SEASONAL DISTRIBUTION OF FARM LABOR. 



17 



factor. Cultures can be applied at no extra labor expense other 

 than is required in the application to the seed. 



Table IX. — Crews and duty of machinery/ in seeding and harvesting alfalfa (average of 18 



farms). 



Operation. 



Inoculating with soil 



Drilling seed alone , 



Seeding (wheelbarrow machine) 1 . 



Mowing, 5-foot cut machine 2 



Mowing, 8-foot cut machine 



Tedding 



Raking, dump rake 



Raking, side delivery 



Cocking 



Capping 



Loading, hauling, and storing: 3 

 10 loads, 1J-2 tons yield 



15 loads, lf-2 tons yield 



16 loads, 1^-2 tons yield 



Crew. 



Men. 



Horses. 



Acres 



covered, 



10-hour 



day. 



12.00 

 14.30 



9.50 

 10.00 

 15.00 

 14.50 

 17.00 

 10.00 



6.00 

 20.00 



5.50 



8.50 

 9.00 



Days per acre. 



10-hour day. 



Man. Horse. 



0.08 

 .07 

 .10 

 .10 

 .07 

 .07 

 .06 

 .06 

 .17 

 .05 



.54 

 .48 

 .55 



0.16 

 .14 



.20 

 .14 

 .14 

 .12 

 .12 



.05 



.36 



.48 

 .44 



9-hour day. 



Man. Horse. 



0.09 

 .08 

 .11 

 .11 

 .07 

 .07 

 .06 

 .07 

 .18 

 .05 



.58 

 .50 

 .60 



0.18 

 .16 



.22 

 .14 

 .14 

 .12 

 .14 



.05 



.39 



.50 

 .48 



i One-half of the seed sown lengthwise, the remainder town crosswise. 



2 This record is for the first cutting. Three cuttings are usually made, but the second and third 

 cuttings are lighter, and will require less labor. 



3 Loaded by hand and unloaded with fork. The results will be somewhat reduced by using a hay 

 loader. 



When hay caps are used, a cap 50 to 54 inches square, of light- 

 weight canvas, is used. These may be weighted at their corners 

 with stones or cement weights, or the cap may be fastened on the 

 hay with wire pins. It is more convenient usually to distribute caps 

 from a spring wagon or one-horse cart. 



SUMMARY OF LABOR REQUIREMENTS OF CROPS. 



In making use of the following figures on man and horse labor for 

 the several operations in crop production, it is well to bear in mind 

 that the data from which this tabulation was taken were collected 

 from 165 farmers above the average of the county in progressiveness, 

 receiving considerably more than the average net income. These 

 men followed successful methods of soil and crop management, and 

 in most cases laid emphasis on the careful preparation of the soil 

 and careful cultivation. In some cases the number of hours per 

 acre is greater than in some other regions. 1 They are, however, a 

 good guide in estimating labor in this region or other regions having 

 similar conditions. These summary figures are based on the prac- 

 tice of the majority of the farmers, as averaged in the preceding 

 tables. Hence, for any individual case where a system of farm 

 practice is followed differing from that outlined, the labor require- 

 ments can be revised and worked out from Tables III to IX. 



1 See "Farm Management," by Prof. G. F. Warren, of the College of Agriculture, Ithaca, N. Y. 



