18 BULLETIN 394, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGKICULTUBE. 



of the bookkeepers. On the other hand, one of the most successful 

 stores studied in the survey had an accounting system which was 

 crude and out of date. Although the system was kept in a set of 

 old-style books, which necessitated a great waste of energy, the work 

 was done so thoroughly that the records were up to date at all times, 

 and at a moment's notice the management could find out the exact 

 state of the business. 



One good feature in the systems of records is the almost universal 

 use of the duplicating or triplicating sales slips. In those cases where 

 the triplicating sales slip was used systematically, and the triplicates 

 carefully checked at the close of each day, the office system was found 

 to be securing fairly accurate results. 



The cash coupon seems to have gone out of favor ; only 12 reported 

 using it and 27 answered in the negative. Among the 12, several 

 forms were found. The most common was the book form with cou- 

 pons of different denominations perforated for ready detachment. 

 Another type 'resembled the mileage book commonly used on rail- 

 roads, with cents represented instead of miles. Various forms of 

 tickets and metal checks were used in paying for produce. Like the 

 coupons, these were redeemable in goods. 



The billing ledger was reported as being used in 10 stores, while 

 32 answered in the negative. When it is not used, amounts of sales 

 are either posted from the sales slips to an ordinary ledger, from 

 which statements are rendered at the end of each month, or the sales 

 slips are filed in the short-account filing cabinet as customers' ledger 

 accounts. 



Ten stores reported that they were keeping cost accounts by de- 

 partments, while 34 reported in the negative. Further examination, 

 however, showed clearly that not over 1 or 2 stores out of the 60 

 actually kept accounts by departments in such a way as to show the 

 cost of operation and profits for each department of the business. 

 Closer questioning revealed the fact that the stores recognized the 

 advantage of having departmental accounts, and intended to or- 

 ganize their bookkeeping system on that plan ; but for various rea- 

 sons, usually because of the lack of a sufficiently trained bookkeeper, 

 they had not yet put their plans into operation. 



The by-laws of practically all of the stores examined require that 

 the manager shall make reports at stated intervals. This provision 

 seems to be adhered to with more or less regularity. Twenty of the 

 stores required the manager to report monthlj^, 18 semiannually, 9 

 annually, 1 quarterly, and 1 daily. Eight of those requiring an 

 annual report were included among those requiring a monthly report. 



Defective as are the bookkeeping systems of cooperative stores, 

 their auditing is still more unsatisfactory, although 32 reported that 



