CHAPTER IX. 

 HAND AND MACHINE LABOR. 



Fifty years ago there were but few farm implements 

 and machines available. Much human labor was then 

 required to produce a crop of any kind. Farmers cradled 

 their wheat and bound it by hand, hauled the sheaves 

 to the barn, and threshed the grain with flails. These 

 operations required for each bushel of wheat harvested 

 the labor of one man for an average time of 183 min- 

 utes. One man using the labor-saving machinery now 

 found on the average farm can do the same work in ten 

 minutes. With a combined reaper and thresher operated 

 by steam but four minutes of human labor is required to 

 harvest a bushel of wheat. 



Reduction of Human Labor. 



486. In 1855 the amount of human labor expended in 

 growing an acre of corn was 183 hours. In 1906 the 

 amount was 27^2 hours. The production of corn in both 

 instances was 40 bushels per acre. How much human 

 labor was required to produce one bushel of corn in 1855 ? 

 In 1906 ? 



487. What is the percentage of decrease in the amount 

 of human labor required for the production of one bushel 

 of corn? 



488. In 1830 the amount of human labor expended on 

 an acre of oats was 66 hours; in 1906 the amount was 

 7.1 hours. The production in both cases was 40 bushels 

 per acre. What was the human labor requirement per 

 bushel in 1830? In 1906? 



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