2 BULLETIN 814, U. S. DEPAKTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



eral that must be taken into account' in working out any particular 

 problem with regard to farm implements, teams, and workmen. 

 Size 'of farm, distribution of labor, cost of operation, etc., must be 

 known before specific application can be made of these figures. They 

 indicate what is actually being accomplished in the average farm 

 practice of the area. It is for the individual farmer to judge, by 

 applying the data in the light of his own peculiar conditions, 

 whether he is getting efficient service from his machinery and crews, 

 and whether they are of the best size for his purpose. 



While these data are strictly applicahle perhaps only to the Mc- 

 Lean County area^ the practices followed on the farms in question 

 ore so typical of those of a large and widely distributed class of 

 Com Belt farmers that the results may he assumed to apply ^ at least 

 in a broad way^ to all parts of the Corn Belt where soil and condi- 

 tions in general are comparable. It should he home m mind that 

 the figures presented do not repi^esent Otctual^ recorded performance^ 

 hut are averages deHved from careful estimates niade hy the 600 

 farmers who contributed to the making of this study} 



In the latter part of the bulletin figures for various farm opera- 

 tions, as determined b}' this study, are shown in comparison with 

 figures for the same operations in western New York, as determined 

 by a like study made- there some years ago. 



SUMMARY OF RESULTS. 



The outstanding facts brought out by this inquiry are summarized 

 in Table I. By reference to this table one may learn at a glance 

 the average number of acres covered per day by these Illinois farm- 

 ers in the different operations, according to size of implement or 

 team, or the average number of minutes required per load in handling 

 hay, ear corn, oats, and manure. 



Table I. — Summary of performance of im,plemen,ts, toorkmen, and crews in most 

 com^non use in central Illinois. 



Implement or operation. 



Sulky plow: 



Spring plowing 



Fall plowing 



Gang plow: 



Spring plowing 



Fall plowing 



Tractor plow: 



Spring plowing 



Fall plowing 



Disk harrow: 



Well-packed land 



Freshly-plowed land. 



Size. 



16 inches. 

 do.... 



28 inches. 

 do.... 



42 inches - 

 do.... 



8 feet... 

 do. 



Horses. 



Men. 



Acres 

 per day. 



3.02; 

 2.58 



5.15 

 4.71 



8.67 

 8.06 



17.4 

 15.5 



^ Experience has shown that the variation in such estimates is no greater than the 

 variation in the results of efforts to obtain precise records hy actual observation of farm 

 operations, watch in hand. This latter method was tried out by the Office of Farm Man- 

 agement several years ago and discarded as impracticable. (See Dept. Bui. 3, " A 

 Normal Day's Work for Various Farm Operations," p. 5.) 



