GROWING FIELD CROPS IN SUGAR-BEET DISTRICTS. 



19 



potatoes, and more time is expended in leveling and firming the 

 seed bed for the bean crop. 



Of the grains, oats shows the least work necessary to prepare the 

 seed bed; barley comes second; and wheat requires the greatest 

 amount. Oats is the hardiest grain crop in all three districts. 



PLANTING. 



The only item of labor included in the planting of a crop is the 

 drilling of seed except in the case of potatoes, which includes the 

 labor of cutting the seed. Where cucumbers and cantaloupes are 

 planted by hand the land is marked with a marker, and this is part 

 of the labor in planting these crops. 



For ah aha there is no labor charge for planting the crop, since 

 most growers use a combined grain drill and alfalfa seeder. Very 



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Fig. 13.— Ditching potatoes. Deep furrows are made between the potato rows, so that the surface 

 of the water will be lower than the potatoes in the hills. 



little, if any, more time is consumed than in planting the grain crop 

 alone. Also, since alfalfa is allowed to grow for several years, the 

 labor of planting would add but little to the labor requirements per 

 ton of hay. Replanting, where practiced, has been included under 

 the planting practice. 



Sixty-three per cent of the man labor employed in planting an 

 acre of potatoes is consumed in cutting the seed. The common 

 potato planter of the region requires a 3-horse team. Most of the 

 grain drills are for 3-horse and 4-horse teams, although some use 

 2-horse grain drills. Two horses are used in planting sugar beets 

 and beans. In planting potatoes it is common to hill the row, and 

 before the plants are up the ridge is harrowed down. This kills all 

 the small weeds and leaves an excellent seed bed at the time that the 

 plants appear. Some farmers ridge the bean rows immediately after 

 planting and harrow down the ridge before the plants come through. 



