FARM LABOR 95 



social equilibrium. The only real solution of the 

 present labor problem must lie in improved 

 methods of farming. These improvements will 

 be forced by the inevitable depletion of soil 

 fertility under any and all one-crop systems in 

 every part of the country, and realized by the 

 adoption on the part of intelligent, progressive 

 farmers of a rotation of crops and a system of 

 husbandry that will enable them to employ their 

 labor by the year and thereby secure a higher 

 type of workman by providing him a home with 

 all its appurtenances. The development of local 

 industries will also contribute to the solution of 

 the problem. 



The excessive hours of labor on farms must be 

 shortened. This will come through the working 

 out of the better farm scheme just mentioned, and 

 substituting planning for some of the muscular 

 work. Already in certain regions of well-sys- 

 tematized diversified farming the average hours 

 of labor are less than ten. 



There is a growing tendency to rely on for- 

 eigners for the farm labor supply, although the 

 sentiment is very strong in some regions against 

 immigration. It is. the general testimony that 



