20 



BULLETIN 917, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



The older types of bean drills have no ridging attachment, but the 

 new types have ridging tools. This method of planting and culti- 

 vating potatoes and beans eliminates much of the hand labor of 

 hoeing. It also eliminates the danger of loss of stand from the for- 

 mation of a crust on the soil. (Figs. 13 and 14.) 



Approximately 1 hour of man labor is required to plant an acre 

 of grain, beans, beets, or cucumbers for seed, 6.8 hours for potatoes, 

 and 4.9 hours for cantaloupes. Sugar beets, beans, cantaloupes, and 

 cucumbers require approximately 2 hours of horse labor per acre. 

 Grains average slightly more than 3- horse-hours per acre to plant, 

 while potatoes require the greatest amount of horse labor in planting, 

 7.5 hours. 



In all three sections there is little variation in the method of plant- 

 ing beets or grain. The grain is drilled in rows 8 inches apart, the 



Fig. 14. — Harrowing potatoes. When the tubers are planted a deep covering is put on the seed. By 

 harrowing, this covering is removed, leaving the ground free from small weeds when the potato 

 sprouts come through the surface. This practice is followed in bean planting and saves much hand 

 labor in hoeing. 



beets in rows usually 20 inches apart, although at Rocky Ford some 

 farmers planted beets 18 inches apart and some men at Fort Morgan 

 and Greeley alternated 16-inch and 24-inch rows. Potatoes are 

 planted in rows 36 to 40 inches apart. Beans are planted in rows 28 

 to 32 inches apart. Alfalfa is scattered broadcast with a seeder or 

 drilled in rows. Cucumbers are planted in rows 36 to 40 inches 

 apart. Cantaloupes are planted in check-rows or hills 5 to 7 feet 

 apart with four or five plants to the hill. Cucumbers are thinned 

 to approximately 18 inches between plants in the row, beets 10 to 14 

 inches, beans 2 to 6 inches, and potatoes 18 to 24 inches. 



The depth of planting for beet seed is from 1^ to 2 inches; for 

 grains, about 2 inches; cantaloupes and cucumbers, about 2 inches; 

 beans, L' to .'H inches; and potatoes, approximately 6 inches. 



