64 PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE 
is followed, there will be field work to be done that will 
require the greater part of the year. Fall plowing for wheat 
is done during a slack season and with horses and imple- 
ments that would otherwise be idle if winter wheat was not 
going to be raised. Two crops are raised with the same farm 
equipment that would be required to raise either one. This 
means economy of production. If one farmer can work his 
teams for only three months in the year while his neighbor, 
who follows diversified farming, can work his nine months to 
advantage, then the first farmer’s teams cost him three times 
as much per day as do the teams belonging to his neighbor. 
The greatest advantage to be gained by extending farm 
operations over as long season as possible is due to the fact 
that labor can be economically employed by the year. Labor 
which can be employed by the year not only costs less per 
day but it is of superior quality to labor which is employed 
‘by the day or week. Men employed steadily take more inter- 
est in their work and are better men. Our own experience 
has taught us that the most dependable farm hands are mar- 
ried men. For this reason we employ married farm help by 
the year and furnish them with comfortable houses in which 
to live. While the first cost of the married man is greater 
than single help with board furnished, the married man will 
prove to be cheaper in the end and certainly much more 
reliable. We plan our crop rotations partly with a view to 
giving employment throughout the vear. 
Rotation LessENs THE Dancer or Crop Loss 
While corn is the most certain money crop grown in the 
Corn Belt, its yield is easily cut down one-half by weather 
conditions when wheat, oats or legumes might be hurt little 
if any. Crop rotation and diversified farming make for more 
