244 AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS 



record of woman's work in other states. They are especially useful 

 in "worming, suckering, and stripping tobacco," often more efficient 

 than men, but receiving only one-half to two-thirds as much pay. In 

 some counties full wages are paid for work in planting and gathering 

 corn; full pay is often given binders in the wheat harvest who can 

 keep up with the reaper. In Nelson County, "some are expert at 

 crating and seem pleased with it, regarding it as more or less of a 

 frolic." 



Through the southern states a large portion of the females among 

 the negroes were accustomed to general farm labor, most of whom 

 now decline it, appearing to regard it as a relic of slavery and not 

 "suited to ladies." It is stated of some states that not more than a 

 fourth part as many do outdoor work as formerly. 



White women in North Carolina, to a limited extent, render assist- 

 ance to husbands and fathers who do their own farm work. In some 

 districts of South Carolina it is said that "20 per cent of the farm 

 labor is performed by women, black and white." On an average they 

 are not paid more than half the wages of men, and their efficiency is 

 in the same ratio. 



Very little farm work is done by women in Georgia, the women 

 never hiring out, except in some instances at cotton picking. Yet 

 there are instances reported, as in Cherokee, in which "a few widows 

 manage their farms without any adult males to help; and they plow, 

 hoe, harvest, bind, and gather their crops, shear sheep, and carry on 

 all farming operations." Similar cases are found in all the Gulf states. 

 In the harvesting of the cane, and in the operations of sugar making, 

 female labor is found efficient; while, in another state, a crusty 

 bachelor maliciously hints that the agricultural occupation preferred 

 by women in his state is "raising Cain." 



A large portion of the gardening of Duval County, Florida, is 

 done by women. In Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama white 

 women upon small farms assist in field occupations more than formerly. 

 Picking cotton is preferred, and when women are employed for wages 

 the pay is proportionate to the work accomplished. Occasional aid 

 in the light work of the farm, as cotton seeding or cotton picking, is 

 given in Texas, Arkansas, and Tennessee. 



Among the rich lands and large farms of Kentucky very little out- 

 door work is done by women, either white or black; but in the less 

 opulent hill regions white women do more farm work and black 

 women less than formerly. In Missouri, where the same general 



