﻿18 



BULLETIN 3, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



In Table IX the original averages for the widths most frequently- 

 used, shown in the second column, have been given, together with 

 adjustments for these acreages and a scale of allowances for other 

 widths of rollers. From the table, computations can readily be made 

 for determining the daily duty of any team and width of roller. 



Table IX. — A normal day's work with a land roller, giving the average daily acreage 

 reported for the widths most frequently used and adjustments for other widths. 



[Net hours in 



the field, 



9.65.] 











Width of roller. 



Rolled 

 per day. 



Number 

 averaged. 



Adjusted 

 acreage. 



Allowance 



Number of horses. 



Range. 



Most 

 common 

 width. 



for each 

 foot in 

 width. 



2 



Feet. 

 5-12 

 6-14 

 8-18 



Feet. 



8 

 8 

 -8 



Acres. 

 13.2 

 13.5 

 15.2 



442 

 24 

 37 



12.0 

 12.5. 

 14.0 



Acres. 

 1.10 



3 



1.15 



4 



1.20 







PLANTING OPERATIONS. 



With the grain drill the popular sizes range between 4 and 12 feet in 

 width, a greater number, 23 per cent, using the 8-foot width than 

 any other, with the 6-foot width next. Only 9 per cent use three 

 horses with grain drills, two horses being used by 46 per cent and 

 four horses by 41 per cent of farmers. From the general averages it 

 was seen that the acreage per day per foot of width increased with 

 added power, suggesting a slight overload per horse on the smaller 

 drills with 2-horse teams. The larger teams are used on the larger 

 fields. It was found also that with increasing width and power the 

 acreage planted per day increased, except for the 12-foot width, the 

 limit of practicable width from a mechanical standpoint doubtless 

 being approached in this size. In general, each horse can be loaded 

 with 2\ to 2| feet in width of drill, and should be expected to cover 

 from 4 to 4.5 acres in a day. The duty of each foot in width of drill 

 is from 1.5 to 1.75 acres per day, assuming adequate power. When 

 the grain-drill data were arranged by length of the field it-was found 

 that between lengths of 40 and 160 rods there appeared to be no 

 advantage in favor of larger fields. This was found to be true of 

 other data arranged by distance hauled or length of field, indicating, 

 without exception, that within the limits of 40 to 200 rods distance 

 is not a factor in the day's work. 



In Table X,for grain drills, the average acreage for the most common 

 widths and teams is presented, together with adjusted acreages and 

 a table of allowances for other widths. From this table reasonable 

 widths of drills for each size of team can be chosen and the daily duty 

 of any width found from the factors in columns 6 and 7. 



