8 
BULLETIN 917, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
MAN HOURS 
MONTH 
HORSE HOURS 
8 4 
J 
) 
* 8 
I 
jan\ 
FEB. 
MAR. 
APR. 
MAY 
JUNE 
JULY 
AUG. 
SEPT. 
OCT. 
NOV. 
DEC. 
■ 
the crops grown by individuals, somewhat greater individual range 
in seasonal distribution of crop labor is shown than would be found 
in an area where only one important staple crop is produced. For 
example, one man in this region may have a large portion of his 
farm devoted to sugar beets, which require much labor during the 
harvest season in 
October and Novem- 
ber, while a neighbor 
may grow wheat on 
most of his farm area 
and have very little 
crop labor in these 
two autumn months, 
which period covers 
the sugar-beet har- 
vest season. Another 
Fig. 6.— Labor distribution bymonths in growing alfalfain the Greeley may divide his Crop 
district of Colorado. i , _,. 
acreage between nu- 
merous crops, so as to be busy during the entire growing season and 
at the same time not have the peak load of the labor in growing a 
given crop conflict with the peak load of labor for another crop. 
Still another may plant two crops that conflict or need attention at 
the same season. If a farmer plants part of his acreage to potatoes 
and part of it to sugar beets, he will not be able to handle so large 
an acreage of either 
crop with a given 
equipment of men, 
horses, and machin- 
ery as if he planted 
but one of these 
crops, for the irriga- 
tion and harvest 
dates for potatoes 
and sugar beets in 
these districts are 
almost identical. 
One variation in 
MAN HOURS 
MONTH 
HORSE HOURS 
20 
JAN 
TLB. 
MAR. 
APR 
MAY 
JUNE 
JULY 
AUG 
SEPT. 
OCT. 
NOV. 
DEC 
60 80 
Fig. 7.— Labor distribution by months in growing cantaloupes in the 
Rocky Ford district of Colorado. 
such a combination of crops is very common. On a farm where both 
potatoes and sugar beets are grown, the harvest season for sugar 
beets begins at a later date than on farms growing no potatoes. This 
is due to the fact that freezing damages potatoes more than it does 
sugar beets. 
USE OF THE DIAGRAMS. 
By the use of the accompanying diagrams and with a fair working 
knowledge of some of the essential agronomic practices and average 
weather conditions, the grower should be able to plan the acreage of 
