The Mankato free press., 1913-03-07

is secured from the grain, particu-
larly from mill feed and linseed meal
taken from the crops produced in
the northwest. Labor is cheap in
New England and the eastern states
and plentiful compared with that OF
the west-in consequence, good till
age is not SO difficult matter to
secure.
Labor Supply Important.
THE supply of labor is a matter
Of great practical Importance in crop
production and in crop rotation.
Japan has, according to statistics,
about three persons per acre of
titled land; North Dakota has forty
nine and a fraction acres of farm
land per person. Japan's agricul-
tural imports exceed her exports by
only about 81 per capita, which
means that she almost supports an
average Of three persons per farm
acre. Holland-so much hcralded as
an intensely farmed cOuntry--bas a
population only one-third as dense
as that of Japan. Japan main
hoioo I-o SultiC anu uoioS' PNi
square mile. These are mostly, work
stock; also fowls per square mile.
Last year North Dakota paid thir.
teen and fourteen cents per bushel
for threshing wheat and $3.50 and
$4.00 per day for labor; Japan and
China only few cents per day for
help. Japanese and North Dakota
farmers stand to the two extremes
on labor and this labor question
must be taken into account in con-
sidering cropping systems and in
talking of practical farm manage
ment in the matter of retaining soil
fertility and practicing crop rotation.
The labor supply largely controls
what it is feasible to do.
Labor Laws Handicap.
"The alien labor contract laws en-.
acted in the eighty's have been a
serious hindrance to the immigration
of farm labor from the countries Of
northern Europe to America. Many
people do not seem to realize that
these laws which were enacted to
prevent the abuse of privilege by
large manufacturing and construction
companies have been Of little hin.
drance to them. while they have
handicapped the farm producer by
preventing reasonable influx Of
laborers.
According TO this law. if citi.
zen of the United States sends a
ticket or the purchase price Of trans,
portation 10 citizen of Scandina-
via, Denmark, Germany or other for
eign country and makes contract
with that individual to repay him
at future date, the American citi-
zen is guilty of misdemeanor and
if his guilt is proven in court he
will be sent to Jail
This has seriously reduced the
! Immigration of the poorer people
from Northern Europe TO the Unit.
ed States. 1t is matter of history.
according to the census, that the six
Red River valley counties in North
Dakota have lost rural population in
the last decade while Pembina, cur
northeastern coruer county, which
is one of our larger and better
counties, has only about the farm
population that she had twenty years
ago. 1t will be. realized that North
Dakota was Il yDung-. state twenty
years ago which will serve to I'M
press the effect which this lessen
ing of population must have on the
cropping system and the agriculture
OF the district.
Result Of Labor Supply.
at is argued that the New Eng
| land states produce larger yields
of grain per acre than the north
west. This is true, but il is the re.
suit Of being able to supply much
| more labor per acre and also re.
suit of the fertilizing ingredients
brought into that region from the
West in their feed stuffs and added
to their land in the form of com
mercial fertilizers. England is fire.
quently held up TO us as an OK.
ample Of what our wheat yields
should be made. First of all, her
wheat acreage is only one-iifth that
Of North Dakota. She produces fifty
million bushels of wheat and I'm.
ports two hundred million bushels
of it. In addition to that, she i'm.
ports u hundred million bushels of
corn, a billion pounds of oil cake
and considerable OF other food stuff,
the fertility from all of which is ap.
piled to her land. In addition to
this, England buys large quantities
OF fertilizer. Belgium, much her.
aided country, grows twelve million
bushels of wheat and imports sixty
million also twenty million bushels
of corn and five hundred million
pounds of oil cake. Germany pro-
duces one hundred twenty five mil
lion bushels of wheat but consumes
two hundred million bushels Of il
besides importing forty million bush
els of corn and more than a bill
| lion pounds of oil cake. Germany
exports chiefly sugar which contains
almost no fertilizer North Dakota
ships wheat and fax chiefly. and
wheat bran at the prices paid foI
commercial fertilizers in New Eng
land and elsewhere is worth around
| 50 a ton. shorts are equally valuable
| while oil meal ranks above them
! in fertillzing value. Denmark grows
| four million bushels of wheat and
buys five million bushels of it. Den
/ mark sells chiefly butter which has
| a soil fertility value of forty-eigbt
| cents per ton. A moments thought
will also indicate to your mind thai
| a ton of butter represents a large
sum of money Give hundred dollars
at 25 cents per pound) compared
with the value of ton of wheat
| G,,~