SOME PROBLEMS OF AGRICULTURAL LABOR 857 



Their work in the fields begins in spring with the process 

 called " thinning." The beet plants come up in clusters, and are then 

 pulled out until only single ones, about eight inches apart, are left in 

 the rows. Boys and girls of seven or eight years and upward work 

 steadily at this task throughout the day, bending over the plants, 

 their nimble fingers enabling them to keep pace with the adults. The 

 next step is hoeing. This is not so tiring as thinning because the 

 posture of the worker is more erect; and being a heavier kind of labor, 

 it cannot be performed by the very young children. 



The first process in the harvesting is called "pulling." The soil 

 between the rows is broken up by an implement called a "puller," 

 resembling a plow. This simply loosens the soil about the beets and 

 does not throw them out, hence some exertion is required of the 

 workers who finish the pulling by hand. Walking between two rows 

 and grasping the tops, the child pulls a beet with each hand. Then 

 he knocks the two beets together to dislodge the clinging soil, throws 

 them into a pile near by, and stooping again, pulls another pair. A 

 child must often exert his full strength, especially when the ground 

 is "caked" or is very moist and sticky. After having been pulled, 

 the larger beets were found to weigh, with the tops and attached soil, 

 about 12 pounds each, the average weight of the beets alone being 

 5 pounds. The scope of this inquiry did not permit a scientific study 

 of physical effects, but it would appear that continuous handling of 

 these beets throughout the harvest season, combined with the steady 

 stooping, involves a great physical strain and is therefore a very 

 objectionable form of work for children. The writer saw children 

 of seven and eight years performing' this heavy labor, and instances 

 were found of children working from 6:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M. in 

 the rush season, their average work-day being from 6:00 A.M. 

 to 6:00 P.M. 



The next process in harvesting is "topping," which is done at 

 intervals after a few rows have been piled. Each worker provides 

 himself with a huge knife about sixteen inches long, having a sharp 

 prong at the end by means of which the beet is lifted from the pile. 

 A child holds the beet against his knee, and with a vigorous stroke 

 cuts off the top. The beet is fibrous and a sharp blow is required, 

 and as the knee is not protected, children not infrequently hook them- 

 selves in the leg. This work also is unsuited to young children, and 

 as the work-day is long, common sense protests that the effect upon 

 them cannot be other than harmful. 



