THE INFLUENCE OF FARM MACHINERY ON 

 PRODUCTION AND LABOR 



By H. W. Quaintance 



(From the Publications of the American Economic Association) 



PART I 



Historical Survey 



AS TO just when the modern machine methods came into 

 1~\ general use authorities differ and will, doubtless, continue 

 to differ. The census statistician for agriculture makes the state- 

 ment that "the year 1850 practically marks the close of the 

 period in which the only farm implements and machinery, other 

 than the wagon, cart, and cotton gin, were those which, for want 

 of a better designation, may be called implements of hand produc- 

 tion." x This opinion is in substantial agreement with that of a 

 recent German writer. 2 



The cotton gin was not invented until nearly twenty years after 

 the Declaration of Independence was signed, and the wagons and 

 carts of that time were crude affairs in comparison with those 

 of the present day. 3 " The Massachusetts farmer who witnessed 

 the Revolution plowed his land with the wooden bull-plow, sowed 

 his grain broadcast, and, when it was ripe, cut it with a scythe, 



1 Twelfth Census, Agriculture, Vol. I, p. xxix. 



2 Andererseits ist der landwirtschaftlichen Maschinenentwickelung vor dem 

 neunzehnten Jahrhundert wenig Bedeutung beizumessen, da ihre praktische 

 Anwendung mit ihr nicht Hand in Hand gegangen war. Daher kommt es auch, 

 dass die Maschinen der vorigen Jahrhunderte alle mehr oder weniger unvoll- 

 kommen blieben. Die Anwendung landwirtschaftlicher Maschinen erfolgte erst 

 in grosseren Masstab um die vierziger Jahre dieses Jahrhunderts. Bensing, 

 " Einfluss der landwirtschaftlichen Maschinen," p. 16 



3 Mass. Agr. Report, 1S53, p. 422. 



^2 



