Price of Labor 31 



is $12.50 per month, which, added to the 

 $20, makes $32.50. The lawful working month 

 in most states is twenty-six days. In the summer 

 the actual hours employed in work each day 

 may average rather more than ten hours when 

 the weather is fair, but in winter the work-day 

 may be less than ten hours. But if account is 

 taken of all these petty differences we shall get 

 into inextricable difficulties, so it is assumed that 

 the work -day is ten hours long. This gives two 

 hundred and sixty hours per month. If the 

 $32.50 be divided by 260, it will show that the 

 price per hour is 12% cents. It would be well 

 to avoid complications by assuming that the cost 

 of board is slightly more or less than indicated 

 above. If the board is assumed to be $11.20 

 which, added to the wages of $20, gives $31.20 

 as the cost of the hired hand, and this divided 

 by 260, the number of working hours in a 

 month, we have 12 cents as the cost of an 

 hour's labor. Or, if it be assumed that the 

 month's board is worth $13.80 and the wages 

 $20 per month, the cost would be 13 cents per 

 hour. 



The month hands often work about one hour 

 before breakfast in caring for the cattle or horses, 

 and yet go to the field at seven o'clock, and may 

 make full ten hours' time in the field. If the field 

 be charged ten hours and the stock one hour, it 



