33 



Aside from the employment which is constant in diversified farm- 

 ing, the seasons of employment in the central San Joaquin Valley are 

 as follows : 



The farmer 's season may be said to begin in October and November, 

 at which time the plowing, preparation of the land, and the seeding 

 of barley and wheat occur. Where citrus fruits are raised, harvesting 

 goes on at this time. 



During January and February : Vineyard and orchard plowing and 

 pruning ; alfalfa seeding and late grain seeding. 



During May and June : Grain hay harvest. The first alfalfa harvest 

 also begins at this time and continues until October. 



During, July, August, and September : Shipping grapes and decid- 

 uous fruits are harvested. 



During September and October: Muscat or raisin grapes and the 

 wine grapes are picked. Figs are harvested. 



The working rate of wages existing in 1914 in the central San 

 Joaquin Valley is reported by Mr. S. Parker Frisselle, who has fur- 

 nished much of the information concerning farm labor, to be as shown 

 in the following table : 



PRICES OF FARM LABOR 

 General ranch labor 



Winter months $1.25 to 1.50 per day 



Summer months 1.50 to 2.00 per day 



Hay and alfalfa harvest 1.75 to 2.75 per day 



Fruit harvest 1.75 to 2.75 per day 



Muscat grape picking 2.50 to 3.00 per 100 trays of 20 to 22 Ibs. 



Wine grape picking 1.75 to 2.25 per ton 



Vine and tree pruning 1.50 to 2.00 per day 



Excepting the piece work given above, all figures include board. Board on 

 ranches in this district is figured at fifty cents per day. 



GETTING STABTED 



Assume a man has $5000 to invest and that he desires eventually 

 to secure a gross income of $4000 per year, but is willing to accept 

 less in the beginning, how is he to proceed? The discussion which 

 follows is intended to suggest that a person with a small or insufficient 

 capital, by economy and self-sacrifice, may achieve a satisfactory com- 

 petence. The main items to be considered in estimating the probable 

 or possible outcome are illustrated by a concrete, although imaginary, 

 example. In order to caution the reader against taking the figures 

 here mentioned too literally, there follows a discussion of the applica- 

 tion of the particular illustration to existing conditions. 



