GROWING SUGAR BEETS IN MICHIGAN AND OHIO. 15 
The disk harrow was not used to so great an extent in the Alma and 
Grand Rapids districts. In these two areas the work of pulverizing 
the soil was done largely by means of the spring-tooth harrow. 
Disking in all districts was done early in April. Few double-action 
disks were recorded in any section except northwestern Ohio, where 
93 were found. This type has two sets of disks, one in front of the 
other, and is so adjusted that the front set throws the dirt out while 
the rear set throws it in, leaving the ground practically level. Be- 
cause of the double row of disks the land is disked twice each time 
that the ground is gone over. 
A crew of 1 man and 4 horses was used with the double-action disk. 
A 1-man and 3-horse crew was typical for the single-action disk. 
However, a 1-man and 2-horse crew was reported on several farms. 
The width of the implement varied from 5 to 8 feet. The average 
width for all districts was about 6 feet. 
The average cost per acre was fairly uniform, with the exception 
of the Grand Rapids area, where the cost was slightly higher than 
that of the other districts (Table VI). 
TABLE VI.—Disking. 
Acres in beets per Hours of labor per 
per farm. mimes acre, Labor 
Sa cent ime ee 
pistuicl of all =| GUS, OR 
records. F : 
Total. | Disked. | Man. Horse. 
(GES HOS BIB Be ROE a a ee eee 56 16.50 15. 70 2.85 3.48 8.88 $1.51 
YN MMe Ne a La can AE 36 10.55 10. 32 1.88 2.18 5. 64 1.00 
7 Gieiacl IRE OCIS bos eckeescaseoaeooe 28 8.58 8.48 2. 60 3.50 12. 21 1.92 
Northwestern Ohio............--- 68 15.35 14. 68 2.39 2.45 Uta: 1.26 
DRAGGING. 
The principal object to be attained in the use of a planker or drag 
is to break up surface lumps. This is a homemade implement con- 
structed from planks which are lapped one upon the other forming 
a ridged undersurface. When this surface comes in contact with the 
soil it creates a grinding, pulverizing action which smooths and 
slightly compacts the soil and fills in depressions. The records indi- 
cate that it was used principally just ahead of the drill. The width 
varied from 6 to 10 feet, with an average width of approximately 8 
feet. It is a common practice to place a piece of railroad iron or 
other heavy weight on the float. Sometimes the operator rides to 
give it additional weight. 
A typical crew for this operation consisted of one man and two 
horses. Eighty-one per cent of the farmers used a crew of this size, 
16 per cent used a 1-man and 3-horse crew, and 8 per cent a 1-man 
and 4-horse crew. The average cost per acre for one operation was 
