352 FARM MANAGEMENT 



long it will take for each operation, because there are so 

 many things that must be done besides the actual opera- 

 tions. The only way to find how long it takes to raise 

 different crops is by keeping a work record. The units here 

 given are only approximately correct. As more figures 

 are available, more accurate figures will be obtained. It 

 will also be desirable to have units worked out for differ- 

 ent methods of production. 



The unit should represent the average comparative time 

 required for a given crop or animal. Some farmers will do 

 the work quicker, some will waste time and take longer. 



With very rapid work and extensive methods it is 

 possible to do a unit of work in 5 hours. With intensive 

 methods 20 hours is sometimes spent to advantage in 

 doing a unit of work. With methods of average intensity 

 and average efficiency 10 hours is usually required. In 

 any case the comparative figures are about the same. 

 With extensive, rapid work on both hay and small grain, 

 the grain usually takes twice the time of the hay. With 

 slow work or intensive methods both take longer, but the 

 grain still takes about twice as long. 



A farmer may lose time because of irregular fields, too 

 small an area of the crop, or too few animals, because fields 

 are too far away, because milk is hauled too far or in too 

 small loads, because the soil is hard to work or is too weedy, 

 or for many other reasons. It makes no difference how 

 time is lost. If it is lost, the farm is inefficient. This may 

 be the fault of natural conditions or of the management. 



The time spent on a horse is usually about the same 

 as that spent on a cow, but this is not productive work. 

 Much other work is done, such as repairing machinery. 

 But only the raising of crops, the producing of animal 

 products, and the raising of young animals is productive. 



