The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1919-10-17
FARM LABOR!


Labor" i'm last weeks edition Of The
Maryland Farmer attracted my at
tention, and I feel it my duty to
answer it and give my actual *.
perience, hoping it may help those Oh
my fellow farmers who, it seems
have trouble in obtaining and re-
tanning farm help.
was born and raised on a farm,
and have never lived any place ex-
cepting on farm. ! manage anu
direct the operations OF the Two
homo farms-290 acres-adJolnlng
these farms I have 24O acres, which
+ stock, furnish all seeds and fertll-
zers, in short everything excepting
the labor. A man and two sons 40
the work. / receive tWo-tnlrds OIL
all gross receipts, excepting from the
dairy I have a herd OF 30 COWS on
this farm. / pay cents per gar
lon for milking, shipping and atten-
ton to the cattle. On another 1arm'
21S acres, I furnish the fertlllzer'
lime, clover and timothy seed; ten
ant furnishing stock, Implements
coarse seeds and all labor. re-
ceive from this farm one-halt OF All
gross receipts. | make this 1ull
statement to qualify al an experience
ed farmer, as possibly away from
home I am better known as busl-
ness man than as farmer.
a. Labor Waiting List.
have never had any trouble IN
obtaining farm labor, and frequent
ly have a waiting list. This covers
general farm help as we'll as DAIRY
men, as l operate two SANITARY
diaries independent of general farm
ing. o
I appreciate this is a strong state
ment, but follow me for a few mo-
ments, catch the spirit, put 1t into
operation and see if it does not help
overcome your labor troubles. First
of all, provide good comfortable
homes for your help, man does not
amount to much unless he has
good wife, and a good wife is not go
ing to be satisfied and contented to
live i'm the shacks which are seen on
many farms. Keep the houses well
painted and papered, have water at
the door and good rich garden
near by. Besides the salary, we fur
nish each man with fire wood, sawed
in stove size and hauled to his home,
80 there is not an hours work at
the wood pile every day after work
ing hours. We also furnish 3OO
pounds of flour, 800 pounds of pork
and 20 bushels of potatoes. We work
regular hours, June LIST to November
LIST, eleven hours-ten hours the bal
ance of the year, excepting the WIN
ter months, when the hours are gov
erned by weather conditions.
We have now contracted with our
new man and he moves in. From the
very first | try to create spirit OF
cooperation and to stimulate a pride
i'm the farming operations. We try
to prepare our ground a little better,
and get the crops in a little earlier
than the other fellow. The harness
is kept a. little cleaner and the mules
a little slicker than the man VINO
does things in the ordinary way. See
that everything is orderly in and
around the buildings. ALI this I'M
proves your help and makes a better
farmer out of you. Have word OF
appreciation for every act that de-
serves it, never lose your temper,
and never correct one man IN the
presence of another.
Breed pure-bred stock where it is
possible. Tt creates an additional
interest, not only with the farmer,
but with his boy, who is to be the
farmer in the next few years. Have
a confidential talk with your help at
least once a week, keep record OF
the different things that need atten-
ton al they come to you and turn
this list over to your head man dur
ing one of these interviews. When
there is picnic in the neighborhood,
give your help an afternoon off, so
they may enjoy it with their family.
During harvest, every afternoon send
to the field about $50 ice tea and
doughnuts, one day, and then alter
nate with lemonade and cookies.
Stop all work for half an hour, hunt
a shady corner and all enjoy the
treat. | furnish my head man work
ing manager) with diary at the be-
ginning of the year. He notes down
farming operations each day, which
l find also increases interest and Is
useful for references.
Appreciation.
The first year has passed, and ii
the new man is worth while he is
now taking pride in everything about
the farm, SO when you hand him his
pay envelope on the 31st Of Deem
Der, surprise him with an eXrta
check and letter about as follows
I'm going over the operations on
the farm for 1918, l find We have had
a satisfactory year, and in apprecia-
ton of your help and cooperation,
am enclosing you a check for $4,000
If you do not need this extra money
for your family, I advise you to put
it i'm bank, where you will receive
interest on same, and then next year
if we are as successful as during
this year, I will give you $4,000 ad-
ditiOnal to add to ii.
Wishing you and your family g
Happy New Year, l am
Yours truly"
II have gone rather infinitely into
this subject, but it is the small de,
tails that count in this connection tC
get results. You must employ prac
teal up-to-date methods that viii
bring financial success if you wan
to make farming attractive.
In conclusion L want to say to The
girls and boys on the farm that it il
only in rare instances that the city
offers greater inducements than tn
country-in the great majority O.
cases the opportunities for advance
ment, both socially and financially
nrn uraatar In the country than III