FARM LABOR 349 



less raise more crops per horse. If a farm is diversified, 

 good-sized, and well-managed, a horse can raise almost 

 twice the average area of crops. On many well-managed 

 farms there are 30 acres of crops per work horse or mule, 

 and occasionally 50 acres when the crops include tilled 

 crops, small grain, and hay in such combination as to make 

 a full season's work. If the crops are mostly tilled crops, 

 the area per horse should rarely fall below 25 acres. Even 

 with this area, the cost of horse labor will be $3 to $6 per 

 acre, depending on the value of feed. 



SUBSTITUTION OF ENGINES FOR HORSES 



222. Engines adapted to heavy work. On large 

 wheat farms, where the heaviest work of the year is 

 plowing, engines may be used in place of horses. Engines 

 have also replaced horse labor in threshing and many 

 other operations. Thus far, engines have replaced horses 

 only in those operations that require a large amount of 

 power. An engine that draws 8 plows is replacing 16 to 

 20 horses. In order to replace as many horses on a mow- 

 ing machine, an engine would have to cut a swath about 

 50 feet wide. The operations in which a horse finishes a 

 wide strip of land at one trip have not often been eco- 

 nomically done by engines. 



223. Engines must reduce work at the season of 

 greatest pressure. Many attempts have been made to 

 introduce engines in the Eastern States, but such efforts 

 have not usually been successful. In the Northeastern 

 States, the hay harvest determines the number of horses 

 that must be kept. Mowing, tedding, raking, and hauling 

 in hay are all light, rapid operations. For some of this 

 work, a light team is as good as a heavy one. An engine 



