30 
BULLETIN 814, U. S. DEPAKTMEXT OF AGRICULTUKE. 
COMPARISON OF ILLINOIS AND NEW YORK PRACTICES. 
A comparison of the sizes of implements and teams in most com- 
mon use in Illinois with those in most common use in western New 
York shows not only that larger teams and implements are in general 
use in Illinois, but that even where the implements and teams are of 
the same size one man in Illinois accomplishes more per day in nearly 
every operation than does one workman in New York. 
Data regarding their rate of doing farm work were obtained from 
farmers of seven counties in western New York in 1915, and published 
in United States Department of Agriculture Bulletin 412, " The Nor- 
mal Day r s \Vork of Farm Implements, Workmen, and Crews in 
Western New York." With regard to the section where the data were 
obtained the bulletin says: 
The farm land is somewhat rolling, but not to an extent to reduce appreciably 
the average amount of work that can be done daily. Some of the heavier soils 
of the Dunkirk series can not be plowed as rapidly as can the more loamy soils 
of the Middle West. The presence of more or less stone throughout the section 
also operates to reduce the amount of work than can be done daily with plows. 
There are no local reasons why farm implements that are drawn over the land, 
like mowers, binders, rakes, etc., should not perform as much work daily here 
as anywhere. The horses used in western New York average 1,211 pounds in 
weight. The average net day in the field in spring and summer work was found 
to be 9 hours and 38 minutes, and in haying and harvest it is 9 hours 
and 49 minutes. 
PLOWING, HARROWING, AND DISKING. 
In Table XXXII are given figures for the most common sizes of 
implements and teams used in plowing, harrowing and disking, and 
the rate of doing work with them in the western New York area, to- 
gether with similar figures for McLean County, 111. 
The daily acreages for plows in the Illinois area are averages of 
figures for spring and fall plowing from Table II to VI inclusive. 
The acreages for western New York are averages of figures for plow- 
ing on sod and plowing on stubble, as given in Bulletin 412. The 
daily acreages for the disk harrow for both areas are averages of its 
accomplishment on freshly plowed land and on well-packed land. 
Table XXXII. — Ploicing, harrowing, and disking. 
Implement. 
Walking plow 
Sulkv plow 16-inch. 
Gang plow 2S-inch. 
Tractor plow 42-inch. 
Spike-tooth harrow 20-foot. 
Disk harrow 8-foot. . 
McLean County. 111. 
Most common 
Number 
ofhorses. 
Acres per 
day. 
Western New York. 
Most 
common 
size. 
2. SO 
4.85 
8.37 
40.60 
16.50 
12-inch. . 
14-inch. . 
Number 
ofhorses. 
2S-inch. 
8-foot... 
6-foot... 
Acres per 
day. 
1.56 
2.14 
i 4.50 
13.00 
9.00 
a From Farmers' Bulletin 1004, "The Gas Tractor in Eastern Farming. 
