No. 4.] FARM HELP PROBLEM. 153 



hints thrown out which I think it wise for us to adopt. Eor 

 instance, he spoke of not requiring our help to work over 

 ten hours. Now, where our factories work their help eight 

 hours or nine hours, how can we farmers expect our hired 

 men to work twelve or fifteen hours, or twelve hours, even? 

 I don't want any of my men to work over ten hours under 

 any conditions whatever. I want it planned so ten hours of 

 faithful labor covers the whole time I expect of them. 



Then there is another point, — that we should have houses 

 where we could make homes for them, where they could raise 

 their families, for that makes a man interested in your busi- 

 ness. Where he considers he is located, and going to stay 

 with you, he is interested to help your farming along. I 

 know that by experience. I have a man that has worked for 

 me up to last year seventeen years, and he lived in my house, 

 and he was interested in the family and my business. He 

 was interested to have things go along well, and when an- 

 other man came there to work he was interested to get a fair 

 day's work from him. 



And then there is another thing, — prompt payment should 

 be considered. Any man that works six days for me, at the 

 close of Saturday night I want that man to have his money; 

 whether he has worked the full week or not, I mean to square 

 up with him, and not owe him a day after Saturday night. 

 That gives him an opportunity to spend his money, or put it 

 in the bank, or do what he pleases ; and I think he is better 

 satisfied if he can have his pay promptly, and knows he is 

 to have it then, so he can arrange his affairs and pay his bills 

 at the close of the week. 



Another point the lecturer brought out very clearly, — 

 that in this scarcity of labor we should do all we possibly can 

 with farm implements, machinery, new inventions, wher- 

 ever we find those that are good. I haven't used a sulky plow 

 until this last season. I thought it was more of a lazy man's 

 machine than a good farmer's ; but I find I am ashamed of 

 myself to say that I didn't have it twenty years ago, for it 

 does better and more rapid work. But other implements I 

 have seen fit to take, the manure spreader and many others 

 of the improved implements, as they came along. I consider 



