34 BULLETIN 748, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
TABLE NNI.—JLabor costs. 
if 
Number Total Labor | Yield Labor 
District. of farm acresin | cost per cost per 
records. | _ beets acre, [JRE Acre I Ton 
Tons. 
CANO ie Es San a ats), REC E Caeel wAay opehe A ces 1 ea a eee 134 2,017. 65 $31. 40 9.73 $3. 23 
JAUET IE Sel aty aie eR? os ei ig Seey eis i nd Sra aN an 53 505. 79 35. 21 11. 40 3. 09 
Grandsitapids sees Pecos Se nee ce seine Sten Baetes 36 230. 53 34.19 10.16 3.36 
2.58 
Nore western ObO= ies 7 srt Ahr h da De are 97 1,524. 65 34. 02 13.17 
The labor cost is by far the largest item of expense, constituting 
over 60 per cent of the total cost of production. This item was prac- 
tically the same in the Grand Rapids and northwestern Ohio areas. 
It will be noticed, however, that the labor cost was about $4 less’ 
per acre in the Caro area than in the Alma district. This variation 
is probably due to the variation in beet acreage per farm. At Alma 
an average of 9.54 acres of beets per farm was grown; at Caro 14.51 
acres. The labor cost per acre is usually less on a large acreage than 
on a small one, on account of the more efficient employment of labor. 
In some cases the preparation for a given operation consumed as 
much time as the work itself. This is especially true on a very small 
acreage, since the time required to get the team ready and go to the 
field is as great for a small field as for a larger field of beets. 
At Caro 15.1 acres were grown per farm, and in northwestern 
Ohio 15.72 acres. The average yield in the former district was con- 
siderably smaller than in the latter, where it was necessary to handle 
more beets, and consequently more labor was required to do the work. 
Not only was the beet acreage per farm smaller at both Alma and 
Grand Rapids than at Caro, but the yields per acre were higher. 
These two factors influenced the labor cost per acre in the Alma and 
Grand Rapids areas. 
COST OF MATERIALS. 
The cost of materials includes the items of manure, fertilizer, and 
seed. The estimated value of the manure in the yard and the actual 
expenditure for seed and fertilizer are charged against the beets. 
Table X XII shows the cost per acre for each of these three items and 
the total cost of materials per acre and per ton. 
TABLE XXII.—Cost of materials. 
Num- Cost per acre. 
ber of Total 
District. farm | acresin ae. 
ea beets. | yanure. |Fertilizer.| Seed. Total. 
ords. 
OATOlE a ere ste or ay) Se 134 | 2,017. 65 $1. 90 $1.19 $2. 34 $5. 43 $0. 56 
PALIT Ee ere Pe hee eee SE ee 53 | 505.79 2.92 - 81 2.30 6. 03 -d3 
Grand Rapids=-- 2222.55. Mion es 300] 230253 2. 68 22, Zale 6. 03 09 
| 74 (8 2.28 a6 ey .29 
Northwestern Ohio. -_ 222 2__ 2.22.2 97 | 1,524. 65 
Miiad 
ee = 
