170 PRINCIPLES OF RURAL ECONOMICS 



and hay, a farm of much less than 160 acres would prove too 

 small for the most economical use of labor, that is, too small 

 to give the maximum product per man. In rough and broken 

 land, however, where modern machinery cannot be used, the 

 farm might well be smaller, provided such crops are to be grown 

 at all ; but it is doubtful if such land can be economically used 

 for this purpose. Again, if this rough land is to be used mainly 

 for pasturage, much larger farms would be necessary to give the 

 maximum product per man. In the production of garden crops, 

 or crops which require a considerable amount of handwork, 

 much smaller farms might prove more economical. 



More hired laborers. But it is possible to increase the amount 

 of labor expended upon each acre of land without requiring 

 each farmer to work harder or to reduce the size of his farm. 

 It might be done by increasing the number of farm laborers or 

 farm hands, who work for wages but do not own the land nor 

 the tools with which they work, nor a share of the crops they 

 help to produce. Where farm hands are scarce and hard to get, 

 their wages are good and their position is a very comfortable 

 and satisfactory one, in spite of the fact tnat they own none 

 of the things with which they work. Though legally they may 

 be dismissed, though theoretically they lack homes or perma- 

 nent abiding places, yet practically and actually they are sought 

 after and can choose their abiding places and their work. But 

 when they become numerous the situation is changed. Instead 

 of being sought after, they must hunt for jobs. Instead of being 

 able to choose their abiding places and their work, they must take 

 whatever they can get and be thankful. All this would be very 

 pleasant for the owners of the farms, but not for the hired men. 

 Since, man for man, the interest of one is as important as that 

 of another, this is not a condition to be desired by the rural 

 economist, who is supposed to have no class interest but to be 

 interested in all alike. Moreover, a large increase in the number 



