Labor, power and machinery in corn production

Abstract

<p>Commercial corn production cannot be carried on by hand methods; it can be done only with machinery.</p> <p>Operating costs in corn production greatly depend upon the efficiency of labor, power and machinery management.</p> <p>Results obtained in a study of the use of labor, power and machinery at Ames are as follows:</p> <p>Raking and burning cornstalks before plowing in preparing a seedbed for corn required .47 man-hour of labor and .38 tractor-hour of power per acre and appeared to be largely a waste of labor and power.</p> <p>Cutting stalks with a stalk cutter before plowing required .23 hour per acre for man and tractor with no apparent benefit.</p> <p>Disking before plowing took .25 hour per acre for man and tractor and seemed to be of doubtful value.</p>