Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1920-04-27
AMONG THE FARMERS.
"sPEED THE PLow."
Light Saving and Farmers.


Just now there is considerable tall
about the light saving scheme of setting
the clocks ahead an hour and so begin
ming the day an hour before standard
time. This plan, while favored BY many
urban communities is frowned upon BY
the farming fraternity.
1t seems they consider II as an invita-
tion to arise an hour earlier than they
do at present; and when one considers
the hour at which most of them crawl
out of bed-that is when the cocks
crow-they can't be blamed. But Il
may be doubted whether cocks will 20
into the light saving plan-that is 1t may
be doubted If they will crow an hour
earlier because of the scheme, 80 the
farmer can still follow his ancient clock
II he wishes.
1t seems, 80 far as the farmer is con.
cerned personally, 1t doesn't make any
great difference. He can be independent.
1t is when he becomes dependent that
the shoe pinches-that is when he is
dependent upon hired help to do his
work. Now the farmer wants and needs
help at the beginning and end of the
day-at chore time, and If the helper be.
gins work on the new schedule with his
present short day, he quits before 1t is
time to do the evening chores.
Now the short day is one of the things
the whirligig OF time has brought about,
and which probably will not be returned
to It's former length; 80, disagreeable as
1t may be, the farmer will have to round
up and take his m edicine as other varie.
ties OF business men already have. He,
like them, will have to adapt himself to
new conditions.
Now the farmer has always prided
himself on bis long hours. His work is,
30 he says, from sun to sun, and In the
summer time that is quite long day.
Naturally he wants help during the
entire period of this long day and he
can't get 1t on an eight hour basis.
There seems to be but one way out,
either double day or double-crew day.
Farmers always have claimed to have
put In fourteen or sixteen hours q day,
which Is, at present standards, a double
day. So far as they are considered per-
sonally they are no worse of now than
they ever were, but IL they hire
help that Is about twice as much time as
they can get hired man to work, unless
he Is paid over time for the time he
works over a standard day. This would
indicate the necessity of two-crew day,
one man or crew going on early enough
In the morning to finish work at noon
and another going on at noon and work.
ing until the chores, SO called, are fin
ished.
This arrangement Is not welcomed by
farmers because it is q change from
custom and strikes them as revolution.
ary; but If they are forced to pay for
labor by the hour such a change could
be made at no extra expense. It would
simply be necessary to lay out their
work In quantities so the double crew
would pay.
The trend of agriculture, like every
other industry, is toward larger working
units, and the larger the unit, within
certain limitations, the cheaper can crops
or products be raised. This NAV be
hard on the small farmer but no harder
than on the small business man, who has
already been squeezed by large business
and justification.
Change is law. The ichthyossurus
gave place to the mastodon, the masto-
don to the OK, the OK to the horse and
the horse to the motor; and yet each
change has been considered an advantage
to the world, although 1t was probably
hard on the ichthyosaurus and the mas.
todon when they were forced to give
way to other animals. The only animals
to benefit from change, so far as the
writer can see, is the OK and horse. Man
is only an animal and unless he wants to
give bis place to some other creature be
must keep up with the procession, even
If he travels some.
AoUARIUs,