FARM LABOR AND WAGES 1 75 



day, an hour, or by the piece. Any of these may be sup- 

 plemented by bonuses, profit sharing, or by the sliding wage 

 scale. The payment may be all in cash, but usually part in 

 cash and part in kind. 



The most common method of hiring labor in the general and 

 dairy farming districts is to pay a definite wage per month 

 with an agreement extending for a season or for a year. In 

 many instances the wage rate is different for the different 

 months of the year. For example, forty dollars per month and 

 board for the eight months from April to November, inclusive, 

 and twenty-five dollars per month and board for the four months 

 from December i to March 31 has been noted. The funda- 

 mental character of this agreement is not very different from 

 an agreement upon a wage by the month without any agree- 

 ment as to the term of months the arrangement is to con- 

 tinue. In most instances the relation is brought to a close as 

 soon as both parties are dissatisfied, even if there has been an 

 agreement for an extended period of time. 



Harvest workers and transient laborers usually work for a 

 definite wage per day when employed and board while at work 

 and while lying over because of weather conditions which stop 

 the work. 



In England the common method is to pay wages by the week 

 and to settle every Saturday night. It is often the custom to 

 supplement this regular wage by a bonus at the end of harvest 

 if all have done well. In some instances a lump sum is paid 

 to the crew for putting up the harvest. Under this plan each 

 worker gets his proportion of the lump sum instead of the weekly 

 wage. This is a higher wage and is intended to stimulate more 

 strenuous effort in the harvest field. 



Profit sharing may take the form of a percentage of the net 

 proceeds of the year's business. This is not very satisfactory 

 because it is very difficult to arrive at an accurate statement of 

 the profits of a given year. Crop sharing or sharing the gross 

 proceeds, which becomes a form of tenancy, is the most satis- 

 factory arrangement if the profits are to be divided. 



The bonus has its advantages. For example, if each work- 



