HARVEST LABOR PROBLEMS IN" WHEAT BELT. 



13 



counties just before the harvest of the late wheat began, while grass- 

 hoppers invaded three or four of the northern counties at about the 

 same time. 



Table 5. 



-Cause and extent of annual crop losses of wheat in North Dakota, 

 South Dakota, Kansas, and Oklahoma. 1 





North Dakota. 



South Dakota. ' 



Year. 



Climatic conditions. 



Insects, 

 plant dis- 

 ease, etc. 3 



Total. 



Climatic conditions. 



Insects, 

 plant dis- 

 ease, etc. 3 







Drought, 

 hot winds. 



Other. 2 



Drought, 

 hot winds. 



Other. 2 



Total. 



1919 

 1918 

 1917 

 1916 

 1915 

 1914 

 1913 

 1912 

 1911 

 1910 

 1909 



Per cent. 

 30.3 

 28.8 

 50.0 



9.3 



.8 



16.6 



30.4 



3.7 

 37.2 

 62.7 



7.8 



Per cent. 

 4.3 

 7.2 

 4.4 

 9.2 

 4.0 

 6.1 

 2.6 

 10.5 

 6.1 

 3.0 

 7.8 



Per cent. 



28.5 

 4.1 

 1.6 



49.5 

 6.4 

 9.5 

 3.3 

 2.0 



10.9 

 1.5 

 4.0 



Per cent. 

 63.1 

 40.1 

 56.0 

 68.0 

 11.2 

 32.2 

 36.3 

 16.2 

 54.2 

 67.2 

 19.6 



Per cent. 

 17.8 

 3.6 

 16.2 

 10.3 

 .1 

 26.8 

 34.1 

 25.3 

 67.5 

 26.9 

 7.3 



Per cent. 

 4.5 

 2.9 

 4.0 

 5.0 

 5.4 

 5.6 

 1.9 

 5.1 

 .3 

 1.5 

 9.9 



Per cent. 



30.7 

 3.0 

 2.8 



38.9 

 6.8 



14.5 

 1.9 

 4.4 

 2.2 

 2.3 

 3.3 



Per cent. 

 53.0 

 9.5 

 23.0 

 54.2 

 12.3 

 46.7 

 37.9 

 34.8 

 70.0 

 30.7 

 20.5 





Kansas. 



Oklahoma. 



1919 

 1918 

 1917 

 1916 

 1915 

 1914 

 1913 

 1912 

 1911 

 1910 

 1909 



5.0 

 22.9 

 27.3 



9.9 

 .4 



3.0 

 25.1 

 14.8 

 40.5 

 18.4 

 10.4 



18.3 



4.4 



17.3 



13.1 



29.9 



1.4 



1.2 



9.9 



1.4 



24.7 



14.5 



13.6 

 1.4 

 1.1 



12.1 



9.3 

 3.3 

 8.8 

 6.7 

 3.7 

 4.9 

 5.2 



31.9 

 28.7 

 45.7 

 35.1 

 39.6 

 7.7 

 35.1 

 31.4 

 45.6 

 48.0 

 30.1 



1.3 



33.5 



31.0 



20.9 



.2 



6.3 

 30.7 

 19.3 

 57.9 

 17.1 

 21.4 



12.7 

 4.5 

 3.3 

 9.6 



24.8 

 2.3 

 2.1 

 4.6 

 1.2 

 2.2 

 7.3 



11.0 

 4.3 

 1.7 

 9.4 

 6.6 

 3.7 

 7.9 

 7.9 

 6.7 

 3.9 

 4.5 



25.0 

 42.3 

 36.0 

 39.9 

 31.6 

 12.3 

 40.7 

 31.8 

 65.8 

 23.2 

 33.2 



1 Data furnished by Bureau of Crop Estimates, TJ. S. Department of Agriculture. 



2 Includes floods, frost, hail, storms, and winter kill. 



3 Includes defective seeds and unknown causes. 



CONCENTRATION OF THRASHING DEMAND. 



Although farmers may exercise more control over the time of 

 thrashing than over the date of cutting, certain factors, alone or in 

 combination, often give rise to more acute concentration of the labor 

 demand in thrashing than in harvesting. 



As the unthrashed bundles represent his year's earnings, the farmer 

 is eager to know how much grain they contain. The farmer in the 

 northern States also fears the coming of bad fall weather before 

 thrashing is finished, and is anxious to get the summer work out 

 of the way so that the fall plowing may be done early enough to 

 permit the weed seeds to sprout before cold weather which kills them. 

 Another important factor is the need for skilled laborers, such as 

 separator and engine men, not required during the harvest. Conse- 

 quently the demand for thrashing labor is very intense for a short 

 time and then dies away. A large number of men are required for 



