The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1885-11-27

cultivates, altogether about 800 acres and has 10C
of stock the home place, including 20 fat cattle
among these are pair of steers which weigh
together 3035 lbs, one OF them weighing 1856 lbs
The 20 fat cattle have been sold, and he has sold
besides during ne past year. IS others His stock
are as hne lot, perhaps, as has ever come into
the county.
Messrs VIM. Webster. Thos. Lochary and Jas
mary critical examination of the farm. They re-
ported through the chairman, Mr.. Webster, who
said that the general appearance of the farm was
very fine. The corn ground wheat looks well,
the strips being seeded and the whole put in
nicely. Mr. Lee has superior lot of stock cattle.
weight; His beef cattle. go in number, are very
fat. They average 1000 lbs, and have never
been fed grain. He has. also, fine lot of hogs.
Indeed there is nothing to criticize, and the club
should feel proud to have member whose farm
is conducted so admirably.
Mr.. Hanna said he had noticed high grade
Short Horn, two years and four months old, that
weighs l,5O0 lbs, and pair of fine driving horses
Inc question announced for discussion was as
what amount of labor can most proftably be
employed on farms where mixed husbandry is
practiced, and what can be done to improve the
condition and raise the standard of farm abor?'
Mr.. James Lee remarked that in estimating the
amount of labor to be employed the size of the
farm ought to be considered. Every farmer
should employ all that he can profitably.-
On farm of from so to Is acres two men ought
to be able to do all the work. There are many
ways in which we could employ labor to advant-
age: For instance. something is required besides
ing various articles to supply this want we might
grow carrots beets and turnips and thereby give
employment to a great deal of labor. Also, in
stead of buying so much commercial fertilizers,
we might employ men in gathering materials
about the farm and making compost. The num-
Der of hands required does not increase in pro-
portion to the size of the farm. While two men
can manage % acres, three men could run farm
of 200 acres. Last year he fed 100 head of stock
and three men did all the work. Labor-saving
machinery makes this possible.
MIR. Lee said he would like to farm laborers
better educated, and thew have the facilities for
education in this county. Educated hands are
the most capable trustworthy, intelligent and the
cheapest hands we have. Hands should be pro-
vded with comfortable houses to live in. He
prefers married men, if they can live the place.
prefer single men.
Mr.. Geo. E. Silver said the amount of labor
needed depends on the quantity of land cultivat-
ed, and kind OF crops grown. the amount of fenc-
ing to keep repaired and clean, sc. He had kept
an account on farm of 100 acres. and found that
during 1884 he cultivated 9acres of corn. harvest
ed SO acres of wheat, of OATS cut 25 acres of hay
and kept % cattle. The labor required was one
man all the year; after the Goth Of March he had
Omen. In June he had linen. In July 4 August
y; September. 3; October, 2: November 3. The
regular farm work, one Of the men. rough car
penter, put up $50 panels of new fencing, made a
new OK cart bed and did carpenters work about
year. The hauling of bone, &C., was done by the
home team but the hands We're frequently en-
ployed on the home place. There was a profit of
several hundred dollars. The next year the pro-
lit was less because a large quantity of bone was
bought. but there has been profit every year
since. One reason why we have inferior labor is
because we are not able to pay them better wages.
With better wages we would have better labor
but how to manage our farms as do this is the
question. We should also make the surround
ings OF their houses more attractive, give them
better accommodations, and when they take more
interest in themselves they will take more in
terest in their employers.
Mr.. II. Harris Archer said farm of from 80 to
farmer should hire one boy. A boy is very use
full on farm, and Is necessity to. manage a
school in the winter. The main point is to hire
good ham. hands; p pay them fnl wages promptly, and
have children make it condition that they shall
be sent to school.
Mr.. John Moores said every farmer ought to
consider it his duty to educate boy as farmer.
You can't have a principal hand unless he has
been trained as farmer. farm of 70 acres, in
managed by one man and boy Treat your
hands properly, pay them promptly, feed them
well and keep them in good humor all the time.
them at home more and home is the best place
for them. You find merchants and other peo-
pie at their places of businers, but farmers think
they can leave home six days out of seven. If
they stayed at their homes as much as the mer-
chant does at his store they would find farming
Mr.. VIM. Webster said two hands are sufficient
on 1OO-acre farm, but If the farmer stays away
Extra hands would be needed only, perhaps. two
weeks. A boy is almost Indispensable on farm.
Educated labor is much more satisfactory than
man able to read and write and keep his own ac-
counts. To get educated hands we should try to
make things as pleasant for them as our means
will permit. 1t is better to pay a hand enough to
allow him to board himself. The average farm
wages about $3.50 year. including house, fire
wood and COW pasture 1t ia better perhaps, to
make positive bargain, charging the hand for
house-rent. &c.
poying all the labor that can be made profitable,
but every farmer must judge for himself as to
the amount required. Pay your hands promptly,
give them good wages, treat them well, and give
gcnt hands are the best. He differed with other
members about hiring boys. 1t requires the ex-
ercse of too much patience to manage boys.
Mr.. Johns Fl. Janney thought that on a 100 acre
farm, where mixed husbandry is pursued, two
men and boy would be sufficient 1t is the duty
of every farmer to educate a boy q farmer, and
Il this were done we would soon have good hands.
A 200-acre farm can be run by four men and
boy, and 800 acre farm will require six men and
a boy. None of us keep hands enough to cult
vate our farms properly. He believed in high
cultivation, by which we can raise better crops
with less deterioration of the land. How to i'm
prove the condition and raise the standard of
farm labor is question IN which we are all deep
ly interested One thing essential is to give your
hands constant employment. Employ them by
the year. If they are employed nine months and
idle the rest of the year. they are apt to get into
vicious habits and spend all they have saved the
about $40 month, the man boarding himself, or
$3.50 for months. You can employ the same man
at $l8 month or s2l6 a year, and the $3.50 addi-
three months extra work. You ought to rent
him a comfortable house and allow him wood,
standing, at SO month. by this plan you would
get good hand. You should make it to mans
advantage to stay with you. There should be q
amount paid the best and the most Indifferent
hands Is too nearly the same. Labor should be
classified. man who can drive team, hew
posts, point rail and set fence should have
higher wages than common hand who cannot
do these things. Hands should be paid at the end
of every month and the wages of hands should be
considered sacred debt, to be paid before any
thing else.
100 acres, under the general system OF cultivation.
two men can do the work. Where 1t suits Il boy
should be kept. If unmproved land is to be
brought under cultivation extra hands should
be employed. Laborers in all lines of trade are
advancing to higher plane by the use of ordi-
nary means The farmer can help the man who
works for him by encouraging him to go to
church. to send his children to school, and to
talk with him on subjects that will elevate his
MIR. II. John Rogers thought that the location
offs farm had great deal to do with the amount
of labor required. If 1t is 10 or IL miles from
ought to be spent on the farm. Two hands are
suflicientto farm 100 acres of fair land. He had
for eight or ten years farmed 200 acres with two
place. He liked Mr.. Janneys idea Of keeping
work that way, and will only hire by the day, be-
ing satisfied with two or three days work in
men. He had hand who in three Years saved
$500. If you could get your hands TO hope that
by saving they might have small home of their
own 1t would be better for both the hand and his
employer.
Judge Waters said We represent by far the
most numerous class of employers in this coun-
try. OF the seventeen or eighteen millions of
workers in the United States fully one-half are
employed on farms Sh and less ;, than one,sxth in
the contrary it is the fact nevertheless, that the
rate of wages in this country is fixed on the
farms. The manufactures, to secure labor, must
out bid the farmer. Our farms constitute great
reservoir from which deficiency of labor is sup
piled here and which absorbs a surplus of labor
fhara The mercury in the tuDe of the thermOm-