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July 1936. "Hoe culture in the South. Poor white, North Carolina." Photo by Dorothea Lange for the Resettlement Administration. View full size.
It has been speculated the the term 'Hobo' came from a phrase used by farm bosses looking for day laborers along rail centers. These areas were of course, gathering places for the itinerant travelers who were largely male and out of work poor during the Depresion. These farm bosses would shout out, " Hoe Boys ! Hoe Boys wanted..." Hence the the slang term (eventually) to Hobo.
The fact that there seem to be NO machinery involved in this type of farming, that it was pretty much done all through physical labor shows how far removed we are from whats really involved in putting food on the table.
He has a better future if he can survive the horrific trials of the next ten years.
The caption reminds me of a Dorothy Parker quote. When asked to use the word "horticulture" in a sentence, she allegedly replied, "You can lead a whore to culture, but you can't make her think."
Some of the most expensive jeans on the market today are worn, torn and faded, often seen being worn by millionaire celebs on TV appearances. I wonder how much this boy's overalls would bring in todays shabby chic market. And secondly, behold the few visible corn plants managing to hang on in this parched, lumpy, clay dust passing for soil.
For Dorothy, the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion to show up.
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