The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-09-05
m'Ae Esat.,.+
Division Of Labor In Agriculture.

A communication to the Agricultural
Department, from Mr.. Daniel R. Good
loe, of Warren county, North Carolina,
advocates q greater division of labor
in farming The following is q con-
densation of the considerations present
ed:
All branches of mechanical industry
depend largely for capital and skill in
carrying them on, and for consequent
profitable results, on judicious divi-
sion of labor. Were there a class of
producers of wearing apparel who I'M
dertook to manufacture all varieties of
cloths, buttons, thread, leather, boots,
shoes, hats, bonnets, and garments of
all sorts, for men, women and children,
the demand for capital would be too
great, and for intelligence and skill too
multiform, for the capacities of any one
person. Yet this is not unlike what
the farmer undertakes under the present
system. In order to the highest sue
cess and profit in his business, he needs
to be posted in agricultural chemistry,
botany, and entomology the nature of
different soils and the best mode of
treating them; the relative values and
effects of all varieties of fertilizers; the
best processes of tilling and culture for
each kind of crop; the comparative
profit in raising them; the adaptation
of all varieties of grains, grasses, veg
etables, and fruits to soil and climate I;
the breeds, characteristics, and relative
adaptation and profits of all kinds of
farm animals; and so on, almost with
out limit. And then, in addition to
these demands for manifold intelligence
and manifold skill in applying it to de-
partments of agriculture so distinct and
varied that they are equivalent to a
dozen distinct arts in mechanics, there
is the further demand for sufficient cap
ital to carry on an these branches ad-
vantageously. "Is it surprising, under
such circumstances, that counry-life
and agriculture are so little attractive :?
Can We wonder that capital and popu-
lation accumulate in the cities and
towns out of all proportion to what
they do in the country ?"
Some steps have already been taken
in the division of agricultural labor,
greatly to the advantage of the farmer.
At remote period every farmer ground
his own grain by hand; at period
comparatively recent every farmer
thrashed out his own grain. Now, at
much less trouble and expense to the
farmer, thrashing is done very extern
sively by those who make that busi-
ness. Formerly, each farmer had to
keep great teams and wagons, and
spend large share of time in hauling
his products, it might be hundred
miles, to market, and hauling back his
supplies; now this is generally done by
the railroads, and at third or fourth
of the former cost" Is it not practi-
cable to carry this division of labor in
farming still further, and thus, by q
greater concentration of capital and
skill employed in agriculture, to bring
back to the rural districts portion of
the wealth and population which have
been drawn off from them to the cities !?
For example, may not that fundamen-
tai branch of successful farming, plow-
ing, be done, at least to wider extent,
much better and much cheaper than it
now is, by class who shall concen-
trate capital and skill on that as dis
tinct business
so long as agriculture depends on
individual enterprise, steam-plowing
will be regarded as impracticable. 1t
requires too much capital, and it's capa-
bilities are too colossal for individual
farmers in connection with all other
farm work. There may be few who
possess sufficient means to make the
experiment on small scale; but in
order to success, it must be done on q
scale sufficiently large to make that the
business" Mr.. Gsodloe recognizes the
fact that the business of blowing would
not last all the year round, but thinks
that the same company that should do
the blowing could proftably apply the
steam-power to various other uses :;
among which are specified thrashing
and grinding grain, saving lumber,
pulling stumps, picking and packing
cotton, and manufacturing sugar He
believes that such a division of labor,
once introduced, would result in the
formation of companies for the Use of
steam in agriculture, who would have
the requisite capital, intelligence, and
enterprise for bringing science to their
aid, would make blowing by steam and
improvements therein thorough study,
and consequently would effect, through
out the sphere of their operations, q
large increase in the productiveness of
the soil and profits of farming. Deep
blowing and subsoiling would every
where and thoroughly be introduced"
and the expenses for teams, plows, &c,
would be so diminished as to enable
thousands of laboring men to set up
as farmers, who, under the present sys-
tenn, are unable to do So"