropping Systems. — A sketch of the farm, showing 

 the size, number and location of fields and the location of drains, is 

 advisable. A number of copies may be provided so that one may be 

 posted for each year. On this may be entered certain data, such as the 

 crop in each field, its acreage and yield. If manure is applied to a portion 

 of the field, the portion so treated should be indicated on the map. These 

 maps, if kept, form a permanent record and make an efficient aid to the 

 farmer in subsequent years. 



Closing the Accounts. — Considerable time will be required in this 

 operation. A definite order should be adhered to, which is as follows: 

 The first step is to take the inventory and enter the inventory items 

 after all regular posting has been done. 



Items, such as the use of pasture and farm products used by the 

 family, should be entered in the proper accounts. These may involve 

 estimates. The value of board, produce and other allowances furnished 

 to labor should be charged against labor and the proper accounts be 

 credited with equal amounts. Animals should be credited with the 

 value of manure produced and the same charged to the crops to which 

 applied. 



The crops, animals, the farmer and laborers should be charged with 

 the proper amounts for the use of buildings. The several classes of live- 

 stock should also be charged with straw used for bedding and the crops 

 from which the straw was obtained credited with the same amount. 



After all these entries have been made, the labor account should be 

 balanced, the rate per hour obtained and the cost of labor distributed to 

 all enterprises in proportion to the time put upon them. Some of this 

 will be charged to the horse account. When this charge has been made 

 the horse account may be closed in the same way and the cost of horse 

 labor distributed to the several enterprises in proportion to the horse 

 hours that each required. 



Next in order will be the equipment account and the distribution of 

 the cost cf the equipment to the several enterprises in proportion to the 

 hours of horse labor. 



If the system is in double entry, that is if each item is entered in 

 two accounts, the books may be closed and accurately balanced. In this 

 case, the total gain or loss for the year, as shown by the account with 

 "loss and gain," should check with the increase or decrease in inventory. 

 After the system is thoroughly understood, there is no necessity for making 

 double entries throughout. This will reduce the work by about one-third 



