GEOWIXG SUGAR BEETS IN UTAH AND IDAHO. 17 



region to 20.2 tons per acre for the Garland farms. Provo growers 

 applied an amount nitermediate between these two averages. The 

 original estimates were procured upon the basis of the nmnber of 

 loads apphed per acre, and the operator was then asked to give the 

 weight of an average load as nearly as this could be ascertained. The 

 tons apphed per acre were determined from these two figures. 



There was practically no difference between the Garland and the 

 Provo group in the labor requirements for this operation. However, 

 as has been pointed out, the rate of application varied. Viewing the 

 problem from the latter standpomt, it may be stated that the Gar- 

 land operators apphed manure at a cost of 39 cents per ton, whereas 

 the costs for Provo and Idaho Falls growers averaged 46 and 47 

 cents per ton for the respective areas. There was a comparatively 

 high labor cost for hauling and distributing manure in the Provo 

 district during the year 1915. This was shown in the average for 

 34 farm estimates, and it undoubtedly had some influence on the final 

 result, which includes the findmgs for two seasons. It may be ex- 

 plained that several of the operators in this area were located some 

 distance from the beet field, and considerable time was consumed in 

 moving the manure from the corral to the farm. The location of the 

 beet field with reference to the farmstead was unquestionably one of 

 the factors that had an important bearing upon costs. It was more 

 difficult to get the relationship of other factors, such as the size of the 

 crew and the method of distribution. 



PLOWING. 



The sugar beet requires a deep meUow soil. To provide this con- 

 dition it is necessary to stir the surface to a depth of 8 or 9 inches. 

 On the average farm the land was given only one plowing, though 

 two plowings are sometimes necessary. Plowing was repeated on a 

 few farms in order to brmg rough or uneven land into suitable condi- 

 tion for planting. In a few cases two plowings were essential in the 

 preparation of alfaKa land for beets. Twelve operators in the Gar- 

 land group crowned and subsequently replowed alfalfa land for 

 beets. Crowning means breaking to a depth of 3 inches, which is 

 just deep enough to cut the crowns of the alfalfa plants. It will be 

 seen that crownmg was a minor operation in this study. Sometimes 

 the field was disked or harrowed immediately after breaking. When 

 the aKalfa crowns had dried out completely, the soil was turned a 

 second time, the plow being run at a depth of 8 to 10 inches. The 

 crowning was done exclusively in the fall of the year. This opera- 

 tion was performed mainly with a crew of one man and three horses, 

 and the ground was plowed at the rate of 1.7 acres per day. The 

 cost was $2.75 per acre for crowning alfaKa. 



55051°— 18— Bull. 693 3 



