GROWING SUGAR BEETS IX UTAH -AND IDAHO. 17 
region to 20.2 tons per acre for the Garland farms. Provo growers 
applied an amount intermediate between these two averages. The 
original estimates were procured upon the basis of the number of 
loads applied per acre, and the operator was then asked to give the 
weight of an average load as nearly as this could be ascertained. The 
tons applied per acre were determined from these two figures. 
There was practically no difference between the Garland and the 
Provo group in the labor requirements for this operation. However, 
as has been pointed out, the rate of application varied. Viewing the 
problem from the latter standpoint, it may be stated that the Gar- 
land operators applied manure at a cost of 39 cents per ton, whereas 
the costs for Provo and Idaho Falls growers averaged 46 and 47 
cents per ton for the respective areas. There was a comparatively 
high labor cost for hauling and distributing manure in the Provo 
district during the year 1915. This was shown in the average for 
34 farm estimates, and it undoubtedly had some influence on the final 
result, which includes the findings for two seasons. It may be ex- 
plained that several of the operators in this area were located some 
distance from the beet field, and considerable time was consumed in 
moving the manure from the corral to the farm. The location of the 
beet field with reference to the farmstead was unquestionably one of 
the factors that had an important bearing upon costs. It was more 
difficult to get the relationship of other factors, such as the size of the 
crew and the method of distribution. 
PLOWING. 
The sugar beet requires a deep mellow soil. To provide this con- 
dition it is necessary to stir the surface to a depth of 8 or 9 inches. 
On the average farm the land was given only one plowing, though 
two plowings are sometimes necessary. Plowing was repeated on a 
few farms in order to bring rough or uneven land into suitable condi- 
tion for planting. In a few cases two plowings were essential in the 
preparation of alfalfa land for beets. Twelve operators in the Gar- 
land group crowned and subsequently replowed alfalfa land for 
beets. Crowning means breaking to a depth of 3 inches, which is 
just deep enough to cut the crowns of the alfalfa plants. It will be 
seen that crowning was a minor operation in this study. Sometimes 
the field was disked or harrowed immediately after breaking. When 
the alfalfa crowns had dried out completely, the soil was turned a 
second time, the plow being run at a depth of 8 to 10 inches. The 
crowning was done exclusively in the fall of the year. This opera- 
tion was performed mainly with a crew of one man and three horses, 
and the ground was plowed at the rate of 1.7 acres per day. The 
cost was $2.75 per acre for crowning alfalfa. 
55051°— 18— Bull. 693 3 
