The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1914-11-19
TO THE FARMERS
OF TENNESSEE
FARM MANAGEMENT AND LABOR.
BY CAPT. T. F. PECK,
Commissioner of Agriculture.

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We may study soil improvement
cattle, sheep or hog raising. We ma.
study growing the general or speeia
crops. But if we fail to master the
essentials of farm management anC
the labor problem we cannot hope fol
the success a mastery of those two
essentials will insure.
Z The manufacturer may have the
best machinery known in his factory;
! he may employ the best skilled me-
chanics but if his management is i'm
perfect and the assignment and super
vision of his operators not thoroughly
and intelligently done, the wasted
energy and leaks will ultimately
mean failure.
To the business house without prop
er management and intelligent assign
ment of sales people, only failure car
follow.
The same holds true in farming
The farmer who has no well defined
plan matured for his farm operations
in advance is simrly gropng in the
dark. 1t does not matter whether il
is one horse tenant farmer or the
manager of large plantation. The
first thing is to plan a definite out
line that takes into consideration the
condition of eaen fled. it's present
condition, or looking to it's future in
provement; the kind OF live stock and
number to fit in with the crops to
be produced, that both crops and live
stock may be most economically pro-
duced and utilized.
The question of farm machinery
cannot be disposed of lightly if we
expect to have just what we need and
avoid tying up money in machinery
: only, occasionally used, deteriorating
the principal part of the year. This
is one of the largest taxes the far
mers of the country pay. 1t will
amount to more on the majority of
farms in Tennessee than all the taxes
the farmers pay the state an county
and still few of them regard the loss
in that light.
/ have been on many farms where
there was an unnecessary number of
farm animals that were not producing
anything simply eating their heads
off. You will find useless COWS in
the dairy herds, you will find sheep
that have outlived their productive
age, also horses and mules, while in
: their stead could be kept animals that
would increase in value from growth
or from breeding purposes and at the
same time perform their portion of
the work on the farm.
Every detail of farm management
must be planned and executed on good
business lines or we may expect linn
tied profits.
~ The one problem hardest to solve
Is that of farm labor. Before the
advent of railroads and manufacture
ing and public works requiring labor,
the farm problem did not cut much
figure. Labor was plentiful and very
cheap, it was as indifferent as it was
cheap, but it suited the conditions
then existing. Both the employer and
laborer were satisfied. Now on pub
lie works the price paid for labor is
more than double that formerly paid
per day by farmers, and there is a
foreman there to see that there is
proportionately more real work ac-
complished in the same time. But
when pay day came it was all in the
envelope. There was no perquisites,
such as the farmer gave, of a house
to live in, fuel to burn and team to
haul it, garden for vegetables, which
taken together meant more than the
time on public works amounted to.
But the laborer, when he works on
the farm, contrasts the farm wage
with that ON public works and is dis
satisfied
The most practical solution is for
the farmer to meet the prices paid
on public works and in turn collect
house rent, fuel, pasturage, garden,
etc, and require the same application
to work required on public works.
His labor will cost him no more when
he gets pay for what he has been
giving away.
When the farmer gets the equiva-
lent in intelligent service he can pay
as much for labor as the employer on
public works, but he cannot do so
and give house, garden, ETC., free. The
employer on public works would not
consider it for a moment, neither can
he and make a success.
The laborer should be paid in pro-
portion to the value of his services.
II he uses his brains along with his
hands, pay for the use of his brains
as. well as his hands. Pay labor in
proportion TO its efficiency. Let that
fact become known and the man who
is worth while, who is willing to
stand on his merits, will be looking
for job with theman who rewards
true merit.
Babies don't mind cold OF take cold
II kept well with DR.. Fahrneys's Teeth
inc Cvr,tn NaA ~ ouy.uharo Co,,o.,In