STATUS AND TENDENCIES IN RURAL LIFE 159 



A year later the situation was radically altered. 

 In April, 1921, the percentage of farm labor was, 

 on the side of supply, 108 per cent of the demand. 

 The farm labor supply was d-i per cent of normal, 

 while the demand was 87 per cent of normal. The 

 supply of farm labor was, in 1921, 123 per cent of 

 the supply in 1920.^ 



In 1920, the average wages of farm laborers em- 

 ployed by the month, as reported by the Michigan 

 Crop Reporting Service, were $53 with board and 

 $75 without board. In 1919, these wages were $42 

 and $60. Day wages for harvest labor were $4.10 

 with board, in 1920, and $4.95 without board. In 

 the preceding year, these wages were $3.50 and $4.30. 

 For other than harvest labor, the wages in 1920 were 

 $3.30 and $4.15 as against $2.80 and $3.60 in 1919.^ 



The returns of the Fourteenth United States 

 Census indicate the amelioration of the conditions of 

 rural life that have taken place. In 1920, there were 

 82,437 automobiles on farms in Michigan ; to which 

 are to be added 78,919 trucks and 5,584 tractors. 

 There were 15,695 farms reporting gas or electric 

 light, while 29,729 farms had water pumped into the 

 house. Obviously there are many farms in Michigan 

 which lack these conveniences. Half of the 196,000 

 farms still want telephone service, for example. 



The yields will increase with the growth of popu- 

 lation. New lands will come under the plow. New 



'Mich. Crop. Kept., April, 1921, 11. Cf. U. 8. Monthly 

 Crop Report. April, 1921, 37. 

 ^Ihid., Dec, 1920, 4. 



