S BULLETIN S9B, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
the earliest frost dates for Utah. The season at Idaho Falls is prob- 
ably somewhat shorter than the period indicated for the lower 
elevations. The Idaho Falls district not only has a higher elevation 
than the other two. but this area is also some distance farther north 
than Utah or Boxelder Counties. 
SOILS. 
The farms included in this study were located largely on four 
distinct soil types. Fortunately, the Bureau of Soils had classified 
considerable areas in the three districts selected for these observa- 
tions. In so far as these records are concerned, the Jordan loam is 
the most important soil type in the ftx>vo and Garland sections. 
This type has been described as loamy in character, having a depth 
of 3 feet, and being underlaid with a stiff, tenacious clay. It is 
essentially a heavy soil and requires more than an average amount 
of work to maintain the proper tilth It is well suited, however, to 
the production of sugar beets. A few records were taken on Mari- 
copa gravelly loam below Provo. Likewise a small number came 
from Malade fine sandy loam south of Garland. At Idaho Falls the 
Yakima loam is the prevailing type. This soil was built upon 
gravelly loam or water-worn gravel. It is stated that the Yakima 
loam is easily tilled, loose hi texture, and bakes very little on exposure 
after irrigation. 1 
SIZE OF FARM IN RELATION TO BEET ACREAGE. 
A few of the 1914 estimates were taken on farms producing less 
than 5 acres of beets. The enterprise records for 1915 were confined 
almost entirely to farms producing 5 or more acres of beets. It was 
felt that the man who was growing less than 5 acres of beets would 
not be prepared to give reliable information on field operations, such 
as harrowing, rolling, floating, cultivating, etc.. because the 2 or 
3 acre field does not provide sufficient area to keep the crew employed 
for any considerable length of time, hence the operator would not 
have the necessary foundation upon which to build his estimate con- 
cerning a day's work. All of the counties represented in this study 
contain a relatively large number of small farms, many of these units 
n< I planting more than 3 or 4 acres to sugar beets. A study of Table 
III will give the reader some idea as to the size of the farms in the 
four counties represented in this survey. These figures were taken 
from the Thirteenth United States Census Report. The table also 
contains a classification of the farms which were included in this 
survey. 
i This paragraph is based upon work done by U. S. Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Safe - 
Survey, Provo Area, Utah. 1903; Soil Survey. Beai Rivei Area, Ofab 1901; and Soil Survey, BtaekfooC 
Area, Idaho. 1903. 
