le in farm
operations.

_Extra efficiency of labor._--Most obvious advantage is seen in the saving
of the time of a laborer, both in learning the essential parts of his
work, so that apprenticeship is shortened to one-tenth or one-twentieth of
the time required for a full trade, and in the far greater dexterity with
which he works without change of tools or change of location or
distraction of attention. Thus a raw hand in the course of a few months
performs his single task more rapidly and more perfectly than an expert
workman who must know and practice all the parts of the business. While
such a hand can scarcely be called skilled in a technical sense, in the
narrow application of skill to one action he may be more perfect than any
skilled workman. The fact that each man's work passes immediately under
the inspection of another, whose motion must exactly correspond in time
and adjustment, makes any costly oversight in the shape of executive labor
very much less, since every step in the process tests every other step. It
is also found that minute attention to a single detail tends toward the
highest improvement by invention of every tool and machine employed.

While this system is not likely to foster the inventive spirit which
brings out entirely new principles in machinery, because the work grows
easy by familiarity, it does make the workmen quick to invent the little
devices that perfect such machines. A broader culture and more general
training discovers the difficulties and devises the entirely new method:
the worker hits upon improvements. Watt invented the steam engine, but a
lazy boy employed to move the valve hit upon the automatic movement.

_Increased efficiency of capital._--The efficiency of capital in production
is greatly increased by minute division of labor. The shop room required
for each man is reduced to the minimum space for himself and his material.
His tools, while the most perfect possible, are the fewest possible.

The machinery and motive power are used to their utmost capacity
constantly, and the economy of larger engines and machines is well known.
Possibly one-fifth of the power required to move all the machines used by
ten men working as independent tradesmen would provide better motion, more
constant and cheaper, for the ten working together under division of
labor. The waste in starting and stopping of machinery is almost entirely
avoided, and the condition of the machine for doing its