8 BULLETIN 1292. U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
mediately below is given the average length of workday in the differ- 
ent months. 
If the crops now grown on a farm are combinations of those given 
in Figure 3 and the operator wishes to grow another of the crops given, 
reference to the figure will show any serious labor conflict which might 
occur because of the introduction of the new crop into the present 
organization scheme. 
COMMON OPERATIONS PREPARATORY TO PLANTING MOST CROPS 
As the crew performance for the same operations on different crops 
previous to planting is the same, and as all crops, with the exception 
of oats, wheat, and rye, require practically the same soil preparation, 
all preparatory operations are presented without reference to the crop 
which follows. In some instances where the operation is performed 
both before and after planting, as for example, fertilizing, the two are 
combined, as the crew performance is the same in both instances. 
On land which was planted to cotton or corn the previous year, the 
first operation in preparing the land for the current year crop is cutting 
stalks. The most common practice is to cut the stalks with a one-row 
stalk cutter. (See Table 3.) Sometimes a two-row stalk cutter is 
used. A few men knock the stalks down by hand with a stick, an 
average day's work being about 3§ acres. 
Plowing (flat breaking) follows cutting stalks. Land is nearly 
always plowed before planting any crop, with the exception of land 
sown by hand to oats, wheat, or rye, and sometimes cowpeas. Such 
land is given a shallow plowing after sowing to cover the seed. 
Most farmers use turnplows, but some use disk plows. One man and 
three or four mules with a turnplow do considerably more work in a 
day than the same crew with a disk plow. (See Table 4.) Land 
which may not be flat broken for the crop of the current year is usuallv 
land that was planted to some bedded crop the previous year. Suck 
land is sometimes prepared by splitting the old rows with a turnplow 
or middle burster and making a new bed by throwing two, four, or six 
furrows into the old middle. This practice saves time and labor, as it 
eliminates several operations which are necessary when land is first 
plowed. 
Broadcast harrowing is one of the operations performed before 
and after planting. With oats, wheat, or rye a disk harrow is used 
more frequently and a smoothing or spike-tooth harrow with other 
crops. (Fig. 4.) The spike-tooth harrow may be a one or a two- 
section harrow. When using a disk harrow, some men lap one-half 
each time they cross the field, which is equivalent to harrowing the 
ground twice. (See Table 5.) 
Laying off rows for planting is done with different implements. 
The most common is a shovel plow or scooter, but a middle burster 
or a home-made two-row marker is sometimes used. Checking rows 
is done only for watermelons. The rows for this crop are usuallv 
10 feet apart each way, and as the seed is planted by hand check- 
rowing is helpful. (See Table 6.) 
In preparing land for planting row crops, it is ridged up or bedded. 
This operation is performed by throwing 2, 4, and sometimes 6 fur- 
rows together with a tuniplow. In some localities bedding is done 
with a middle burster or a disk cultivator. Sometimes rebedding is 
done. The number who rebed is small and the rate of work is the 
