14 BULLETIN 1020, IT. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



from two to four weeks to do work which might be handled by a 

 smaller force if it were spread over a longer period. The growing 

 number of farmers who own small thrashing outfits increases the 

 concentration of the thrashing-labor demand and decreases the total 

 length of the thrashing season. 



Even in 1920, when there was a plentiful supply of labor during 

 the harvest season, much difficulty was experienced in many parts 

 of North Dakota after August 20 in getting full crews for thrashing. 

 This was caused in part by the marked increase in the number of 

 small thrashing outfits, in part by the fact that hundreds of men in 

 this area were loafing, either because they were holding out for more 

 wages or because they had money in their pockets, and in part by 

 the fact that many of the better class were hastening back to the 

 cities to secure "inside work" for the winter. The Canadian em- 

 ployment service has relieved this situation in the Canadian wheat 

 fields by requiring that some of the farmers wait until the thrashing 

 of the others has been done. 



HAPHAZARD DISTRIBUTION OF LABOR SUPPLY. 



The harvest hands, coming from everywhere, many guided only 

 by whims, chance, or guesswork, tend to become congested in some 

 places, leaving other localities short of men. Consequently a labor 

 surplus and a labor shortage may exist in the same general section 

 of a State at the same time, and frantic calls for men may come from 

 one town while another near by is wondering how it can get rid of 

 the idle men on its streets. The locality which lacks men naturally 

 reports the fact in the newspapers, which often produces a movement 

 of men from many directions into that section, sometimes continuing 

 until there is an oversupply of labor. Not infrequently the presence 

 of this abundant supply of men tempts some of the farmers to reduce 

 wages, resulting in an exodus which perhaps causes another shortage. 



Most of the men attracted to a community for harvesting are let 

 go as soon as the harvest is completed, and move on to other localities. 

 Consequently, when thrashing starts, the wave of men has rolled past, 

 making it necessary to obtain a fresh supply of workmen. 



This general lack of system in the distribution of the harvest force 

 over the harvest area, together with the fluctuations in the demand 

 for men, causes much fruitless chasing of jobs, engendering bitter 

 disappointment, and perhaps a sense of injustice. 



CHARACTER OF HARVEST LABOR. 



The harvest labor force, which never has been and probably never 

 can be counted, but which is believed to include from 150,000 to 200,- 

 000 individuals, consists of four groups : (1) Residents of towns of the 



