Evening star., 1925-07-23
DRASTIC CUT MADEI
IN FARMING COSTS
Machinery Makes Up for
Labor Shortage-Thresh-s
ing Done Cheaper. z
BY j. c. R0YLE.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

NEW YORK, July 23.-W hatever
the crop yields of the United States
may turn out to be this year. the
possibilities for profit to the farmer
have been immeasurably improved
over recent sea sons. This is due to
the sharp cutting of costs which many
have been able to effect. This is being
accomplished through the employment
of speed and machine power in place
OF man and animal power. The farnls
er rapidly is re-equipping himself. bet
is doing so along new lines. -
Tractors, gasoline driven machinery,
combine harvesters and threshers aud
similar products, however, are sold
out"
Much Labor Being Saved.
This is especially evident in the dry
farming districts of the West New
methods of harvesting and threshinG
to eliminate as much hand labor. as
possible are being given a thorough
trial. One of these is the "header
barge Under this system, the heads
of wheat are stacked a. cut auti
stacks are carried along to BE
dropped in yards" for threshing. IT
other districts where yields are heavy
threshing is being done from the
stack, saving time and hadling.
The old time threshing crew, with fts
trailing cook wagon, engine and
thresher. is being supplanted by
threshers owned by each farmer or by
two or more neighbors. This has made
them independent of the itinerant
threshing crew and materially light
ened the work OF farm women. In
the old days when threshers were run
by horse power, it took a small army;
of hungry men TO handle d maci1ink,
and farm women toiled for days pre-
pairing food for them. q
Big Saving Per BusheI.
The Midwest is following suit III
one of the best producing districts in
Illinois. six combine threshers have
just been installed by farmers who
once thought this type OF machine was
adapted only for use in semi-arid re-
gions. But they assert il has cut 19
cents a bushel from the cost Of har-
vesting their wheat, as we'll as elini-
mating nearly all extra help at harvest
time. Some owners of big wheat acre
ages are hitching four TO six binders.
! behind each tractor and multiplying
the hired mans capacity by four. :
The movement for lower costs is not
confined TO the grain-raiser alone. In
one tremendous orchard in Washing
lOI, reg uldT permanent SpTl0kIltrE
system has been installed with spray
ers set between each four trees. Po
spray the orchard with insecticides ell
that is necessary is hook up a gaS5-
line pump to the mixture tank ard
open the valves.
Seek Higher Wages in Cities.
The increase in improved farkl
equipment, in way. has been forcAi
by the difficulty of getting farm laboS.
Recent Government figures show that
679 900 workers left the farms far
other jobs last year
Men on the farms have turned to
the higher wages offered in the cities
and the farmers have had TO malEe
UP for their loss through machinery
| This has brought a realiza ton that
| profits in agriculture depend not onk
on high prices for farm products, bSt
on low costs Of operation.
Could Seek Aid at Home.
In connection with the statement
in Washington of Secretary of Aga.
culture Jardine that farmers are n5t
pressing for legislation, it is pointed
out that If they desire they are in "A
position to exert pressure through
their State legislatures. OF the 4.3s5
legislators in 26 farming States, ,43A
or over one-third, are tillerS of tEe
soil. Iowa, for example, has 90 farth.
ers out of a legislative membership
of 15S. In Congress there are 5 faral-
er members of the Senate and 21 bf