SEASONAL DISTRIBUTION OF FARM LABOR. 25 



required at this season for repairs and improvements of fences, 

 buildings, or implements, and the hauling of fertilizer, feed, and 

 milk, which is not shown in this chart. / 



REPLANNING CROPPING SYSTEM. 



After having studied this cropping system from the standpoint of 

 labor, the next point is to consider whether or not the cropping 

 system can be changed, either by rearranging the fields to establish a 

 definite rotation, by rearranging the acreages of crops, or by the 

 introduction of new crops to balance the months of very high labor 

 requirement, so as to increase the net income of the farm. The 

 effect on the income of the farmer is the primary point of view to be 

 taken in replanning a farm, taking into consideration, of course, the 

 maintenance of soil and equipment and the availability of labor. 

 If extra horse or man labor can be obtained whenever necessary, a 

 farmer may be justified in practically ignoring labor requirements 

 and selecting those enterprises which are best adapted to the farm 

 conditions. 



The layout of the farm in question was studied with a view to such 

 rearrangement and a 7-year rotation was established as follows : 



1. Corn for grain. 



2. Corn (for grain, 7.1 acres; for silo, 2.7 acres.) 



3. Corn for the silo. 



4. Wheat. 



5. Clover, timothy, and alfalfa hay (2 cuttings). 



6. Timothy and alfalfa hay (2 cuttings). 



7 . Timothy and alfalfa hay (mostly alfalfa) . 



In contemplating a change in the cropping system the rotation 

 must conform to the general layout of the farm. There are often 

 conditions which prevent the readjustment of fields in the manner 

 desired. Moreover, it is desirable to make changes that will require 

 the least expense. The rotation outlined in the revised plan of this 

 farm is not a rotation generally recommended for the average Chester 

 County farm, but is suggested because it is best adapted to the 

 existing field arrangement. Under ordinary farm practice, with 

 clover one year, followed by timothy for one or two years, three years 

 of corn in succession might have an influence to decrease crop yields. 

 On this farm, however, the influence of an alfalfa sod supplemented 

 by an application of manure to the corn crop will tend to increase, 

 rather than decrease, crop yields. 



The principal crop area was divided into five fields of 9.8 acres 

 each, a triangular field of 3.4 acres at the farther end of this tillable 

 tract, and one field of 6.4 acres formerly in wheat seeded to alfalfa 

 on the other side of the farm lane, making together 9.8 acres which 



