July, 1933] 



Roughage Production in New Hampshire 



21 



(hiced. ITauliiijj: and filliiig, however, oeeupy tlie largest proportion of 

 time. Tliese two operations take a little more tlian half the total Jiours 

 required to raise and harvest a erop of corn. It is easier to accomplish 

 economies in handling than with liay. Labor-saving equipment such 

 as harvesters and low-down wagons cut labor recpiired about in half in 

 the more favorable situations, and reduce it by 25 to 30 per cent, on 

 all farms.* 



Manuring: 



A great deal of time spent in handling manure could be eliminated 

 by direct hauling. Many basement manure pits are so inconveniently ar- 

 ranged that much extra time is consumed in the spring that could be 

 better spent on some other operation. There is still a small amount of 

 manure hauled out and piled in small piles to be spread later. In so 

 far as weather will permit the usual practice recommends spreading as 

 the manure is made from day to day. 



If the practice were to be more widely followed of fertilizing the 

 rotation less time would be used hauling manure for corn and more la- 

 bor would then be used in applying manure to hay. This would make 

 possible a better distribution of manure and labor. There seems to be 

 little difference in yield of silage whether manure is applied on sod 

 and plowed under or applied on plowed land and harrowed in. Fit- 

 ting in this operation with the other farm work seems to be much more 

 important than any influence mi yield because of the method of ap- 

 plying. Applications of much more than 15 to 18 tons do not seem 

 warranted. 



Fertilizing methods: 



Not all farms used fertilizer in addition to manure although some 

 slight advantage in yield and in labor required is indicated in Table 16. 



When manure alone was applied, 8.3 tons were used by the crop, 

 while 7.6 tons were used where 311 pounds of fertilizer supplemented 

 the manure. Yield was increased with fertilizer by .4 of a ton. There 

 is also some saving in labor when a smaller amount of manure is sup- 

 plemented with fertilizer. Seed used is practically the same. 



Table 16. Yield of corn as influenced by supplemented fertilize}: 



Manure alone- 

 106 farms 



Per acre 



Per ton 



.71 



.98 



5.8 



See Extension Circular 80, University of New Hampshire. 



