GROWING SUGAR BEETS IN COLORADO. 



39 



divided among these three crew sizes. Greeley growers favored the 

 1-3 crew, 129 farmers reporting this size; 38, the 1-4 crew; and 28 

 the 1-2 crew. A few crews of odd sizes were used. 



The number of horses used in plowing out beets is determined 

 largely by the type of soil, and by the climatic conditions at the time 

 of harvest. A day's work with the lifter varied from 1.8 to 2.2 acres. 



TOPPING. ' 



Fifteen per cent of the farmers reporting did a part of the topping 

 themselves and gave estimates on this operation. The work was 

 done from the latter part of August to the middle or latter part of 

 December (fig. 22). The estimated labor costs for topping in 1914 

 and 1915 were much lower for all districts than the rates charged 

 under the contract method. In the Rocky Ford district 25.8 man 



Fig. 22.— Topping sugar beets. 



It is stipulated that the tops shall be cut off squarely just below the 

 crown at the base of the bottom leaf. 



hours were expended in topping an average yield of 11.2 tons per 

 acre, in the Fort Morgan area 30.4 hours for a 13.4-ton yield, and 

 at Greeley 25.1 hours for a yield of 14.2 tons per acre. The cost for 

 these few farms varied from $4.64 to $5.78 per acre. The contract 

 price for pulling and topping in the Greeley and Fort Morgan dis- 

 tricts was $9 per acre. The prevailing price for man labor is much 

 higher during the harvest season than at other seasons of the year. 



Taking all items into consideration, the hand labor received $18 

 per acre plus an additional 25 cents per ton for each ton in excess of 

 an average yield of 12 tons per acre. 



Following are the rules and regulations governing pulling and top- 

 ping in the areas covered in this study: 



The work must be done just as soon as the grower receives orders from the com- 

 pany to dig his beets. The plowing out shall be done by the grower. The beets 



