Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 June 1875 — The Cost of Crops. [ARTICLE]

The Cost of Crops.

If a merchant were to sell his goods for just what anyone who came along saw fit to offer him, without any regard either to their cost or value, every one who knew his habits of business would feel free to say that he was on the broad road to financial ruin. His course would be considered the very height of reckless folly, and would be universally condemned. But it seems tome that a great many farmers do business on very much the same principle as that which was supposed in the case of the merchant. They, often sell their crops for just what the first buyer who comes along will offer to pay, regardless of their value. In almost numberless cases the sellers do not keep posted regarding the markets, and consequently have little idea of the cash value of their crops. In regard to the cost of their crops they are still more in the dark than they are on the question of value. They have kept no account with their crops, and consequently cannot know how much they cost or at what price they can afford to sell them. Every farmer ought to know how much his wheat, or corn, or potatoes cost him a bushel. Until he does know this he must work very much in the dark. He cannot tell which crop pays him best, or whether some return large profits while others are a source of loss. But he can very easily ascertain, and it is certainly his interest to do so. It will cost but little. Anyone who has brains enough to manage a farm can do it without any great expenditure of time or labor. By simply keeping a debit and credit account with each field he can determine the cost of his crops readily and accurately. The following specimen will illustrate: Crop, potatoes. Value of land, $l5O per acre. Quantity, two acres. May 16, 1874. Dr. Interest on value of land , s2l 00 Plowing and harrowing 7 00 Seed 14 00 Planting 8 00 Cultivating and hoeing 18 00 Digging and storing 25 00 ♦Ashes 12 00 Cost $lO5 00 7 . ’ —: — Oct. 1,1874. Cr. 200 bushels large potatoes, at 750.^-^™.. .$l5O 00 JW bushels small potatoes, at 25c 10 00 Value $l6O 00 Balance Cr 55 00 Cost per bushel, 43$£c. ♦ln case barnyard manures are applied, only about one-half their value should be charged to the crop, as their fertilizing effects remain for several years. Such an account would not only be valuable in showing the cost of each crop, but also in determining which were the most profitable ones to produce. If generally kept our farmers would have a much better idea of the profits and losses of their business than they now have, and would be induced to adopt improved methods of culture, and thus improve not only their crops but also their t financial condition. — Buffalo Live Stock Journal.