Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-03-13

many contingent considerations varied by
circumstances that it is difficult to present
arguments that will lead to an unqualified
conclusion. ......
What little may say will be in favor Of
the negative, although l do not expect much
sympathy or support by the others. Al
though 1t may not pay directly to hire, yet
farmer that has more land than he can
manage properly had better hire than let his
farm run down.
Hired help at any price is Of little benefit
unless we work with, and direct them, but
when wages are so high it seems impossible
almost to 80 manage labor as to make II pay.
Some men are better adapted to direct hired
men than others, and perhaps these superior
men may make 1t profitable to hire where
others can not Some try to get along with
cheap help, bat this is unwise, for in the
end they will prove to be the dearest. The
dearest workman l ever hired was paid
twelve dollars per month. Whenever / left
him, he was sure to be idle and would ac-
complish very little. The only place could
put him to get fair amount of work was
in the pitching hole then he would pitch
rather than be covered up.
] know of man who hired hand one
year for four hundred dollars. He was a
very extra workman and probably cheaper
than some at s15 or $50 per month. His
farm consisted of $50 acres, and he and this
hired man did the work. Now let us make
an estimation on this farmer. His stock
would probably consist OF ten cows, fifteen
head Of young cattle, thirty or forty sheep,
and few horses. Now the hired man
cost, including board at three dollars per
week, S556, or the income of ten cows one
year, if the cows are good Now l say that
at this rate it does not pay to hire. Some
ofyou may make it appear otherwise. What
is to be understood by paying business of
any kind p? Money is worth at the present
time eight per cent. interest. Now if we
cannot invest capital in a business that will
afford eight per cent. besides paying for the
labor required, say that it is not a paying
business. Now what per cent. do farmers
get on their capital2 have talked with
many of the leading men in this county, and
the general verdict seems to be that after de-
Quoting the wages of labor four per cent. is
good average. If my statements are correct
think that it is proved beyond doubt that
hired labor is at present beyond the means
of farmers, with perhaps few exceptions.
A. r. Hovey: shall take the ground
that labor at present prices pays if properly
directed. 10 the first place man should
not hire to perform work that he can do
himself and those with small farms need hire
but very little. Laborers need very strict
attention in order to get fair amount of
profitable work from them, but if they are
neglected | will admit that such labor does
not pay. This great complaint of high wa
ges does not date back beyond 1860, and 1
am gong to attempt to show that labor is
not higher in proportion now than it was
then. Calling wages by the season in 1860
$l5 and now at S26, the per cent. ofincrease
is 20. Now l will compare four articles Of
produce in the same manner. Butter II
cents against 33, beef S5 hundred, against
$S, lambs sold at $3.50, which brought last
fall 81, wool was worth 20 cents a pound,
and now we may call it AZ. In 1860 it
took 80 pounds of butter to pay for months
wages, and at present prices only 80, beef
compared in the same way would figure 300
pounds against 325 lambs 6 against II,
wool 60 against 62l pounds. By striking
an average, including butter, the result
would be in favor of hiring help that is, it
will show that we can as we'll, if not better,
afford to pay laborers the present market
price as we could in 1860 Therefore, my
conclusion is that farmers should hire what
they are unable to do themselves.
b. Works. Mr.. Hovey got at the whole
truth Of the matter when he said we must
do what we can ourselves, and then hire the
rest. Ii a man is going to carry on farm
he must not depend on outside help any more
than he can possibly avoid; he must put his
own shoulders to the wheel and push, an d
then call in extra help when necessary. l
think that is the way most of us have man.
aged. Mr.. Hovey is one Of that class he
will hire as little as possible. l know a
farmer in Illinois who owned farm of 160
acres and kept two hired men the year
round. He was in for taking things easy.
have known him to come home at night and
give one Of his men quarter to take care Of
his team. He managed IN this way for
short time, and then was obliged to sell one
half Of his farm. When l saw him again
few years after he had sold out entirely and
moved on to small place back in the will
derness. presume by this time he is a
town charge. Why is hay our most impOr-
tant crop2 1t is because it requires less la
Dor to raise it. If a man has a smart wife
and healthy children there is no necessity of
paying out much for help. These that are
not blessed in this way must hire for one
can do about so much, aud if he tries to 90
beyond his strength he is taking his health
and shortening his life, As things are at
present, man having an income from his
farm Of $1,000 will 6ni it necessary to pay
out about 5000 of it for labor, interest and
taxes, leaving $500 for his own wages and
to support his family with; This cannot be
called very big pay.
h. p. Allen; | agree with the other
speakers that we must hire some in order to