32 
BULLETIN 1388, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
Table 22. — Variation in labor used per acre in producing alfalfa and potatoes, 1921 
Man labor 
Horse labor 
Crop 
Man labor 
Horse labor 
Crop 
Amount 
used per 
acre 1 
Farmers 
using 
specified 
amount 
of man 
labor per 
acre 
Amount 
used per 
acre 
Farmers 
using 
specified 
amount 
of horse 
labor per 
acre 
Amount 
used per 
acre 1 
Farmers 
using 
specified 
amount 
of man 
labor per 
acre 
Amount 
used per 
acre 
Farmers 
using 
specified 
amount 
of horse 
labor per 
acre 
Alfalfa... 
Hours 
15tol9 
20 to 24 
25 to 29 
30to34 
35 to 39 
40to44 
45 to 49 
50 to 54 
55 to 59 
60 to 64 
Number 
1 
12 
19 
35 
38 
14 
9 
3 
2 
Hours 
15tol9 
20 to 24 
25 to 29 
30 to 34 
35 to 39 
40 to 44 
45 to 49 
50 to 54 
55 to 59 
60 to 65 
Number 
Potatoes . 
Hours 
40 to 59 
60 to 79 
80 to 99 
100toll9 
120 to 139 
140 to 159 
160 to 179 
180 to 199 
200 to 219 
220 to 239 
240 to 259 
Number 
1 
4 
8 
21 
28 
15 
15 
7 
3 
7 
2 
Hours 
40 to 59 
60 to 79 
80 to 99 
100 to 119 
120 to 139 
140 to 159 
160 to 179 
180 to 199 
200 to 219 
220 to 239 
240 to 259 
Number 
4 
9 
19 
34 
30 
23 
11 
3 
2 
2 
19 
26 
30 
18 
4 
6 
3 


1 
i Does not include baling alfalfa or hauling crop to market. 
A large part of the labor on some crops must be performed in a 
short period. Even though the total amount of regular labor avail- 
able during a given period is more than sufficient to meet the total 
needed by crops, it is often necessary or to the advantage of the 
farmer in this area to hire, and exchange for certain crop work. For 
instance, during the potato harvest, it is necessary to hire enough 
men to keep up with the digger. Some potato growers find it to 
their advantage to hire all the digging and picking, for the same 
reason that much of the threshing is hired in a grain-producing area. 
It is a common practice to hire or contract the blocking and thin- 
ning of sugar beets and rutabagas unless a large surplus of regular 
labor is available when these operations must be performed. Even 
though a farmer in this area has considerable regular labor available 
during the 10-day period for harvesting or for cutting of alfalfa, it 
would be a very unwise and uneconomical practice to spread the 
harvest over the entire period to avoid the hiring of extra labor. 
Alfalfa must be harvested within a very short period if the leaves are 
to be saved and good color preserved. The leaves are about equal to 
wheat bran in feeding value. 
The amount and cost of extra labor needed on certain crops is an 
important factor in the net returns from crop enterprises, especially 
when yields and prices are uncertain. Some farmers in this area 
are able to reduce considerably their cash expenses for extra labor 
by joining hay and potato-harvesting crews and in this way exchange 
for much of the extra labor needed. Table 23 shows the crop oper- 
ations which usually require more than one man and other oper- 
ations often hired by operators of family-size farms. The average 
crew used and the normal rate per day are also given. 
The best time for performing field operations should be considered 
by an irrigation farmer when he plans his crop program. His final 
results from crop enterprises are determined largely by well-per- 
formed operations, done at the right time, and the timely applica- 
tion of water. Harvesting alfalfa calls for the entire time of the 
