CONTROL OF BOLL WEEVIL IN MISSISSIPPI DELTA. 47 



Table 38. — Available labor by sex and age groups on Hecla plantation during 1914. 





Male. 



Female. 



Total. 





0to7 



8 to 12 



13 to 18 



19 up. 



0to7 



8 to 12 



13 to 18 



19 up. 







Number individuals present. 

 Reduced to theoretical man- 

 days labor 



19.0 



14.0 



4.5 

 2.38 



29.0 



14.5 



7.68 



82.0 



82.0 



43.4 



24.0 



18.0 



2.25 

 1.19 



26.0 



6.5 

 3.44 



87.0 



43.5 

 23.03 



299.00 

 153. 25 





81.12 







It will be observed from Table 38 that after determining the actual 

 individuals of the various sex and age groups present on Hecla plan- 

 tation this was reduced to a basis of the theoretical number of man 

 days of labor in each of these groups. However, it is quite obvious 

 that this theoretical figure does not represent the available labor 

 actually present. Certain factors operate on all plantations to reduce 

 this theoretical labor. Again referring to the study made by this 

 bureau on the relation of malaria to crop production, the following 

 estimate has been made of the reduction in the available labor 

 supply: 



In 1914, 138 persons in the tenant families out of a total of 299 

 suffered from malaria. Dr. L. O. Howard is the authority for the 

 statement that the efficiency of a person suffering from malaria is 

 reduced 25 per cent. Not taking account of the cases in children 

 under 8 years of age and reducing the ages of those above 8 years to 

 an equivalent of adult time, an equivalent of the time of 18.5 adult 

 men was lost during the season of 1914 through inefficiency due to 

 malaria. 



It is a fact that the negro is incapable of maximum continuous 

 effort during an entire day when at work, and aside from illness or 

 other demands on his time will not under the tenant system work in 

 the field every day when field work is possible. It is necessary to 

 figure not a man day but a negro-man day, and this falls far short of 

 what may be expected when continuous effort is made during the 

 entire day and full advantage taken of working in the field on all days 

 when field work is possible. Thirty days can not be counted on in 

 every month for field work, since account must be taken of Sundays, 

 holidays, and the weather conditions. The error would be as great 

 to figure as available all labor not necessarily detained at home. 

 Account must be taken of the class of labor upon which dependence 

 is placed. It is considered that 25 per cent must be deducted from 

 the total adult time available for this reason. Of the labor available 

 on Hecla in 1914, this would be equivalent to the time of 38.31 adults. 





