36 
BULLETIN" 1296, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
MATERIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR CORN PRODUCTION 
From 6 to 8 pounds of seed corn are used per acre, the usual quan- 
tity being 7 pounds, or 1 bushel for every 8 acres planted. 
trom 1 to 3 pounds of twine are used per acre for binding corn, 
depending on the yield. The average quantities used in 1921 and 
1922 were 1.6 pounds and 1.8 pounds per acre, respectively. Very 
little corn was bound in 1920. Corn which yields 20 bushels per acre 
will usually require from 1 % to 2 pounds of twine per acre. 
DISTRIBUTION OF LABOR ON CORN 
The range of dates between which the principal operations on corn 
production are usually performed is shown below. The number of 
days that may ordinarily be expected to be available during the dif- 
ferent periods is also given. 
DISTRIBUTION OF MAN LABOR ON 31 ACRES OF CORN 
MAN 
HOURS 
90 
80 
50 
^0 
' 
II 
li 
1 
i 
PO 20 
io 20 
IO 20 
IO 20 
10 20 
10 20 
ro 20 
10 20 
10 20 10 20 
10 20 
10 20 
JAN. 
FEB. 
MAR. 
APR. 
MAY 
JUNE 
JULY 
AUG. 
SEPT. oct: 
NOV. 
DEC. 
Fig. 21.— The corn cultivation comes just before wheat harvest, and unless it grows too much it gets 
further attention after the wheat is in the shock. About half the corn on this farm was put into the silo 
in August. Most of the corn in this region is husked in November and early December 
Usual dates for performance of different operations in production 
of 
corn 
Operation 
Dates 
Days or- 
dinarily 
available 
for field 
work 
Apr. 25 to May 15... . . .. 
13 
Harrowing after planting ... . ... . ... . .. 
May 1 to May 31 
18 
May 20 to June 19 
18 
June 15 to July 10.. 
15 
Such seed-bed preparation as is done for corn, may come at any 
time after the completion of wheat seeding in the fall up to the time 
for planting, and it does not conflict with other farm work. The 
cutting of corn may occur after the corn is matured in the early fall; 
or weather conditions may make it necessary to cut the corn before 
the maturing of ears, in order to preserve the fodder. The date 
varies from August 1 to September 15, depending on the effect of 
weather conditions on the maturing of the crop. 
The daily distribution of man labor in the production of 31 acres 
of corn is shown in Figure 21. On this farm, only a small part of 
