14 



BULLETIN 528, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



silo. "Horses" or "gallows" for supporting each shock, which are 

 made by tying the tops of four hills, are often made a number of days 

 before cutting, if there is any danger of the corn blowing over. 



The figures for filling the silo are for a large crew that will keep 

 a 16-inch cutter continuously running. Smaller crews often are 

 used to advantage, however. Where a small crew is used, three 

 men cut and load the corn without dropping it in bundles on the 

 ground. Three teams are required. At any given time one will 

 be loading, one unloading, and the third on the road. In unloading, 

 the drivers hand directly to the feeder. No extra man need be em- 

 ployed where a gasoline engine is used. It will be of advantage 

 to keep two men in the silo. Altogether the crew will consist of 

 nine men and six horses, and the day's work per acre, when 2\ 

 acres are cut per day, will be 4 man-days and 2.66 horse-days. Four 

 teams will be required for long hauls. 



Table V. — Creivs and duty of machinery in planting, cultivating, and harvesting potatoes 



(average of 33 farms). 



Operation. 



Crew. 



Men. 



Horses. 



Acres 

 covered 



in 10- 

 hour day. 



Days per acre. 



10-hour day. 



Men. Horses, 



9-hour day. 



Men. Horses. 



Cutting seed, 15 bushels 



Planting, plowed in 



Planting, picker type 



Planting, 2-man type 



Spike-tooth harrowing 



Weeding 



Cultivating 



Cultivating, riding 



Spraying (liquid), 4 rows 



Digging with elevator 



Digging with potato plow 



Picking up and bagging ' 



Hauling to cellar 2 



Sorting and bagging in cellar . 

 Hauling to market, 2 miles . . 



1.00 



2.50 



4.00 



3.50 



13.00 



18.00 



4.00 



6.10 



15.00 



3.50 



3.00 



.50 



3.70 



.80 



1.20 



1.00 



1.20 

 .25 

 .57 

 .08 

 .05 

 .25 

 .16 

 .06 

 .31 

 .33 



2.00 

 .54 



1.30 

 .83 



0.80 

 .50 

 .57 

 .16 

 .05 

 .25 

 .32 

 .06 



1.26 

 .66 



.54 

 "i.'66 



1.11 



1.33 

 .28 

 .63 

 .08 

 .06 

 .28 

 .18 

 .07 

 .32 

 .37 



2.22 

 .60 



1.40 

 .93 



0.88 

 .56 

 .63 

 .16 

 .12 

 .28 

 .36 

 .14 



1.28 

 .74 



.60 



Average yield from 120 to 130 bushels. 



2 9 loads of 50 bushels each. 



Table V gives the crews and duty of machinery as the average 

 on 33 farms for planting, cultivating, and harvesting potatoes. The 

 potato planter is used by most of these farmers, but small areas are 

 often planted by hand. These are of two types, the so-called picker 

 machine, and the machine where a second man sits behind and 

 regulates the dropping. 



On small areas Paris given, mixed with plaster, is ordinarily used 

 for beetles, but where 4 acres or more are planted, a liquid sprayer 

 applies Paris green or arsenate of lead. A few farmers are spraying 

 for blight. 



