IV. HUMAN EFFORT AS A FACTOR IN AGRICULTURAL 



PRODUCTION 



QUESTIONS 



i. In our equation of agricultural production, shall our labor 

 factor carry an exponent to indicate numbers of workers and a co- 

 efficient to indicate their quality ? 



2. What percentage of our people make up the agricultural group ? 

 What has been the trend of this proportion since 1820? Make a 

 chart to show this. 



3. Why has the rural birth-rate fallen off? Does this constitute 

 a national danger ? Why ? 



4. What is the nature and meaning of the "rural exodus"? Is 

 it greater or less today than one year ago ? Why ? Five years ago ? 

 Why ? Twenty-five years ago ? 



5. In the so-called rural exodus do certain classes leave the farm ? 

 Which classes ? What is the ultimate effect upon the labor force ? 



6. Has the back-to-the-land agitation actually reversed the tide ? 

 Why ? Did it introduce any new element into our agricultural labor 

 group ? Explain. Is this important ? 



7. How large a factor is immigration in the determination of our 

 farm labor supply? Was it larger or smaller in the past? Why? 

 Was it different in character ? 



8. Were South Europeans agriculturists in their own countries 

 before coming here? Do they prove good workers when they get 

 into our farming communities ? 



9. What are the principal difficulties in the way of recruiting our 

 farm workers extensively from this source ? 



10. What part has the Asiatic played in the development of 

 American agriculture ? 



n. What is the present status of the question of Asiatic labor on 

 American farms ? How has it come to this pass ? 



12. How large a place does the negro fill in the ranks of farm labor ? 

 Does he seem to hold his own in his original field ? Does he show any 

 tendency to invade other areas? to be displaced by other workers 

 when brought into direct competition ? Why ? 



13. Is women's part in agricultural labor increasing or diminish- 

 ing ? Do you see any possibility of a change with the general move- 

 ment of women into industry ? As farm managers ? in what types of 

 farming ? As employees ? (See problem 4.) 



14. What sort of a labor demand is made by agriculture? Is 

 there a demand for specialized ability and training ? 



16 



