The Modern Farmer in His Business Relations

ENTERED ACCORDING TO ACT OF CONGRESS, IN THE YEAR 1899, BY

EDWARD F. ADAMS

IN THE OFFICE OF THE LIBRARIAN OF CONGRESS, AT WASHINGTON, D. C.

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PREFACE.

'HEN, after a business experience extending over a quarter of a century, I became interested in cooperative work among farmers, and sought, as an officer of cooperative societies, to induce farmers to unite for business purposes, I discovered that there were no grounds, common to myself and those whom I addressed, upon which to base the proposed action. My audiences and constituents believed so much which I knew to be untrue as to greatly impair the effectiveness of my leadership. This condition was so vexing that I gradually, during three or four years of that work, prepared, largely upon railroad trains, the most of the chapters which comprise this volume. Later, some chapters were amplified, and others added. If I had happened to be one who had had unusual experience in raising cabbages, I was sure that my brother farmers would have much respect for what I might say about methods of growing them. I hoped that I might have the same influence as one who had happened to have a wider business experience than falls to the lot of most farmers. As to that, however, I have some doubt.

I pretend to no great knowledge of economic science, but understand it to be plain common sense applied to such business transactions as marketing produce, borrowing money, and voting upon a tariff. Common sense, of course, is the logical inference from all the facts. Inference from only part of the facts, or from "facts that ain't so," is not common sense, although, unfortunately, common practice. No one appreciates more highly than myself the value of the study of the fundamental economic concepts, but, after all, the world's business must be done mostly by those without fixed convictions as to the real meaning of "value," or the "fund" from which wages are paid. I have, therefore, written for that class, drawing my conclusions inductively from experiences common to myself and my readers, rather than deductively from the

economic bases. I trust, however, that I have written in the scholarly spirit, and not to establish a thesis. Upon some controverted topics I have thought best, without expressing my own opinion, to present the essence of the argument on both sides. I have tried to.do so fairly, and think I have succeeded. There are, however, popular delusions which have taken strong hold upon many excellent men, as to which I felt that one has no right to suppress convictions approved by universal business experience, and the teaching of all economists.

Having prepared the book mainly for farmers, I was desirous that farmers should read it. The farmer, however, is seldom a free book buyer, and I was persuaded that, except by the kindly ministrations of the canvasser-a capacity in which I began my own business life-the most of those for whom the book was especially intended would never see it. I therefore decided to publish by subscription.

Possibly it is desirable that an unknown author should state his experience, and the environment which influences him. I was once a farmer of the old school, and led the life described in the first chapter of this volume. Then followed twenty-five years of business life, for the most part dealing with affairs of some magnitude. Then, retiring from business, were three years of active cooperative work. I now live upon my farm, where I am permitted to act as agricultural editor of a daily journal. For a short time I was connected with the University of California, as Organizer of Farmers' Institutes. My pecuniary interests and my sympathies are with the farmer.

Mr. L. A. Clinton, assistant agriculturalist in the College of Agriculture of Cornell University, has been kind enough to prepare for me a chapter upon "The Study of the Farm," from a standpoint which I could not take-that of a farmer and a man of science.

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