The Ellesmere Guardian. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1891. A USEFUL SUGGESTION.

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume X, Issue 961, 18 November 1891, Page 2

The Ellesmere Guardian. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1891. A USEFUL SUGGESTION.

The thanks of the farming rommunitv are due to Mn T. B. Howson for oneol tho nO'-t rs'Mil suggestions which hip yet been laid efora ttie Agrion'tura 1 am' Pastoral Association. Recognising, as everybody else does, that the average rmer is anything but an able accountnnt, Mr Howson has offered a prize of <( nic value to that individual who shall ■* n- 1 m the simplest and most easily .vorke 1, and at the same time comprehensive set of books suitable for farmei's use. His idea as submitted to tin Oommitee is perhaps somewhat crude, but with a little further consideration of tne details it should result m a decide-' advantage to the farmers. Hitherto, a? one of t c speakers yesterday said, the fVrimr's o ly look has been his cheque book A hook of that kin'l, however vnlna ! le it may bo when tne b-n'c ac ennui i.j m rreilit, is not of muoh prac t.cal u«e m showing the farm' r exactly how liis v»rious crops f.nd stock are paying him. Afier « lorn/ day's work m the open air, it is hardly to bi ex j ported that he fanner will sit down an 1 write up a set of books m double i ntry but i simple method of keeping an account of his profits an I losses, shoul he bo so unfortunate as to lose sometimes, might easily be devised. Such a systam should be easy to understand, easy to follow, and yet should include every branch of the farm. An important feature of Mn Howson's scheme is that the best system submitte-l , shall become his property, for publishing. He is desirous of having agriculturul bookkeeping taught m the primary schools, and with this m riew, would | like the selected system as a model for teachers. Schools are now laying great stress on chemistry and botany as ap pliel to agriculture. A little time devoted to the accounts of the farm would not be thrown away.