1920.] 



Farm Accounts, Profits, and Costs. 



171 



hoped, groups of farmers in the near future combine to employ 

 a clerk or accountant to keep their records, this difficulty will 

 be overcome. 



Advantagres. — To enable the farmer to apply his practical 



knowledge in the fullest and most efficient manner, he must 

 have the relevant facts before him, from which to adapt and 

 vary his policy to meet the constantly changing conditions of 

 markets, prices, seasons, etc., within the limits of his rotation. 



The essential advantage of farm costs is as a means of in- 

 formation ; they are a means and not an end. There is no 

 virtue in the figures unless they are used. Unless they are 

 carefully studied and the information they contain is practically 

 applied, they are of Httle use. They cannot take the place of 

 practical farming knowledge, but they enable that knowledge 

 to be appUed to the farm more fully and accurately. They 

 bring to light the detailed inner working of each branch of the 

 farm. 



So far from stereotyping any system 'of farm management, 

 they should facihtate the most elastic methods and assist in 

 obtaining full efficiency in all the operations, and they become 

 of increasing value when several years' costs are available for 

 comparison. 



