FARM MANAGEMENT ON IRRIGATED FARMS 
33 
farmer for a comparatively short period, if best results are to be ob- 
tained ; many of the other crop operations can be performed over a 
longer period. According to the experience of many farmers in the 
area, potatoes, corn, and small grains depend largely for their success 
upon getting water at certain stages in their development. Some of 
the other crops are not so exacting in their demands for water at a 
particular time. Often hiring labor can be measurably avoided by 
knowing when and how to make little adjustments in crop oper- 
ations. It is therefore to the best interest of the farmer that the 
peculiarities and needs of each crop be known in order that the 
efficient use of the farm labor and water supply may be planned in 
advance. 
Table 23. 
-Crop operations usually requiring more than one man and other oper- 
ations often hired by operators of family-size farms 
Crop and operation requiring more than one man 
Potatoes: 
Picking 
Hauling to cellar 
Sorting in cellar 1 
Sugar beets (8-ton yield): 
Blocking and thinning 1 
Topping and loading 
Rutabagas (10-ton yield): 
Blocking and thinning 1 
Topping and piling 
Sacking 
Alfalfa: Stacking 1 
Small grain: 
Stacking 1 
Threshingfrom stack 1 
Corn silage (12-ton yield): Filling silo 
Crew commonly 
used 
Accom- 
plished per 
day 
Men 
Horses 
Number 
8 
2 
4 
Number 
Acres 
2% to 3 
2Hto3..._ 
8 tons 
4 
2 
Acres 
\y 2 x,o2 
\y 2 to2 
4 
3 
3 
8 
T 
lHto2 
ltoiH - 
1 tolJ-6 
17 to 20.... 
2 
4 
6 
2 
4 to 5 
17 to 20 
2 to 2M 
One-man operation 
often hired 
Dig. 
Haul to market. 
Hoe. 
Haul. 
Haul to market. 
Mow. 
Shock. 
Haul to market. 
Bind. 
Shock. 
Bind. 
1 Operator is included in crew. 
Figure 9 illustrates the variations in the seasonal limits in which 
operations for the principal crops can be performed to the best ad- 
vantage. As will be seen from the illustration, the time limits for 
some operations are considerably shorter than for others. The hay 
harvest, for instance, is limited to about two weeks, but the ruta- 
baga harvest can be extended over a two-month period. 
Operations for some crops compete for the farmer's time, as will 
be seen from a study of the same diagram. The labor requirements 
for any combination of crops can be calculated, conflicts measurably 
avoided, and the labor peaks reduced by carefully planning the 
cropping system and apportioning in advance the time to be devoted 
to different operations. When considerable spring planting is con- 
templated, much of the spring work can be avoided by plowing part 
of the land in the fall. This also helps to get spring crops in at the 
time they have the best chances for success. 
Water is the limiting factor of plant growth in most irrigation 
regions. Because the successful application of water depends so much 
upon the crops grown, the texture and topography of the land, the 
