The progressive farmer and southern farm gazette., March 23, 1912, Image 1

About The progressive farmer and southern farm gazette. (Starkville, Miss.) 1910-1920

Image provided by: Mississippi Department of Archives and History

                
[MAKE _A_ GOOD SEED-BED BEFORE YOU PLANT—Pages j and 17.
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A Farm and Home Weekly for
Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas and Tennessee.
_____BIRMINGHAM, ALA —MEMPHIS, TENN.
XXVII. No. 12. SATURDAY, MARCH 23, 1912. Weekly: $1 a Year.
We Do Not Need More Labor or Cheaper Labor! I
I A FRIEND of ours voices what is no doubt a general desire in
l\ the following paragraph of a letter recently received:
“We have read in papers I-——■—
5. By a readjustment of our cropping system so as to distribute
work better and introduce the maximum of machines and the mini
—-1 mum f mi it* lnl\r\r
how to improve, cultivate
and make the crops. Now
the important question
comes how to get more la
bor, cheaper and better In
our neighborhood we are
scarce of labor and have to
pay double what it is worth,
75 cents to $1.00 a day.”
The desire is for “more, cheap
er and better labor.” It is safe
f to state, rather positively, that
the chances of our friend getting
more and cheaper labor are
about as remote as the millen
nium. More labor we will not
have, but less labor is almost cer
tain. This is the tendency every -
| where and naturally so. Nor, do
we believe we need more labor.
In fact, we believe that one of
the defects of our farming sys
tem is that we have too much
labor. One-half what we have,
if properly equipped and direct
ed, will do more work than is
now done in the South. At least,
produce or earn more.
As to cheaper labor, that is al
so not likely to be had, nor is it
desirable. Cheap labor is always
i inefficient labor and the trend of
business is to higher wages, not
lower. Moreover, in the opinion
of the writer, when able-bodied
men can not be made to earn
wore than 75 cents to $1.00 a day
with the present price of farm
; products there is somethin?
6- By a readjustment and re
organization of our methods and
ideas regarding the handling of
labor and by the improvement of
our tenant system.
We would be glad to suggest an j
easier way for our readers to meet I
the existing conditions, but in the
nature of the case it is not possible.
It is not a matter of choice with
us as to how we are going to
adapt our methods to the changed
conditions, it is a question of how
it can best be done.
There are certain lines of work
in the South, which at present,
must be done by hand. For in
stance, the picking of cotton.
Many things are also done at a
great waste of labor, because we
have had an abundance of labor
until recently and it takes time
to change our methods. For all
this we must change our methods,
and learn to get along with less
hand labor. \
No country can be rich and
prosperous when the average man
makes less than a dollar a day. At
present he cannot earn more, but
with the use of more power and
machinery he can earn much more.
The earnings of the average farm
worker, the country over, are in
direct proportion to the number of
horses he uses and the labor
saving implements employed.
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These pictures give the ground plan and an outside view of the cattle-feeding barn at the
Mississippi A. & M. College. This barn is for the feeding of beef cattle. It is 48 feet wide by
120 feet long. It has four large cattle rooms, all of which have doors placed conveniently for
the removing of the manure. Feed troughs and hay racks are placed along feed-ways. Fen
floors are dirt, feed-way floors concrete. The mow holdsi 100 tons of hay, which is put in
from the outside with a hay fork. The roof is built on the Wing joist-frame plan.
I wronK either in the management or the cropping system.
i hese are plain statements, but they are facts. We may as well face
the truth and strive to meet the new conditions. Conditions have
changed and our crops and methods must conform to the changed con
ditions. The relief must come along rational lines. We believe they
"di and are coming along lines which are already well defined and
demonstrated.
1- By more personal supervision of the actual work of the farm
bv tbe land-owner.
-• By better knowledge and practice of modern methods both by
nien "’ho direct and those who actually do the farm work.
"v By the use of more, larger and better farm implements and
machinery.
^ By the use of more power on the farm, other than man
b " c i • By the use of more Lorses and mules and more gasoline
,U1< taher engines, tractors, etc.
FEATURES OF THIS ISSUE.
A STUDY OP COTTON BREEDING—What the Plant Breeder Must
Do and What the Farmer Can. 0
DON’T GET IN A HURRY TO PLANT—It Will Pay to Take Plenty *
of Time to Make a Good Seed-Bed . 3, 17
JUST A BIT OF EDEN—A Gardener's* Troubles* and Delights*. 14
MAKING THE CHILDREN’S CLOTHES— How to Make the Spring
Sewing Easier . 15
MORE LETTERS ABOUT SOIL FERTILITY—What Some Farm
ers Have to Say About This Big Subject. 5
PROGRESS OF CATTLE TICK ERADICATION—One-fifth the Job
Done in Five Years. jg
THE DISTANCE TO PLANT—Why Hard and Fast Rules Cannot
Be Laid Down. a
WE DO NOT KNOW HOW TO GROW CORN—The Proof ia to be
Found in Our Average Yields... 16
WHAT TO IK) FOR BAD ROADS—How to Make and Use the Road
Drag and What It Will Do. g