542 T 
“ONE MAN’S WORK” IN NEW YORK STATE. 
Must understand handling men or not employ them; 
too tired for good work; train the hired hoys ; a sudden 
change freejuently unprofitable; the whole thing “ de¬ 
pends upon the man." 
Those questions on page 494 have called out the follow¬ 
ing replies from farmers who farm in New York State. 
The original questions were suggested by a Michigan 
friend who made this statement: “ I have done all my 
own work this spring, in 12 acres of oats, five of corn, one 
of potatoes, built 50 rods of fence, and hauled out all my 
manure.” There are many farmers who seem to be trying 
this year to get on without hired help. They do what 
they can alone or with the family help and stop. Where 
should they stop ? 
A Tired Man Needs a Hired Man. 
The amount of work a man can do would depend some¬ 
what upon his physical ability, a great deal upon the soil 
he had to work in. and more than all in the capacity to 
plan and execute work. I think one error of farming is in 
planning too large an amount, and then working too hard 
to try to carry it out. I do not mean that we need not 
work, but that it is not profitable to work so hard as to 
make the body a machine incapable of its best thought. 
As an illustration, I have been so tired that if I took a 
paper or book to read I could hardly realize what I was 
reading and would soon fall asleep. I think many will 
recognize this feeling, and agree that it is not a profitable 
one. 
Our farming here is very much mixed : we raise corn, 
potatoes, grass, some grain—just enough to seed the land— 
as well as strawberries and turnips with some dairying 
and garden truck. Under those conditions 15 acres would 
be all one man could thoroughly attend to. 
I do not believe one man alone can work to the best ad¬ 
vantage ; if he goes at hand labor his team is idle. I have 
not had a chance to try a great many of the labor-saving 
machines on account of the stumps, the plow, harrow, 
horse-hoe and sulky horse-rake being my tools. I expected 
to smash the horse-hoe when I first put it in, but a little 
training of myself and horse has made it almost as safe as 
the plow. The horse-rake I prize very highly. In the 
spring I rake up the roots on the new ground, put a chain 
in the center and mark out the strawberry ground, also 
the corn ground, rake the hay, rake in the turnips, hoe the 
latter as well as the corn and potatoes, or partly hoe them 
and on cleared ground I find the horse rake in some cases 
preferable to Breed’s weeder on account of its mellowing 
the ground without dragging the crop down so much. 
Terryville, Long Island. P. E. T. 
If you can’t “Manage,” Hire OutI 
All depends on the man. My father always hoed two 
rows, one on each side of him, and led the “ gang,” while 
they hoed one. He made every move count, and was less 
fatigued than his unthinking comrades. Other men with 
good muscular bodies slam into work, doing it the hard¬ 
est way, because weariness and a lack of strength do not 
compel them to adopt labor-saving devices. Such men 
rarely make more than does the mule—both get their 
“feed.” Some little, lean, nervous men, by strategy, ac¬ 
complish prodigious results. Perhaps an average of 50 
acres would be the amount of land one man could take 
care of here, where a good deal of stock is kept. As a 
matter of fact, one man can not afford to work land alone. 
It takes as much machinery for 50 acres as for 100. Two 
horses must be kept, and, on the small farm, are idle a 
part of the time, eating up the profits. If the farmer is a 
good manager he should make a profit on hired labor; 
if he can not, he had better hire out and let some one else 
do the managing. 
One friend who has his 40 acres paid for, and in whose 
family there are only two members, lives well, works all 
the time, steadily—not hard—and saves $100 per year. 
Another, with 75 acres, keeps himself, boy and hired man 
busy all the time, and clears $1,500. 
Plenty of help when it is needed to kill weeds, cultivate 
crops, secure hay and grain from storm, always pays a 
profit when there is an interested person among them to 
“ drive the work.” Coming across the fields a few days 
ago I found my neighbor and his hired boy hoeing corn. 
The toy, “Jim,” was 20 rods behind working hard with 
misdirected energy to keep up. I watched him a moment, 
and saw him drag a hoeful of dirt with a circular motion, 
fiom one side of the hill clear around to the opposite 
corner, and then repeat the operation on the other side. 
He was actually, hauling with a hoe, tons of dirt, many 
miles. “ Let me take that hoe 1 ” said I. “ Watch me ! 
A smart boy like you ought to learn how to hoe and keep 
up with any man in five minutes.” This remark put him 
on his mettle, and he j ust looked clear through the opera¬ 
tion. “ Bring some dirt up on that side,” continued I, 
“and with a little flirt send it under the leaves; change 
hands and fetch some from that side. Step to the next, 
bring up some earth, change hands back, and with a flirt 
you have two hills done with only a half dozen slight, easy 
motions.” 
That night I was told by the neighbor that Jim had 
“picked up on his hcelng ’mazin’; he just kept me scratchin’ 
all day to keep up.” If he had been a good manager he 
would have told the boy how himself. Those that know 
how to work to the best advantage themselves can success¬ 
fully hire others. 
It does not seem as if I could do anything with old-time 
implements on a farm. It is a dreaded task to mow out 
the fence corners, and cradle around the field ahead of 
the binder. On large grain farms they drive in the stand¬ 
ing grain and then cut back, preferring to loose what 
grain is shelled by the tramping. One boy can do as much 
work with a mowing machine as many men with a scythe. 
The vast army of day-laborers of the old time has disap¬ 
peared, and without machinery it would be impossible to 
HE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
TULY 25 
cultivate one-half the land now occupied. On this farm 
where potatoes, small fruits, butter and some stock are the 
principal articles sold, the reversible plow prepares the 
ground without back or dead furrows, marks out for 
planting potatoes and berries and is in constant use. 
The spring-tooth harrow and Planet Jr. cultivator are the 
weed destroyers and ground looseners. The mowing ma¬ 
chine and hay rake accomplish great results with little 
muscular labor. C. E. CHAPMAN. 
Tompkins Co., N. Y. 
Profit From Hired Help Doubtful. 
The capacity of one man for farm work will, of course, 
vary greatly even on adjoining farms; for we scarcely 
find two farms exactly under the same conditions. And 
on such conditions as variation of soil, ease of cultivation 
of land, convenience of buildings, fences and the arrange¬ 
ment of the farm in general will greatly depend the effic¬ 
iency of manual labor. So I cannot attempt to give any 
specific amount of labor as the work of one man. 
At my own home in Wayne County, we find mixed 
husbandry with grain raising the chief branch, yet nearly 
every farmer keeps from two to six or eight cows, more or 
less fowls and occasionally one comes across one who still 
keeps sheep; nearlj every farm has an apple orchard 
which, on the whole, considering the labor and money in¬ 
vested, has given as lai ge returns as any branch of hus¬ 
bandry there practiced. These are some of the conditions 
with which I am most familiar, and to speak in a general 
way of how much work one man can do under these con¬ 
ditions, I do not believe that Michigan subscriber has 
given by example too much work for Wayne County farm¬ 
ers. I think we may expect one man to sow ten acres of 
spring grain (oats or barley), plant eight acres of corn or 
potatoes and harvest eight or ten acres of grass before 
wheat harvest. I often see more than this done with 
hired help for a few days by farmers who till their own 
land and in the meantime have done more work them¬ 
selves on improvements than the amount of hired help. 
As to profit from the hired man’s labor I doubt very 
much if the majority of farmers derive any. Occasionally 
we find a thrifty, go-a-head farmer who understands 
handling men and the demands of the times, who is mak¬ 
ing money at the present time out of the hired man’s 
labor; but I believe most farmers do not. Neither could 
many of the latter class make a sudden change and do 
without the hired man profitably, for to do without him 
in so many cases would be to let some part of the farm run 
to waste and that cannot be done profitably. I can scarcely 
imagine a case where it is profitable to let arable land run 
to waste; our land is not improved by neglect. Only by 
good cultivation, and by that I mean high cultivation, do 
I see our farms improving In fertility. Most of our farm¬ 
ers cannot give thorough cultivation on the farms they 
now own without hired help. The farms are too large for 
that and on almost every one there is some laud on the 
steep hill-side rocky or of hard cultivation, from which the 
forests ought never to have been wholly removed. To 
change from cultivating the whole farm to a less amount 
of cultivation and keeping more stock will call for an ad¬ 
ditional outlay of capital if done at once, and this at the 
present time prevents many from attempting it. I do not 
doubt that in a few years this condition of affairs will be 
brought about, unless grain raising again becomes more 
profitable. But these changes must necessarily come 
slowly in the case of most farmers. 
I cannot speak definitely, but to say that one man with 
the improved machinery of to-day can accomplish twice as 
much work on a grain farm as with the old-time imple¬ 
ments, I think will not be overstating the matter at all. 
For five of the most labor-saving implements I would 
name the binder, mower, hay-rake, hay-tedder and horse- 
fork, slings or some improved methods for unloading hay 
or grain. geo. c. watson. 
Cornell Experiment Station. 
THE STRAWBERRY" AND THE FARM HOME. 
What about the Oandy? prolonging the season; a quart 
at a meal; berries beat meat; farm hands stay by the 
berries; money in a mulch. 
T. B. TERRY. 
On page 478 is a report of the Gandy Strawberry, that 
may mislead some. The writer says, “owing to its late¬ 
ness it prolongs the season at least 10 days.” Regular 
growers of small fruits understand about late strawberries. 
Many, in fact nearly all, farmers do not, and they might 
send for some Gandy plants so as to prolong the season. 
I did just this myself, in my ignorance, or rather willful¬ 
ness, for Matthew Crawford told me better. But I was so 
anxious to have the season prolonged that I bit at the bait 
of advertisers. Well, we have fruited the Gandy three 
years. The first berries are about 10 days later in ripen¬ 
ing than those on some other varieties I have. That is 
correct. That is where the “ later ” comes In. Last year 
we had good Haverland berries about 10 days ahead of 
Gandies, and nearly the same was the case this year, and 
the last picking of each was on the same day, and the 
Haverlands were the larger. The Gandy is late to begin 
ripening, but does not hold out long enough to be of any 
use whatever in prolonging the season. We get a few very 
fine berries from the variety. They readily sold out last 
year for $4 a bushel. But after two pickings they are of 
little account. They may do better in other localities. 
This season we have had Haverland and Sterling berries 
for 22 days. We shall have abundance of the latter for two 
or three days yet for home use. We picked half a bushel 
to day—July 7—1 could not find a cupful of Gandies to 
save me. Now, of what practical use is the Gandy for 
prolonging the season to me ? I shall not set out any more. 
The Haverland, when not injured by frost, which it 
will stand better than some, is immensely productive With 
us ; but the quality is not the best. It is a showy berry. 
and bolds out well in size to the end of the season; but I 
would not fancy it for a steady diet. It is too tame, too 
insipid. But with many a berry is a berry, and they buy 
by the eye. However, one lady to whom I took half a 
bushel thought them the best to eat that she had had this 
year. We differ in tastes. I prefer a berry with a more 
decided and acid flavor. The Sterling, originated by Mr. 
Crawford years ago, and not widely spread, is my berry. 
(No plants to sell.) It stands frost best of all sorts I have 
ever grown. The Jessie, Cumberland, Downing and Bu- 
bach were about ruined by frost this year. The Haverland 
stood it somewhat better, and the Sterling gave us most 
of our berries. It was the same three years ago when we 
had hard frosts. I venture to say that in all the list of 
new berries Mr. Crawford has on hand now, he has not an 
equal to the Sterling, taking size, perfect shape, color, 
flavor, value for canning, ability for enduring frost and 
strong growth into account. It is the one berry for me 
out of all I have tried, although it is rather tart, and one 
wact 3 a few sweeter berries like the Downing to use now 
and then. 
Four young farmers who read The Rural called on me 
the other day. They were from a distance. Wife invited 
them in to dinner, and I noticed their glances one to an¬ 
other when they came into the dining-room and saw the 
quart of great strawberries at each plate. The sight was 
worth more than an article to them. They did not leave 
one berry either. They are young men just starting out, 
or about to, for themselves. I hope they will remember 
that feast of berries, just such as we have had now for 66 
meals, and we are not through yet. We hope they will 
start right, and have some of the luxuries of life as they 
go along. I made a great mistake when a young farmer, 
and would like to start others better. 
The Rural says, on page 500, “if you desire to injure 
your children let them eat all the meat they call for.” 
Good ! And if you desire to do them good in every way, 
arrange so that they can have just all the nice, ripe, fresh 
strawberries they can eat. Fifteen or 20 rods of land, 
fairly well cared for, will furnish as many bushels, and 
that is just about enough for us to eat, can and give 
away. My! how much luxury and better health and 
pleasure (in presents to friends) from a little bit of land. 
C. L. H., page 493, says the city has great attractions for 
the young man of to day, and that help are constantly 
drifting cityward. They would rather work there for 
enough to exist than in the country for good wages. What 
is the remedy ? Why we should make our farms and farm¬ 
ing and farm life more attractive. Why not? Try ten 
hours a day for work, giving them time for rest and 
recreation, as they have in the city. Try to make their 
life pleasant. They are human beings. A quart or more 
of strawberries at every meal for three weeks will be one 
of the ways that will draw them and keep them. We have 
a young man hired from a planing mill in a large city last 
year. He went home in the fall, but came back to the 
farm this year. Why did not the attractions of the city 
hold him ? You may decide. By the way, let me say he 
has never once left a berry on his dish during the 66 meals. 
If you want to prolong the season of strawberries, mulch 
the bed all over as soon as the ground freezes, where you 
have berries that will hold out well, like my Haverlands 
and Sterlings. Leave some vines uncovered for early, or 
mulch them and remove the mulch early. Along in the 
winter put an extra mulch—plenty of straw, say—where 
you want to delay the ripening, when the ground is f rozen 
solidly. This will delay their starting in the spring, and 
can prolong the season quite a little. You will have to 
remove part of the mulch when the ground has got 
warmed up so they will grow any way. I keep my seed 
potatoes from sprouting in the pits in this same way—by 
mulching the ground heavily over the pits when it is frozen 
one can kef p the frost in from two to four weeks longer. 
I tried it on grapes last spring, but it did not work. The 
vines, being above the mulch, started just as scon. (By 
the way we have dug out that quarter acre of grapes.) 
Strawberries can be kept back by keeping the ground frozen 
later because the whole of the plants is covered. At any 
rate, I have done it. Be sure the ground is frozen deeply 
before you put on the extra mulch, and then it can do no 
harm until the plants begin to start. Summit Co., O. 
STRAWBERRIES IN CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. 
Varieties for Weak Eyes and Weak Arms. 
My strawberry-growing experience of this year places 
the now old sorts, Charles Downing and Cumberland 
Triumph, still in the lead, on heavy loam in central Penn¬ 
sylvania. June 18 to 24, was wholly cloudy, foggy and 
wet; 4% inches of water fell within the six days. Many 
berries rotted towards the last, and most of the larger 
sorts, and on beds not picked closely as soon as ripe. The 
very tender Cumberland, with the prompt picking precau¬ 
tion, is no more liable to rot than others, but goe 3 in a 
few hours after decay begins, just as in the mouth it dis¬ 
solves when ripe, like a spoonful of light custard. This 
kind cannot be too strongly recommended for planting for 
home use. Its vigorous growth requires room, but makes 
it all the easier to suppress weeds, and makes less winter 
protection—with leaves, cut straw, sawdust or the like- 
sufficient. Even without mulching it gets sandy less than 
others and is more easily rinsed clean on account of its 
plumpness and smoothness. Less bright in color, and less 
rich in flavor than the Downing, it does not so soon attract 
the inexperienced, but those who have eaten it want it 
again and again, to the last yield of the bed, and it is one 
of the best of yielders to the very end of the season. 
Of new sorts Haverland promises well. Jewel, Jessie, 
Parry and Bubach have proved disappointing here. Bat 
my Bubach may be spurious as my Wilson proved to be, 
from the same source. 
As for several years past, so this year, a bed, in heavy 
(clayey loam, which ha3 never bsen dug over since originally 
