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About Oregon City courier. (Oregon City, Or.) 1902-1919 | View Entire Issue (May 28, 1914)
3 Home and Farm Magazine Section Editorial Page Suggestions From Our Associate Editors, Allowing for an Interchange of Views, Written by Men of Experience on Topics With Which They Are Fully Acquainted Hints Along lines of Progressive Farm Thought. HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION A WOMAN WORTH WHILE. IFTING THE HAT is a mark of respect. . Our hat is lifted high to Mrs. Scott Durand. She is a rich woman and she lives in Chicago. A few years ago Bhe went into the dairy business. Bought some Holsteins. Bought sure flnernscys. Mixed the milk. J listuLlib...a- a nigh priced mar ket in Chicago and sold it. She knew nothing of the busi ness. She worked it out by reading, dairy books and farm journals, affd by talking to dairymen, and by using her own head. Yes, we confess, she was a book fanner. But she'made her 270. acres pay for four or five years and then Bhe went to the Wisconsin Agri cultural College. What in the world ever possossed her? But she went and studied and talked to college professors', and returned to her farm and her 200 head of cattle. She has toiled. She has fought. She makes $12,000 a year. Too bad. If she had only not gono in for "book larnin" and that courso at Wisconsin she would be a rich woman. A3 THE TWIG IS BENT. SOMEHOW we wish we were a tow-headed boy once more. There came to the usk the other day from the Oregon Agri cultural College at Corvallis, Ore gon a catalog of a boy's short courso in agriculture. That means the opportunity to any young Oregonian to imbibe farming loro for two full weeks at a merely nominal cost, that of his board and transportation. It is quite possible that in vari ous sections, of the country other agricultural colleges offer similar eportuiiities. We have not heard of them. In presenting this course, E. D. Bossier, director of the Summer School, says: "Tho purpose is two-fold the value to the boys who attend; tho influence on the school represent ed by those boys. "Both consciously and uncon sciously our ordinary school edu cation places the emphasis on 'pre paration for the professions and other occupations relating to a public career. "In the minds of many people, work upon the farm is menial. It means early rising and early retir ing and hard grinding labor from sunr:3e to sunset. It is not sup posed that any intelligence or high degrto of education can be used by a man on the farm. "These erroneous ideas must not only be banished from the minds of the boys and girls who will be tho future farmers and farmers' wives, but an opportunity must be given to show what a great field for the application of scientifio training is offered, how the great est creative genius may be called into play in working out the prob lems which confront not only the American farmer but the great American public as well. "The old notion that any sort of labor which requires manual ac tivity is necessarily uninteresting and unintelligent must be driven out of our schools. The skilled hand must be directed by the highly trained brain and, still above and beyond this, it must be recognized that only those who can build up for themselves ideals which will arouse all the energy and ambition of which their natures are capable, can be truly happy in any occupa tion or profession." That strikes us uncommonly like good sense. School boys who imbibe scien tific farming at their earliest years are going to be inspired with the desire to attend an agricultural college in later years and learn how to improve on the ways of their dads. Their fathers often had to learn in the school of hard experience. And there are easier ways of do ing things than the school-of-hard-experience method. The youngsters at Corvallis will study a few hours overy day. The balance of the time they will spend Hiking, in sports and recreation. The supervision will be that of tho ."big brother" order. The instruction will be very prac tical and suited to the age of the boys. As a result of these two weeks' study, it is expected that the boys will learn to identify the principal field crops which they may see as they go about the country, loarn something of their method of plant ing, cultivation and harvesting; will have some practical experience in caring for vegetable gardens which will be put in on the farm, bo that by the time the boys reach Corvallis the various vegetables will be available for their study and cultivation; will be abl to recognize the principal breeds of cattle, sheep, swine and horses, and to know something of the points of a good animal; will become inter-, ested in the problems of breeding up a good flock of chickens that will not only be ornamental but profitable as well; will recognize some of the common plant pests in orchard and garden and know how to treat them. In short, the object of the course is to place in tho possession of tho boys interesting information that , will bo of some practical uso to them immediately and will fill them with an appreciation of tho great scope of the study and arouso their interest in pursuing their iuvestiga- tions further. "IDEAL" FARMING. I.SJE RECEIVED this letter the ( other day. Somehow it in terested us, for we believe that the misconception of the writer is the misconception of many. He said: . "I am a city man. I was always under the impression farming was an ideal occupation. My farming friends say I am wrong. Which is right?" y Answer: City Man farming is ideal IF Farm lands are low in price. Farm products of classes are de ficient in supply. Farming is conducted on an enor mous scale. Tho producer has a reputation, especially for breeding purebred stock; raising the finest grade of fruit, and so forth. Markets are advantageous. Animals kept are productive. There is a large yield with rela tively little labor and fertilizer. Cost of production is low by good farm organization. Products are stanle in character. That is about all for tho pres- ent, out we think you will eaten our drift, City Man. You will find some of those con ditions on every farm. There are mighty few farms you will find them all. In other words, farming is ideal In Utopia. Anywhere else it is just a plain . business and profession with the same hardships and ths same suc cesses you will find in everything else tho world over. (j, FARM WAGES. IIE LABORER on the farm is often an almost invariable cnninlainef. His moan is moat frequent on the subject of hi3 pay. In fact, it might be said that his moan is precisely that of the rest of humanity: "I want more money." Yet consideration of his ease doos not make it the deplorable one it has been pointed out as being. Tho condition of the farm labor er is, financially and otherwise, superior to that of the factory em ploye. Tho money wages of farm labor increased about 2.5 per cent dur ing the past year, and about 11.0 per cent during the past four years. Since 1902 the increase has been about 36 per cent. Wages of farm labor tended up ward during the decade of the seventies; they were almost sta tionary during the eighties, and de clined from 1892 to 1894, since which timo they have steadily tended upward. Farm wages now, compared with wages during the eighties, are about 56 per cent higher; compared with tho low year of 1894, wages aro now about 07 per cent highsr. The current average rate of farm wages in the United States, when board is included, is, by the month; $21.38; by the day, other than harvest, $1.1(3; at harvest, $1.57. When board is not included, the rate is, by the month, $30.31; by the day, other than harvest, $1.50; by the day at harvest, $1.94. Wage in different sections of the United States vary widely. For instance, the monthly rate, without board, is $56.50 in Nevada, $54.00 in Montana, and $51.00 in Utah; but $17.90 in South Caro lina, $19.60 in Mississippi, and $20.20 in Georgia. The highest state average, $56.50, is thus seen to be 3.2 times higher than the lowest rate, $17.90. This wide difference in the wage rates in different sections of the United States is gradually lessen ing. In seven investigations mado between 1SGG and 1881, tho aver ago of wage3 of farm day labor (without board) in the . Western states (where wages are highest) was about 100 per cent higher than in the South Atlantic states (whero 1 wages were lowest); whereas, in seven investigations made since " 1898, tho Western states averaged' about 110 per cent higher than the South Atlantic, and in the past year they were only about 90 por . cent higher. Tho money wages of farm labor : have increased relatively more than wages for labor in city manufac tories during tho past twonty to thirty years. ' ; A comparison of the average of ' wages per employe in manufactur ing industries, as , reported by the census of 1910, 1900 and 1890, in - dicates that the wages of. such em ployes increased 22 per cent in ten years (1900 to 1910), and increased only 23 per ctmt in the twenty years; the increases in fara labor wages were approximately 37 per cent in the ten years cd about 55 per cent ii the twenty years. This relative gain of rural upon n.baa wages acta automatically upon the movement from country to eity. Wages of farm labor fcavs bn increasing rapidly, not only in tb United States, but in moat, if ot all, other countries of the world. Ia Hungary the wage3 of ftgrienl tural laborers increased about 80 per cent in tho ten years trwn 1S97 to 1907. In Denmark, final 1892 to 1905 wages of fara libr, with board iocrased about JO jr cent, and without board 22 psr sent. In Sweden wages of agricultvral laborers jweasod 35 per cent In the ten years from 1898 to l&OS. For Norway we have data show ing the wagjs in country and in towns, wherein is shown that wages with board, increased 19 por cent in country and 35 por cent in towns, during the ton yeara of 1895 k to 1905, thus ahowiii! ft greater gain in country thnn in io?n wages. In Jap-t.a where economic conditions havo been changing rapidly, the yearly money 'vagca of ag'icultnrai labor mw. than doubled In i'f) fourteen yea.-.; "rci 1894 to 1908 and Increased 43 pa cent from 1898 to 1908. $ .' VALUE OF ORGANIZATION. THE Home and Farm Magazine Section is not interested in politics. Nevertheless we keep an eye 04 things. , Hence we noted that the RepubIL can voters of Oregon nominated Dr. James B. Withycombe to bo thoi candidate at tho goncral election against the Democratic nominee, Dr. C. J. Smith. There are a number of lessong or ideas from the nomination of Dr. Withycombo. First of these is that the farmer anywhere is a mighty power when he choosoB to exert himself. Republican fanners chose to hav one of themselves as a contestant for the ultimate prize at the general election. They proceeded to carry; out that idoa by voting. The ballot box is the mightiest power for good or bad we have. How rarely we exercise it! Another idea we received from the nomination of Dr. Withycombo, wh was formerly director of the extension department of Oregon Agricultural College, was tho value of cohesive organization. Loyalty to their college caused hundreds of O. A. C. graduates all over Crcgon to rally to the banner of Dr. Withycombe. It Was as fine nn exhibition, of real "college spirit ' ' as wo have ever seen. It brought results. 1 Incidentally, thoso graduates -showed their strength by standing together. ; The farmer represents the basio wealth of this country. Alone he is helpless. United ho makes a power that can not bo withstood. Whether it be through co-operative organizations or through his Grange, the farmer united has a voice tho very stridency of which can force the country to take notice at any time. In politics the farmer united can make and upsot political parties. Ho is apt to do it, too. When the farmers of America realize their strength then will they recoivo greater consideration than has pravit usly been their wont. . X FARMER knows that a bank savings account is the most. beautiful thing on earth. There aro no microbes in it to steal away his peace of mind. It is a promoter of sweet sleep, and an aid to digestion, $ . CITY man who tries his hand at farming is filled with good resolutions, but they too often die of malnutrition. 1 . YOUR farmer knows tho truth', and he knows the average man's opinions are generally of more value to himself than to any . one else. I FARM is ono placo whero a fair exchange is no robbory, even when a farmer trades bis money for ( experience. j S 1 TIIE FARMER knows that the banker who shakes his hand most effusively when crops aro good and he has monoy to loan, shakes him altogether when it's gone. . $ ?0 FARMER can bo popular and 1 tell his troubles. j I kJPOUR richest farmor most often ' I is tho fellow with the worst digestion. OME farmers think they can't mako a hit in their noiglibos- hood unless they buy an auto mobile, j $ . A FARMER boy who leaes the country for tho city should know that while it is hard work to reach tho top, it is &t:ll hardef work to stay on lop.