St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1881-10-29

bookcase is divided among a dozen per-
sons The like is substantially true in
binding book.
There is GREAT economy in this divis-
ion of work among several classes of
operatives, each performing distinct
kind of labor. Every person becomes
an expert in his particular inc OF bust
ness He acquires great proficiency
and skill, and is able to perform vast
amount of labor in very short time.
Having but little to learn, he can OBJ
tain such mastery OF the art as to en-
able him to earn wages III Il short
time He does not lose three or four
wears in learning trade. He IS able
to learn certain portion OF II trade IN
as many weeks. Manufacturers save
tools and machines by the subdivision
of labor, and the operatives acquire
greater skill and dexler.ty. Persons
buying the goods manufactured are
benefited, as they obtain better articles
at smaller price.
During the past few years various at
tempts have been made to follow the
example of manufacturers and adopt
specalities in agriculture. 1t was
claimed that it was much cheaper to tit
ND farm for the production OF one
crop than for several; that less tools
and machines were required. and that
the men employed would become more
proficient in their work. Attempt have
also been made to subdivide work on
farms as it has been done in factories,
and to train certain men to perform
certain kinds of work and those alone.
Some persons believe that the time will
come before very long when nearly
every farm will be devoted to some
specially, when most farmers will sell
the crops they raise and buy the arti-
Giles they require for the support OF their
families. cry many objections have
been found in practice to the adoption
OF specialties IN farm no. In the hrSt
place the risks involved are too great
for any person who has not large
means. A man who relies on his crop
for the support of his family is often
ruined if his crop is cut OFT OF does not
bring good price at the time 1t IS
ready for the market. The ma iorltv of
farmers have not the means to carry
them over an entire year, as they are
required to have if they rely on single
crop and that is failure or is not re-
CURED for immediate consumption.
Most farmers are not in the condition
to run the risk of carrying all their
eggs in one basket" There are more
risks in farming than in manufacturing.
The farmer runs all the risks the manu-
facturer does in relation to the demands
of the market, and many more besides.
He is dependent on the state Of the
weather, which is always uncertain.
l. a1y TO bn InstrnunH hu
insects as well as by rain, drought,
wind and frost. If he has but one crop,
; and that fails. he has nothing to depend
upon for support. What is more, he is
liable to lose what property he has.
Another difficulty connected with
specialties in farming consists in find
ing labor for the workmen when not
; engaged on the crop, or in hiring per-
sons to work short time when their
services are required. The raisers of
small fruits are generally able to pro-
l cure pickers among the women and
children of villages in the vicinity OF
their plantations. Hop-growers pro-
cure their pickers in the same manner.
= When the planting or harvesting OF a
crop requires the labor of men, it is not
: generally an easy matter to obtain them.
Exclusive Embarrassing has been found
Il profitable in Dakota, when managed by
: persons of capital, but the conditions
i have been very favorable. The land is
cheap, productive and free from weeds;
0 crops have been large and prices high.
AS grain ripens later there than in the
v States and Territories further south, la
; borers could be obtained to do harvest
- ing. BY the offer of liberal wages they
u would make trip of several hundred
e miles in order to work a few weeks.
= There is generally great difficulty in OBJ
v tanning sufficient number of persons
to pick cotton III counties in the South
y where this crop is grown almost exclu
s sivelv. Several persons in the West
. have devoted large farms exclusively tt
y the production of milk. They foune
. - great difficulty in obtaining sufficien
v number of mixers. A gentleman O
g fine business qualifications, having :
= large farm near Kenosha, Wis, under
Z took to keep four hundred milch COWS
- He found that it required forty persons
=, to milk them. He could not pro.itabl,
70 employ this number of men on his plac
le or obtain mixers from other farms, ant
" was therefore compelled to abandon tn
Or enterprise. There are also difficultie
,,s in the way of subdividing labor o.
IA farms, as i is done in factories, so tina
10 individuals shall have substantially tn
same occupations during most OF tn
year. This is done in portions Of En-
gland where there is little very col
weather, and farming operations ma
OF be carried on during most of the time
OF There men hire out as plowmen Q
u hedgers and are not expected to engag
o. in other kinds of farm work. Here
&c however, the seasons are short, an
IS, men employed on farms are required t
u I1aho tloi1 o.