14 BULLETIN 1020, U. S. DEPARTMENT OE 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 j 
of men from many directions into that section, sometimes continuing 
until there is an oversupply of labor. Not inf requently 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 waA T e 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 
