30 BULLETIlSr 963, U, S. DEPARTMEl^T OF AGSICULTUEB. 



can be pulverized and placed in condition much more readily with 

 the disk harrow than with any other implement. 



In the 1915-16 survey, just as in the current survey, comparatively 

 few farmers gave estimates on disking. 



LEVELING. 



The leveler is almost indispensable on an irrigated farm. It is 

 usually homemade, a frame of planks on edge, and the original cost 

 should not exceed the actual cash outlay for the timber, bolts, and 

 rods which are used in its construction. Although the primary object 

 is to bring the surface to an even grade, more is accomplished than 

 actually leveling the plowed soil. The leveler serves to break or 

 crush many clods and also firms the seed bed. In this way leveling 

 assists in securing the degree of pulverization essential in a good 

 seed bed. 



In the order of operations, leveling occupies an intermediate place 

 between plowing and planting. Essentially the entire beet acreage 

 was gone over mth this implement. Exceptions may be found on 

 farms in the Idaho Falls and Twin Falls districts. It will be noted, 

 however, that floating the land was much more common in these two 

 districts than at Lehi and Garland. The latter operation undoubtedly 

 took the place of leveling. 



The most common crew for leveling in the Lehi area consisted of 

 one man and three horses. In the remaining districts the usual crew 

 was one man and four horses. Leveling was done at the rate of 8 to 

 10 acres per day. 



FLOATING. 



The float is designed primarily to crush clods (fig. 7) and firm 

 the ground, but it does not leave the land in as good condition for 

 irrigation as does the leveler. It is constructed out of planks lapped 

 one upon another, forming a stepped surface that comes in contact 

 with the soil. The average width of this implement is approximately 

 8 feet. This homemade device is of ten ' attached to the rear of the 

 harrow. Occasionally the same result may be obtained by affixing 

 a single plank behind the harrow. The usual crew consisted of one 

 man and three horses. Approximately 10 to 13 acres per day were 

 covered with this implement. 



HARROWING. 



The toothed harrow is an important tillage implement on every 

 farm. It is not only used extensively in the preparation of land 

 which is to be seeded to grain, but it also plays a very important 

 part in the development of a suitable seed bed for intertilled crops. 

 Two types were found in these districts, namely, the common spike- 

 tooth harrow and the spring-tooth harrow. 



