THE CULTIVATOR 
Profits of Accurate Farming. 
Statement of JD. D. T. More’s Pi ofits for 1853. 
We have been favored by Mr. More, with the ac¬ 
companying transcript from his farm books for the past 
year. He has for some years practiced keeping an ac¬ 
curate account of every item of expense, and also of ev¬ 
ery cent received, and of charging the land devoted to 
a particular crop with the expense of cultivation, and 
crediting it with the produce. This system is one wor¬ 
thy of adoption by every farmer. It shows how much 
the farm produces, the cost of carrying it on, and af¬ 
fords a balance sheet full of suggestions for next year’s 
work. The soil of Mr. More’s farm is light, and has, 
under his superior tillage, been restored from an ex¬ 
hausted condition to a high degree of fertility. 
Jane, Potatoes —4f acres. 
One hundred sixty-two barrels, sold,.$161 73 
31 bushels small potatoes for seed at 30c.$9 30 
Labor of planting and cultivating,. 25 00 
Digging and assorting,.. 19 00 
Marketing,..^. 23 00 
- 76 30 
Amount of profit,. $85 43 
Mercer Potatoes —10£ acres. 
Amount of sales, mostly at 50 cents per bushel,.... $781 00 
61 bushels see'd at 30 c elite,.$18 30 
Labor of planting and cultivating,. 4? 00 
Digging and 'assorting,... 65 00 
Marketing 640 barrels at 10 cents,. 64 00 
- 195 30 
Amount of profit,.$585 70 
Oats —10 acres. 
Amount of sales,.$174 00 
Expenses of cultivating and harvesting,.. 135 25 
Amount of profit,..... $38 75 
Early Sweet Corn—2 acres. 
Amount of sales,... $58 23 
Expenses cultivation, .. 40 00 
Amount of profit,.. $18 23. 
Strawberries —1£ acre. 
Amount of sales,..$235 23 
Expenses,.•. 91 50 
Amount of profit,.$143 73 
Asparagus—l acre. 
Sales, 902 bunches at 12 cents each,.$108 24 
Expense of cultivation,. 29 32 
Profit on 40 rods,. $78 92 
Rye —50 acres. 
Sales of Rye and straw,...$1,132 71 
Expense of cultivation and harvesting,. 375 50 
Amount of profit,.$757 21 
Indian Corn —8 acres. 
Amount of sales........... $340 00 
Expense of cultivation,*..,.... 244 80 
Amount of profit,.. $95 20 
Long John Potatoes -^5 acres. 
Amount of sales, ...$354 25 
Expense cultivation,... 90 25 
Amount of profit,..$264 00 
Peach Orchard —5 acres. 
Sales, 858 baskets fruit,.$501 00 
Expense of gathering, marketing, &e.,. 135 00 
Amount of profit,.$300 00 
* The field was highly manured, a erop of rye turned in, 
and one ton of guano applied, which accounts for the large 
expense 
Sweet, Corn —12 acres. 
Amount of sales,.. $459 73 
Expense of cultivation, &o. 185 25 
Amount of profit,.. $274 48 
Pasture, 30 acres; meadow, 10 acres; garden, yards 
and lanes, 3£ acres; pasture for pigs, 2 acres—'keep 10 
cows, about 100 fowls. 
Sales of eggs, butter, milk, poultry, pigs, produce of garden, 
and cash received for pasturing,.. $576 54 
Expenses, .. 225 00 
Amount of profit,. $351 54 
On hand 400 gallons currant wine, worth $1,. $400 00 
Expenses of manufacturing, raising, &c.,. 200 00 
Amount of profit,. $200 00 
Recapitulation. 
Whole amount of sales,..$5,282 66 
Whole amount of expenses,. 2,023 47 
Whole amount of profits,..;.$3,259 19 
Deduct the interest on 78 acres of land valued at 
$15,000, at 7 per cent,.....$1,050 
Rent of SO acres of land,... 205 
Taxes.I.. 42 
Wear and tear of tools,. 100 
- 1,397 00 
Clear profit on 159 acres of land,.$1,862 19 
Mr. More experimented the past year considerably 
with guano, and is confident that upon the corn crop 
the increased product made the expenditure a pro¬ 
fitable one. A solution of it applied to a portion 
of his strawberry plants, gave a manifestly greater 
crop, both in size and quantity. Two acres of land, 
planted to sweet corn, Which were already in a high 
state of cultivation, did not yield more abundantly 
for the application of guano, and a portion treated 
with superphosphate of lime showed no perceptible 
increase of product. A part of ten acres of land in oats, 
also previously highly manured, received a dressing of 
guano, but this portion did not produce more grain 
than, the other, though the growth of straw was some¬ 
what heavier. Mr. More has purchased four tons of 
gua.no for use the coming season, and will experiment 
more accurately with it. He also used the superphos¬ 
phate of Time last year, but is not prepared to speak 
decidedly with reference to its value as a fertilizer on 
his light soil. He regards the turning in of clover and 
green crops generally as the most profitable manure 
for his farm, while he husbands most carefully all the 
animal manure, even to the droppings of his fowls. 
The value of barn-yard manure is not reckoned in 
the expense, as it is produced and remains upon the 
farm. When special' fertilizers were used the expense 
is charged. Some of the crops raised by Mr. More are 
such as farmers remote from markets could not raise 
profitably, but the bulk of his profit is on field crops 
which command a ready sale in all sections and at all 
times. This balance is probably a larger one than 
most farmers will be able to secure, but it shows what 
accuracy, foresight and energy can accomplish. Who 
will now say that farming cannot be made lucrative ? 
or who need seek a more profitable investment of mo¬ 
ney than in a farm which under proper management 
can be made better year by year 1 Add to this the 
fact that tilling the soil is a pleasant, healthful and 
scientific calling, subject to no sudden ups and downs, 
and we are forced to the conclusion that the farmer 
who lives up to the spirit of the age, who cultivates 
his soil understandingly and his mind assiduously, is 
the most independent and well to do man of the times, 
the true Country Gentleman, 
