The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-16

LINCOLN, Neb., July l5.-The Herefords
have been invading the wheat fields Of
Kansas and Nebraska In the last few days.
The Herefords. 1t should be explained, are
not the whitefaoed cattle described In the
herd books. .Herefords Is the latest Western
nickname for the untanned young men who
come from the cities and towns to help
garner the big wheat crops
The annual comedy Of the harvest In the
wheat belt is as interesting as ever. It's
settings are nearly always the same, but
the actors are usually different.
Along about the latter part OF June the
wheat farmers begin to get nervous. They
wonder II there are going to be men enough
to enable them to get their wheat cut and
stacked before 1t gets too ripe and falls
over. They have weeks before arran ged
with the State employment agencies and
with men In Eastern centers for a supply
Of hands. but it Is not always certain that
the supply will be equal to the demand.
Along about the time that the first train
load Is due from Topeka or Lincoln the wheat
farmer begins to haunt the railroad station.
When the train pulls in he IL not long left In
doubt whether there are any harvesters
aboard They are looking as eagerly for
the farmers as the farmers are for them.
When the farmers are tagged bargaining
begins.
what ye payin here for good harvesters?'
yells some flannel shirted man from a car
window.
what do you want?' farmer calls back.
All We can git is the reply from half
dozen throsts.
whatever is right interieots some
farmer.
-Quit your kidding yells harvester.
THAT amt specific enough for U.S. They're
payin' big money further out the line, and
If ye wants us now is the time to holler.'
.Yes," retorts farmer. If You stay on
that train long enough you will be able to
reach some place where they keep bankin g
hours and pay S. day. Well give You
$3.50 a day and work You eight hours"
Eight hours!' calls back some harvester
who has been out that way before. Il
know your eight hour day in the wheat
fields. Eight hours before noon and eight
after it. When you start to bed you meet
yourself coming out to breakfast
And 30 the chatting goes on. Most Of
the harvesters are inclined to be chesty.
uey always tuHlh tuSIe ID q DcttoI PldCo
further on, and they want to be coaxed.
d Perhaps few will get out Of the cars and
on the platform. Immediately they are
surrounded and bidding begins.
Usually few are induced to remain.
The lucky farmer hikes of to the farm with
his new men in tow, and the others saunter
over to find out when tho next train 10 COM
ing along
-It's pretty hard work, said one farmer,
4for those Of US who live in the eastern part
Of the State, These fellows all want to
find out what Is paid further on, and what
We have to do is to get few clubs and
knock 'em off the train. II we are patient
and wait long enough the oversupply will
come back our way"
Low rates on the railroads and good
wages In the fields attract many trainloads
Of harvesters. They are old men and young
men, college boysand hoboes, men who are
after a good job and will stick to the end
and others who are planning for harvest
dinners and as little work az possible.
The proportion Of young men, most Of
whom look upon it at the start as lark,
makes one Of these trains seem like picnic
excursion. A very small proportion came
from the East this year, and the college boy
from Harvard was not numerous enough
to make himself heard.