186 man hours for three times a week, and 133 man hours for two times 

 a week. 



When estimated on the basis of output per man hour of picking, the 

 more frequent picking resuUed in fewer cucumbers, lower total weight and 

 smaller value per hour. The value of the crop at contract prices was $.98 

 per man hour for picking six times a week, $1.52 for three times, and $2.02 

 per man hour for two times a week. This phase of the study of harvesting 

 was repeated in 1951 in order to obtain additional data. 



Results of Experimental Picking for the 1951 Crop 



IN THE 1951 experiment, four frequencies of picking were compared: six 

 times, three times, two times, and 1.4 times per week. Plots were laid 

 out in duplicate series on two farms, making four duplicate series in all. 

 On each farm the plots were selected at random within the area of the 

 fields where the stand and the condition of the stand seemed homogenous. 

 Despite the care taken to select random plots within the area of the 

 fields where the stand and condition of the stand seemed homogenous, it 

 was obvious from the raw data collected that yields had been influenced 

 to a considerable extent by variations in conditions between plots. In order 

 to isolate the effects of frequency of picking upon yields and returns, the 

 raw data were subjected to statistical adjustment. The results obtained in 

 the 1951 experiment tended to confirm the conclusions reached on the basis 

 of the 1950 data. 



The field man did all the picking on the experimental plots and kept 

 a record of the picking time, the number of cucumbers picked, and the 

 total weight of cucumbers in each grade from each plot at each picking. 



Frequency of picking has a pronounced effect on the per acre hours of 

 picking labor required and the pounds of cucumbers produced as shown in 

 Table 1 and Figure 1. Hours of labor required increased with greater fre- 

 quency of picking as would be expected since the plot had to be gone over 



Table 1. Picking Labor and Yield of Cucumbers with 

 Varying Frequencies of Picking, 1951 Season 



Frequency of 

 Picking 



Total Picking 

 Labor per Acre 



Yield of Cucumbers per Acre 

 Quantity Value 



more times. Pounds of cucumbers produced were less with greater frequency 

 of picking because the cucumbers had no chance to grow large. Poundage 

 yield is of importance to growers since they get paid on the basis of pounds 

 rather than cucumber numbers. 



