FACTORS AFFECTING RETURNS FROM POTATOES 



79 



A grader was used on two farms, and much hand grading was done on 

 some others. These farms supplied a special market and secured a higher price 

 for carefully graded potatoes. Attention was paid to grading out the cull 

 potatoes at digging time on all farms. This was not difficult in 1926, for the 

 crop was well matured. 



Figure 5. Distribution of Man Labor per Acre 



by Half-Months for 6.5 Acres of Green Mountains on 



Farm 1 in Chesterfield, 1926. 



Hours r 



Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May Jun. Jul. Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec. 



Potatoes in Chesterfield are planted in May or early June. Harvest falls in the first 

 half of October. The labor in November and December represents hauling manure 

 and plowing for next year's crop. 



Seasonal Distribution. 



Figure 5 shows the distribution of man labor on farm 1. Considerable 

 variation from this distribution was found but this is fairly typical for 

 potatoes in Chesterfield. The season is from one to two weeks later than in the 

 other areas studied. There are no serious conflicts with other crops unless a 

 considerable acreage is grown. 



Materials Used. 



More seed was used in the Chesterfield area than anywhere else. The usual 

 rate of seeding was about 18 bushels per acre. Table 4 shows that the range 

 about this rate was not very great. Farms 10 and 13 used No. 2 seed and 

 therefore did not plant as many bushels. Seed planted on these farms in 1926 

 was home-grown. 



Fertilizer applications varied from 600 to 2000 pounds per acre. Nearly all 

 was 5-8-7 potato fertilizer. On farms 1 and 8 "double strength" or 10-16-14 

 fertilker was used. This is given in Table 3 in terms of its -5-8-7 equivalerrt. 



