156 
Gardeners and Florists’ Annual for 
maintaining a bank account to see that the amount of money intended 
to be drawn is recorded in plain figures in the proper location, as well 
as clearly written, for many checks falling into the hands of persons 
inclined to change the amount to a larger sum, have caused no end of 
trouble to the depositor, as well as the bank. If a mistake has been 
made in writing a check, it should not be erased or altered in any 
manner but should be destroyed and an entirely new check issued. 
Banks are not required to pay checks that are altered in any particular. 
The date on the check should also be given careful consideration and 
should never be changed after having once been written. The custom 
of paying bills by checks drawn for some future date is one which 
seriously reflects on a customer in his standing at the bank when it 
becomes known that this is done. 
Another serious reflection on the credit of a man at his bank is 
shown when he “overdraws” his account. No bank is required to honor 
a check for a larger amount than the customer has on deposit. If 
it does so, it is at its own risk and a courtesy on the part of the bank 
to the customer. Another serious reflection is when one merchant will 
exchange checks with another 'nierchant for the purpose of temporarily 
increasing his balance at the bank. This is known as “kiting” and will 
surely label the customer by the bank as undesirable. No check should 
ever be drawn against one’s balance at the bank until the full amount 
is actually in the bank on deposit to the customer’s credit. 
In depositing money care should be exercised in placing one’s 
name at the head of the deposit ticket to read as it was written when 
leaving the first signature. A deviation from this might cause the 
bank to place the amount to the credit of another customer of a similar 
name, thereby causing embarrassment on the part of the bank, as well 
as the customer later on. Care should also be exercised in listing on 
the deposit ticket, in accordance with the printed items, the proper 
amounts to be deposited opposite bills, specie, checks, etc. Each 
check should be recorded on the slip separately and a total made of 
the entire amount. The arrangement of the currency should be so 
that all bills of a similar denomination will be together, thus enabling 
the receiving teller to expedite the receiving and entering of the deposit. 
In this way a good impression is made upon the mind of the receiv- 
ing teller who is only another important cog in the banking machine 
and one whose co-operation and goodwill should be enlisted. In fact 
every time a customer makes a good impression upon an officer or 
employee of the bank he is simply accumulating what is known as 
goodwill, and will he returned to the customer with interest very many 
times. Too much emphasis cannot be placed upon the necessity for a 
prompt cashing or deposit of checks received in the regular course of 
business. In the event of the failure of a bank on which you hold a 
check and which you have held for longer than 48 hours, the drawer 
is automatically released from payment. Therefore, the prompt cash- 
ing or depositing of checks should receive careful consideration. 
In the event that a customer receives in the usual course of busi- 
ness a check which he deposits or cashes, or has cashed at his bank 
and it is subsequently lost in the mail, the bank has the right to re- 
quest the customer to secure from the drawer a duplicate copy in order 
