Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1921-03-01
AMONG THE FARMERS,
SPEED rGE PLcw."
Farming In Scotland.

| "sPEED rsE PLcw."
Farming In Scotland.
To the "Pussyfooters" Scotland Is 1
land OF Presbyterian churches snC
PUBS" though the miners have recent
ly voted certain sections ''dry," while
the main attractions for the "TramI
Abroad" are generally scenic rather
than agricultural Many Of these de
lightfully deluded individuals are IN
aware of the fact the highlander piping
the Reel o. TullochgOrum at the en-
trance to bis native glen, a. the tourist,
coach past and contribute to his sup,
port, WAS probably raised in the smoky
| Businesses of Glasgow or even in Pack
ingtown, Chicago, and imported TO the
Highlands for the special purpose OF
bleeding suckers. II Scottish agricul-
ture is to be seen in its true light, the
rut made oy the flivver of the tourist
agent must be avoided.
Scottish agriculture 10 extremely vsria-
bic rs climatic and soil conditions are
far from uniform. The country Is only
about half the size of Iowa yet more
types of farming are found than in all
the middle west. The rainfall varies
from less than 40 inches on the east
coast TO over 140 inches per year In the
northwest. In the dairy region in the
southwest, 40 inches is about the nor
NAL annual rainfall and it 10 well dis
tributed throughout the year. The
drier sections in the east are given over
mainly to grain farming and beef pro-
duction, while in the northwest and ex-
treme south sheep raising is the most
important branch of agriculture. There
are also certain localities of limited
area where specialized branches of agri
culture, such as potato raising and fruit
growing, are extremely important.
Specifically, Scotland appears to
have changed little in recent years but
a study of agricultural conditions shows
this TO be false impression, ss changes,
and many OF them marked ones, have
occurred, aud perhaps nowhere are these
more noticeable than in the dairy world.
The full extent of these changes cannot
as yet be appreciated nor can it be fore
told if they are all for the ultimate good
OF the industry. A few changes which
should have taken place are apparently
in the distant future.
LAND AND LABOR
Land and labor conditions are at pres
ent In state of fiux throughout Britain
though in perhaps no section are condi-
tions acute so far as the dairy farmer 10
concerned. The Scottish dairy farmer
is in the large majority of cases tenant
holding his land under long lease and
with little desire to own the land which
he cultivstes, partly from an Unborn
desire to allow conditions to remain as
they are, and partly because Of the fact
that all landowners are heavily taxed at
the present time. In many cases the
taxes aud the outlay for the upkeep of
buildings, fences, and other permanent
items which must be maintained by the
owners are greater than the rental value.
Consequently whore the lease is such
that the rent cannot be increased, the
farmer is better of renting than owning
the farm. The existing conditions are
causing the breaking up OF many Of the
large estates and some Of the farmers
are buying their farms at the remark
ably low figure of 500 to $3.50 per acre,
to prevent outside men from buying and
then Ousting them at the end of the
tenancy. A more equitable distribution
of taxation among the large and small
land owners would induce greater
number of farmers to purchase their
land.
An important factor in dairying is
the supply of mixers. In Scotland
they are recruited mainly from the ranks
of the women. They receive 81 so per
week for milking 10 cows, night and
and for each additional COW
MIXED the stupeudous sum of 25c week
ly is paid. This seems remarkably
low wage, but IL 10 large when compared
with the pre-war stipend of 75c per week
for milking 10 to II COWS. Though
mixers are poorly paid, milking ma
chimes are becoming fairly common. In
fact, on many farms they have been in
use for II to Is years though on others
they have been put In for use only in
A considerable rise In general farm
labor costs has also taken place but even
yet workers of this class are not too
highly paid. In 1914 a very common
wage for men was $3.50 per week, with
4 house and few extras, and the total
wage, including fair valuation for the
house and other items allowed, was
about IS per week. 10 addition the wife
and older daughters of the worker usual
ly milked, and the younger members of
the family, which generally was not
small, worked in the fields during the
60 Of fan
hours. Now conditions are changed,
the eight-hour day 10 the general run,
with half holiday on Saturday except
10 bay time and harvest, and the mini
mum wage, as prescribed by the Corn
Production Act, is sl2 per week, includ-
ing prerequisites, for a man over q
years of age.
At one time the "bowing" of cows
was quite prevalent and 1t 10 still to be
found on some cheese farms. Under
this system the farmer provides the
buildings, cattle, and a stipulated
amount OF feed while the blower" pro-
yides the labor. The farmer gets his
returns in the form Of cash or cheese
rent. This custom was gradually dying
out, as it does not give the farmer the
control over his stock and labor which
be generally desires, but labor scarcity
during war times induced many farmers
to resort to this system a. it relieved
them of labor troubles to a considerable
degree. However, the majority Of farm
srs prefer to control their cattle directly
and pay their dairyman q stipulated
wage to do all the work needed around
the herd with the exception OF the milk
ing. The farmer hires and pays the
mixers while the dairyman does the
general work with the members Of his
fsmlly.-A. c. AcCandish.