294 



FEEDS AND FEEDING 



(4) By having the farm of adequate size. When a farm is too small 

 neither horse nor man labor can be utilized most efficiently. 



(5) By securing an even distribution of horse labor. The crop rota- 

 tion should be so planned that the horse labor will be distributed as 

 evenly as possible thruout the year. The accompanying illustration 

 clearly shows that when the crop rotation is poorly planned, the peak 

 load of horse labor will be much higher than under a wise rotation, 

 necessitating the keeping of extra horses, merely for this peak load. An 

 important advantage of live stock farming is that productive work is 

 provided for horses, as well as men, during the winter. 



>;OGL)->O 



POOR ROTATION 



GOOD ROTATION 

 No FALL PLOWING 



GOOD ROTATION 

 FALL PLOWING FOR COR 



WELL-PLANNED ROTATION REQUIRES FEWER HORSES 



The columns indicate the hours of horse labor required each month on a 

 200-acre corn-belt farm with a poor rotation of 120 acres corn, 50 acres oats, 10 

 acres mixed hay, and 20 acres pasture; compared with a good rotation of 80 acrea 

 corn, 40 acres oats, 40 acres winter wheat, 20 acres clover hay, and 20 acres clover 

 pasture. The poor rotation required over 1,150 hours of horse labor in one month, 

 while the peak load was reduced to 900 hours with the good rotation, even when 

 no fall plowing was done. When the land for corn was plowed in the fall, the 

 peak load was still further reduced, and the labor better distributed over the 

 year, making possible a saving in number of horses needed. (From Illinois 

 Station). 



(6) By efficient use of horses. The good farm manager will see that 

 his fields are so laid out, and buildings, yards, paddocks, and lanes so 

 arranged that just as much labor as possible is saved, both of men and 

 horses. Furthermore, he will save much man labor by having gang 

 plows, and harrows, drills, cultivators, etc. of large size so that teams of 

 3 horses or more can be used. By means of the improved multiple 

 hitches, a team of 5 or even more horses can be worked readily by one 

 man. Such a farmer will also be foresighted in his work and not allow 

 work which can be done just as well at some other time, to interfere 

 with the peak loads of planting, cultivating, and harvesting the crops, 

 all of which cannot be delayed without serious loss. For instance, by 

 doing considerable plowing in the fall, the peak load in the spring can 



