44 
BULLETIN 1388, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
SMALL GRAINS 
The small grains all require about the same amount of labor for 
production, therefore the particular kind to grow depends largely 
upon the relative yields and prices of each. 
Wheat is grown most commonly of all the small grains. Both 
winter and spring wheat are successfully grown. Fall seeding usu- 
ally takes place between October 1 and November 15, and spring 
seeding between March 1 and April 15. Even for spring planting, 
which is the common practice, fall plowing is advisable. The frosts 
help to break up the lumps and save considerable time and labor in 
getting the seed bed in proper condition. The crop can be sown 
earlier in the spring and better yields practically always result. 
NUMBER 
MAN LABOR 
1 
| 
5 
n - 
— 1 
■ 
MAY JUNE JULY 
AUG. SEPT. OCT. 
Fig. 18.— Distribution of labor for principal field operations on 1 acre of small grains by half-month 
periods ' 
CONDITIONS 
Yield: 40 bushels per acre. 
Equipment used 14 inches 2-way plow and 3 horses; 8-foot spike-tooth harrow and 2 horses; 8-foot drill 
and 2 horses; ditcher and 2 horses; 7-foot binder and 4 horses. 
Material requirements per acre: 1'.. bushels of seed; 4 pounds of binder twine; 17 sacks; 9 cents per 
bushel for threshing. 
From one to three irrigations are usually necessary for the small 
grains on most farms in this area, the number on an individual farm 
depending upon the type of soil and kind of grain. Delaying irri- 
gation until the plants stool, on lands which maintain a fairly suffi- 
cient moisture content early in the season, will help to establish a 
good root system and insure better yeilds, according to farmers who 
have followed this practice in the area. Oats can use more water to 
advantage than wheat. 
The Dicklow Jenkins Club varieties of wheat are most commonly 
grown. The usual rate of seeding is l}4 bushels to the acre. 
Irrigated pastures. — Until recently only a comparatively few farm- 
ers in this area have realized the possibilities of irrigated pastures. 
1 The data from which this chart was made, as well as other information on the principal field oper- 
ations for small grains, appear in the following table: 
Item 
Unit 
Plow 
Har- 
row 
Drill 
Corrugate 
Irrigate 
Cut 
Shock 
Stack 
Thresh 
from 
stack 
Times over ... 
2 
15 
1.4 
2.8 
"""id" 
1.0 
2.0 
1.4 
2.8 
Apr. 1 to 
15. 
3 
Acres per day. 
Acre 
Hour 
Hour 
2 
5 
15 
Mar. 1 to 
15. 
8 
1.2 
4.8 
7 
1.4 
Man labor per 
acre. 
Horse labor 
4.8 
May 16 to 
31: June 
1 to 15; 
July 1 to 
15. 
4 
4 
1. 
2 
per acre. 
Dates p e r- 
formed. 
Usual half- 
mon t h 
period. 
Mar. 
3 
16 to 
1. 
July 
16 to 3 
Sept. 1 to 
15. 
