Chapter 65

THE END OF THE THIRD YEAR

"Polly," said I, on the evening of December 31, "let's settle the accounts for the year, and see how much we must credit to 'experience' to make the figures balance."

"Aren't you going to credit anything to health, and good times generally? If not, you don't play fair."

"We'll keep those things in reserve, to spring on the enemy at a critical moment; perhaps they won't be needed."

"I fancy you will have to bring all your reserves into action this time, Mr. Headman, for you promised to make a good showing at the end of the third year."

"Well, so I will; at least, according to my own estimate; but others may not see it as I do."

"Don't let others see it at all, then. The experiment is yours, isn't it?"

"Yes, for us; but it's more than a personal matter. I want to prove that a factory farm is sound in theory and safe in practice, and that it will fit the needs of a whole lot of farmers."

"I hardly think that 'a whole lot of farmers,' or of any other kind of people, will put $100,000 into a farm on any terms. Don't you think you've been a little extravagant?"

"Only on the home forty, Polly. I will expound this matter to you some time until you fall asleep, but not to-day. We have other business on hand. I want to give you this warning to begin with: you are not to jump to a conclusion or on to my figures until you have fairly considered two items which enter into this year's expense account. I've built an extra hog-house and have bought ten thousand bushels of grain, at a total expense of about $6000. Neither of these items was really needed this year; but as they are our insurance against disease and famine, I secured them early and at low prices. They won't appear in the expense account again,--at least, not for many years,--and they give me a sense of security that is mighty comforting."

"But what if Anderson sets fire to your piggery, or lightning strikes your granary,--how about the expense account then?"

"What do you suppose fire insurance policies are for? To paper the wall? No, madam, they are to pay for new buildings if the old ones burn up. I charge the farm over $200 a year for this security, and it's a binding contract."

"Well, I'll try and forget the $6000 if you'll get to the figures at once."

"All right. First, let me go over the statement for the last quarter of the year. The sales were: apples, from 150 old trees at $3 per tree, $450; 10 calves, $115; 360 hens and 500 cockerels, $430; 5 cows (the common ones, to Jackson) at $35 each, $175; eggs, $827; butter, $1311; and 281 hogs, rushed to market in December when only about eight months old and sold for $3.70 per hundred to help swell this account, $2649; making a total for the fourth quarter of $5957.

"The items of expense for the year were:--

"Interest on investment $5,132.00 New hog-house 4,220.00 10,000 bu. of grain 2,450.00 Food for colony 5,322.00 Food for stock 1,640.00 Seeds and fertilizers 2,155.00 Insurance and taxes 730.00 Shoeing and repairs 349.00 Replenishments 450.00

"Total $22,760.00

"The credit account reads: first quarter, $2030; second quarter, $2221; third quarter, $5387; fourth quarter, $5957; total, $15,595.

"If we take out the $6670 for the extra piggery and the grain, the expense account and the income will almost balance, even leaving out the $4000 which we agreed to pay for food and shelter. I think that's a fair showing for the three years, don't you?"

"Possibly it is; but what a lot of money you pay for wages. It's the largest item."

"Yes, and it always will be. I don't claim that a factory farm can be run like a grazing or a grain farm. One of its objects is to furnish well-paid employment to a lot of people. We've had nine men and two lads all the year, and three extra men for seven months, three women on the farm and five in the house,--twenty-two people to whom we've paid wages this year. Doesn't that count for anything? How many did we keep in the city?"

"Four,--three women and a man."

"Then we give employment to eighteen more people at equally good wages and in quite as wholesome surroundings. Do you realize, Polly, that the maids in the house get $1300 out of the $5300,--one quarter of the whole? Possibly there is a suspicion of extravagance on the home forty."

"Not a bit of it! You know that you proved to me that it cost us $5200 a year for board and shelter in the city, and you only credit the farm with $4000. That other $1200 would more than pay the extra wages. I really don't think it costs as much to live here as it did on B----Street, and any one can see the difference."

"You are right. If we call our plant an even $100,000, which at five per cent would mean $5000 a year,--where can you get house, lawns, woods, gardens, horses, dogs, servants, liberty, birds, and sun-dials on a wide and liberal scale for $5000 a year, except on a farm like this? You can't buy furs, diamonds, and yachts with such money anyhow or anywhere, so personal expenditures must be left out of all our calculations. No, the wage account will always be the large one, and I am glad it is so, for it is one finger of the helping hand."

"You haven't finished with the figures yet. You don't know what to add to our _permanent_ investment."

"That's quickly done. _Nineteen thousand five hundred and ninety-five dollars_ from twenty-two thousand seven hundred and sixty dollars leaves three thousand one hundred and sixty-five dollars to charge to our investment. I resent the word 'permanent,' which you underscored just now, for each year we're going to have a surplus to subtract from this interest-bearing debt."

"Precious little surplus you'll have for the next few years, with Jack and Jane getting married, and--"

"But, Polly, you can't charge weddings to the farm, any more than we can yachts and diamonds."

"I don't see why. A wedding is a very important part of one's life, and I think the farm ought to be _made_ to pay for it."

"I quite agree with you; but we must add $3165 to the old farm debt, and take up our increased burden with such courage as we may. In round figures it is $106,000. Does that frighten you, Polly?"

"A little, perhaps; but I guess we can manage it. _You_ would have been frightened three years ago if some one had told you that you would put $106,000 into a farm of less than five hundred acres."

"You're right. Spending money on a farm is like other forms of vice,--hated, then tolerated, then embraced. But seriously, a man would get a bargain if he secured this property to-day for what it has cost us. I wouldn't take a bonus of $50,000 and give it up."

"You'll hardly find a purchaser at that price, and I'm glad you can't, for I want to live here and nowhere else."