The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1883-11-15
EMPLOYING Help on the Farms.


number of persons they find employed
on farms and about farm-houses, and
their surprise is no less at the large
number of horses and the great amount
of machinery. The present condition
of affairs, as regards few men and many
horses and machines, is chiefly the out
growth of circumstances attending the
late civil war A million men were
called from peaceful pursuits to join the
ranks of the army. There were as
many persons to feed and clothe as be-
| fore, and a much smaller number to
produce the articles required to do it.
The waste of war is always terrible. 1t
is part of the business of hostile
| army tc destroy as much of the cloth
ing, provision, and forage of the enemy
as possible. The greater was the de-
| mand for all kinds of farm products the
longer the war continued. The demand
| for labor-saving machine and imple
| ments that would do the work of men
on farms stimulated inventors. Ma
chimes were brought out that could per-
form almost every kind of farm opera
ton. Wheat and other grains were
produced almost without manual labor.
Farmers soon became tired of doing
hand work. They began to prefer those
crops that could be produced almost
entirely by the aid of machinery. AL
though fewer men were employed on a
given area of farming country the
amount of food produced was much
greater. AS the wages of the farm la
borers advanced farmers studied how
they could dispense with as many as pos
sible. 1t was believed by many that
economy in farm management consisted
in the displacement of laborers and the
substitution of horses and machinery.
Every large farmer was experimenting
in seeing how far he could 90 in dispen-
sing with human labor.
1t is altogether likely that farmers in
many parts of the country have gone
too far in substituting horses and ma
chimes for men. OF course it is expen-
sive to employ laborers. Their wages
amount to a large sum, and they must
be paid in cash or its equivalent. The
board of laborers constitutes another
large bill of expense. But it must be
rememb bered that horses are expensive.
1t costs a large sum to raise or buy
them. The shelter, food, care, shoes,
and harness they require amounts to a
large sum annually. All farmers are
beginning to find out that machines are
very expensive. Their first cost is large,
there is almost constant demand for
repairs, and with the little care bestow-
ed on them they are soon destroyed.
Farmers who raise grain know how
large a proportion of it is required to-
pay for machinery and horses. The
small grains now receive more attention
than other crops because they can be
produced with little manual labor. The
reluctance of large farmers to employ
laborerS has caused the general neglect
of most of the minor field crops which
were of great value to farmers before
the general introduction OF machinery
Comparatively few western farmers en-
gage in the production of tobacco and
| hops because they require SO much
work. They prefer crops that can be
raised by the use of horses and machines
The production of root crops, small
fruits, and garden vegetables is neglect
ed for the same reason. They can not
be raised by the employment of ma
chimes. Hand work is required for
their production. Most of them can be
raised on many farms in large quanti-
| ties without interfering with the produc-
ton OF large crops of grain. They re-
quire but little land, but they call for the
labor of many hands. Their produc-
ton would add greatly to the income of
farms and would benefit the community
by furnishing employment TO many
persons.
Farmers have long been studying how
to dispense with laborers as far as pos
sible. They have succeeded in produc-
h., II, a
aid of machines and animals. Its now
| time that they give attention to the
matter of employing more laborers Oh
and about farms. The crops that have
been neglected so long should now re-
ceive attention, As land increases in
value 1t becomes necessary to SO man.
age it that it will yield a larger revenue
to the owners. Admitting that there is
| economy in employing machines for
doing most of the work of raising corn
and the small grains, it does not follow
that some hand work is not economical
in connection with the work performed
| by machines. The hand hoe can be very
profitably employed with the horse hoe
in cultivating a crop of corn, beans, or
potatoes. Premiums are generally
| awarded to crops that have received
considerable cultivation by hand.
Many crops can only be produced by
the employment of hand work They
require the closest attention in order to
be very productive. The wants of each
individual must be attended to at the
proper time. No horse or other beast
of burden has the intelligence of men
and women. No machines can perform
certain kinds of work as well as the hu-
man hand, Tobacco and hops will
only become leading crops in the west
when farmers are willing to employ
large numbers of laborers. The pro-
duction of grapes and berries of all
kinds calls for many hands. The like
is true in regard to the production of
nearly all garden vegetables. Having
succeeded in producing the principal
commercial crops by the aid of machin-
cry. farmers should now consider the
propriety of increasing their revenues
by the employment of more laborers.