FARM LABOR 63 



and showing a sheen of silver, it was simply pushing 

 its way through the soil, failing either to cover the 

 weeds by throwing the dirt, or to cut them by the keen- 

 ness of its blade. There were three two-horse culti- 

 vators operating in the field, and all were in a similar 

 condition. Apparently these unskilled laborers had 

 never been taught the fact that good plowing is only 

 possible when the plow scours. Their idea was to get 

 over the ground, and not to cultivate the corn. With 

 the aid of a jackknife, in a short time I had all the 

 plowshares bright and all of the plows doing excellent 

 work. 



Not one of these men following the plows had ever 

 had a single word of instruction in regard to the char- 

 acter of farm labor. They knew nothing except the 

 length of the day and the magnitude of the stipend. 

 To them plowing was not tilling, but putting in the 

 time. They were not indolent, they worked long 

 enough hours, but their work was wholly inefficient. 

 This is not an extreme type. Many complain of the 

 indolence and laziness of farm laborers. My complaint 

 is their lack of knowledge and lack of spirit. This 

 fact, I think, is fundamental. The laborer who is 

 doing a good job takes a pride in his work. If he has 

 a good instrument which is working well, his task is 

 not wholly a burden. He sees in it the soul of the 

 artist, and takes a pride in perfecting it. 



These same laborers of whom' I spoke a while ago, 

 were taking no care at all in turning at the end of the 

 row. They allowed the horses to begin their turning 

 many feet before the end of the row was reached. 

 They were plowing up and tramping down many of the 

 young plants, so that the end of the field looked ragged 

 and disorderly. I called their attention to the neces- 



