The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1919-06-12
MACHINERY ON FLORIDA FARMS

onortase OF LABOR has compelled
most Florida farmers to turn thei
attention to the merits of improved
! farm machinery as an aid in tn,
seeding, cultivating and gathering O
their crops. A machine which en-
) ables the farmer to till two or three
acres in the time it takes with han6
labor to cultivate one or less mus,
pay for itself in short time. In thc
present shortage Of farm labor the
saving is the greater and it has the
merit of throwing no one out Of work
for the amount of labor available il
barely sufficient to man the machines
Just at present improved cultiva-
tors have the lead in the demand
Tractors had the lead a short time
ago. Present needs govern. Reports
from county agents reflect the new
spirit among the farmers. The day
OF the one horse farmer is passing
with the greater attention which IL
being paid to agriculture in these
days.
The average cultivator Of tho soi,
was disposed to scout the idea q,
needing other tools than those to
which his father and grandfather
were accustomed and was content
with the slow progress he made
Then he became aware that the more
enterprising were securing better re
turns than he with no more or even
less labor but still he persuaded him
self that he could not afford the i'm
proved machinery. Once the idea en-.
tered his mind it was not great
while until he could persuade him.
self that he could not afford to do
without better machinery for his
work, His more progressive neigh.
oors were making money whereas he
was only barely marking time"
But the shortage of farm labor was
the most convincing argument. His
helds had to be worked and he could
not command enough hand labor for
The purpose. With the farm machine
'ne man could do the work of seyera,
hand laborers and do 1t more easi,v
Where he had sons they often well
'omed the change enthusiastically
md showed less disposition OF leave
he farm on the first opportunity.
The difference machinery may make
n farm life is shown quite vividly
n the Northwest according to re- c
orts' 1t has enabled the farmers IN
nat section, 1t is said, to declare a,
'gnt-hour working day, except in
mergencies. The farmers there ride !
heir machines instead of following
ne pillow all the weary day and that
10 comfortably under the shade of
uge umbrellas during the hot wealth. 81
r. That comes pretty near to intro q
ncing something like poetry into the
rudgery of work on the farm. II
The more farm machinery there is a
ought into play in Florida, the fast Ii
Will be its increase in wealth de W
we'd from the soil. With more ma III
linery more land will be brought n,
'der cultivation-and Florida has w
0 much of unimproved territory III
ne man who is able to cultivate
om TWO and half to three times fl,
ore land with such aid will want hi
at much more to keep himself busy m
d his profits will be greater in pro- re
rtion to the amount Of work ex- M,
nded. 20
Thus the scarcity of farm labor ~
~ prove another of those blessings "'
disguise which this state has en- ~
rienced. 1t compels the taking on
more and better assistance in rails =
and gathering the crops to the
vantage of the farmer himself and v"
the state at large. -Jacksonville