436 Missouri Agricultural Report. 



The question of help. — Randolph county. 



It is very hard to get farm hands, even at the increased wages. — 

 Phelps county. 



Competent labor. A large per cent, of our farmers kept one or 

 more hired hands a few years ago, but now a hired man is almost a 

 curiosity. He is a pet and is much sought ^f or. More farms are being 

 occupied by tenants who want corn only. Owners can cut fence corners 

 and fill ditches themselves. We need more laborers or more land buyers 

 so big farms will be cut into smaller ones. Improved machinery and 

 high priced teams require more intelligent labor than old methods. — 

 Pettis county. 



Labor and conservation of soil fertility. We must drift into live 

 stock or dairying. — Pettis county. 



Farm help. Nearly all of our good labor has gone to the railroads 

 and to town. — Moniteau county. 



The labor problem seems to be the hardest one to solve. Farm labor 

 is so scarce that it is prohibitive for the farmer to put out more crops 

 than he and his family can manage. I know of lots of farmers going to 

 the towns and cities, but not one from city to farm for the last 20 years. 

 —Miller county. 



The number of farm hands I think fully normal, but short on 

 quality. — Miller county. 



The question of help in the house is getting to be the most serious 

 for the wife just at this time. — Cooper county. 



Farm hands seem to be getting scarcer every year. Too many are 

 drifting to town, and when once in town they would rather work there 

 for $1 per day than go back to the country and work for $2 per day. 

 The labor problem is getting more serious every year. The only solution 

 will be for us farmers to divide our farms into smaller ones so that 

 no man will have more than he himself can cultivate, and not depend on 

 hiring any help. — Cooper county. 



There is a tendency toward smaller farms and a greater demand 

 for them. The larger farmers can't see their way around the farm 

 labor question. ]\Iines and public works demoralize the farm labor on 

 account of short hours and larger wages than the farmer can afford to 

 pay for the hours worked. — St. Francois county. 



The average farmer has better and more teams and is required to 

 use more machinery on account of the high priced farm labor, which is 

 very hard to get at that. — Linn county. 



The high price of land and the cost of running a farm is driving 



