GROWING FIELD CROPS IN SUGAR-BEET DISTRICTS. 



11 



To show the seasonal distribution of labor in growing all the crops 

 of the various regions, the average acreage per farm of each crop 

 grown was taken; also the labor required to produce the crops. 

 From these data diagrams were constructed. (Figs. 10 and 11.) 



The diagram for Greeley represents a farm of about 120 acres, 

 the one for Rocky Ford 80 acres, while that for Fort Morgan applies 

 to a farm with an area of about 120 acres. 



FARM PRACTICE. 



The average number of man and horse hours required to produce 

 the important crops common to these districts has been compiled in 

 Table III. These averages are given to show a comparison of the 

 various practices for the production of the farm crops within a given 

 region rather than a comparison of practices for any given crop 

 common to each of the three districts. Occasional references are 

 found concerning the differences in practice between regions, but the 

 study is mainly devoted to the various crops in the same section. 



The farm operations have been grouped under these headings: 

 Manuring, preparation of the seed bed, planting, cultivation, irriga- 

 tion, harvesting, and marketing. Contract labor is a direct cash 

 outlay and has not been considered in totaling the hours of labor 

 expended in producing the crops. This item has been included in 

 considering the relative cost of the production of crops. 



These major groups of farm labor may each contain one or more 

 minor operations, which are enumerated and compared for the 

 individual crops. 



Table III. — Distribution of labor per acre required to produce the principal crops grown 

 in the Greeley, Fort Morgan, and Rocky Ford districts of Colorado. 





Data expressed in hours for 



man 



and for horse.] 















Crop and area covered by the records. 



District and operation. 



Sugar 



beets, 



5,028 acres. 



Potatoes, 

 1,802 acres. 



Beans, 

 853 acres. 



Alfalfa, 

 1,310 acres. 



Oats, 

 184 acres. 



Barley, 

 742 acres. 



Wheat, 

 160 acres. 





03 



2 



o 



M 



a 



c5 

 o 



w 



c 



03 



o 



w 



03 

 2 



o 

 hi 



03 



<j5 

 o 



w 



a" 



03 



© 

 o 



w 



03 



a5 

 c 



H 



Greeley district: 



Manuring 



Preparation of the seed 

 bed 



6.0 



8.3 

 1.1 

 6.5 

 8.5 

 65.1 

 13. 



12.0 



30.0 

 2.1 

 12.3 

 .2 

 15.5 

 32.4 



0.5 



6.7 

 6.8 

 11.9 

 6.7 



n.2 



21.9 



1.0 



27.9 

 7.5 



31.2 



.6 



9.1 



19.3 



1.1 



6.6 



2.9 



24.8 



0.1 



0.4 



0.8 



1.9 

 1.0 



2.4 



7.0 



2.4 



0.9 



2.5 

 1.0 



2.5 



9.5 

 3.1 



0.3 



3.2 



1.0 



1.2 

 10.7 



Planting 



1. 2 | 2. 2 

 10. 2 15. 3 



5. 2 .1 

 16.0 10.1 



1. 1 2. 1 







3.5 



Cultivation 



o.4 

 5.8 

 16.0 



6 1.5 



.5 



24.4 





Irrigation 



4.8 



6.7 



.5 



1.1 

 6.2 

 1.0 



4.7 



5.5 



.6 



1.0 

 5.2 

 1.0 



5.0 

 4.7 

 2.1 



1.0 





4.2 





3.8 













Total 



48.5 



104.5 



56.7 



96.6 



41.4 57.5 



22.3 



26.8 



15.7 



20.1 



15.2 22.3 Il6.3 



24.4 

















o Alfalfa cultivation is practiced by a few growers. 



b Contract hand labor on beets and picking potatoes are not included. 



