University of California College of Agriculture Agricultural Expariment Station Berkeley, California SEASONAL LABOR NEEDS FOR CALIFORNIA CROFS STANISLAUS COUNTY Progress Report No. 50 by R . L . Adams Preliminary — Subject to Correction March, 1937 ( Contribution from the Giannini Foundation of Agricultural Economics. Mimeographed Report No. 53 4 (Farm Labor Survey — July-December, 1936) Frogress Report No. 50 Seasonal Labor Needs for California Crops Stanislaus County Scope of Presentation . — The following considerations govern the presentation of this progress report: 1. The data are confined to the area indicated above. 2. The data are confined solely to crops, livestock needs being ignored. 3. The findings apply only to occasional or seasonal labor requirements as distinguished from labor contributed by farm operators and by workers employed on a year-round or regular basis of employment. 4. Attention is concentrated upon workers required for hand tasks -- plant- ing, thinning, weeding, hoeing, and harvesting — without including teamsters, trac- tor drivers, irrigators, and shed packers of vegetables or fruits. 5. The presentation includes the so-called migratory, transient, or roving workers which comprise an important source of help needed in connection with certain tasks and at "peak" times which seasonally arise in connection with many field, truck, and fruit crops commercially produced in California. 6. This report is confined to California's need for seasonal agricultural workers because of the more pressing problems liable to arise in connection there- with. A later study is planned which will deal with other kinds of labor involved in the production of California's many crops. Crops, Acreage, and Production .— The basis used in calculating occasional or seasonal need for labor, in addition to that furnished by farm operators and regular- ly employed xvorkers, appears as table 1. TABLE 1 Basis for Calculating Seasonal Labor Requirements Stanislaus County Crop Acreage* Production Field crops: 67,415 t 322,199 tons 1"( average 4.8 tons per acre) Alfalfa Beans 47,134 f 424,200 cwt. Cotton 730 452 bales jf Flax 1,320 Grain — barley 70, 254 t 1,357,746 bushels t oats 5,271 180,871 bushels wheat 24,796 346,201 bushels Grain hay 21,119t 35,943 tons t Pastured- Ladino clover 9,783 Sudan grass 5,178 native pasture 423,770 Rice 3,904 Silage — corn 5,842 Average 7 tons per acre Sorghums for grain 5.225 f 140,38 5 bushels f Table continued on next page. - « 4 w < Tabic 1 continued. 2. Crop Acreage* Production Sugar beets *R n Vegetable crops: Carrots — fall and winter 100** 27,500 crates Lettuce — fall 500** Average 150 crates per acre Melons — cantaloupes 2,179 326,850 crates honeydews , Pers ians , and casabas 3,598 35,980 tons tt watermelons 1,351 Average 10 tons per acre Onions — intermediate crop 400** 60,000 sacks of 50 pounds each Peas — canning 1,977** 3,954 tons spring tf Average 150 hampers per acre fall *# Average 50 hampers per acre Spinach 1,315** 7,890 tons Sweet potatoes 2,324** 290,500 crates Tomatoes — canning 2,707** 10,828 tons fall market

> 100 100 50 66 100 20 acres 20 acres 30 acres 10 acres 9 tons 6 tons 8 acres 20 acres 6.5 acres 4 tons Total of 3»5 man- hours per acre Table continued on next page. Table 2 continued. 5. Crop Beans ( cont . ) Cotton Operation Irrigating — 4 times Piling — 90 per cent of black- eye, 10 per cent of other varieties Threshing with stationary — 90 per cent of black-eye, 10 per cent of other varieties Threshing with pickup combine — 10 per cent of black-eye, 90 per cent of other varieties Hauling to town — 50 per cent of crop; other 50 per cent hauled by com- mercial truciiers Chopping Picking Time of need Per cent of work done by seasonal help April — all of acreage once Juno 15-30 — 75 per cent of acreage July 1-31 — all of acreage once, one-half of acreage twice August 1-10 — 75 per cent of acreage September 15-30 — 25 per cent of job October 1-31 — 50 per cont of job November 1-15 — 25 per cent of job September 15-30 20 per cent of job October 1-31 70 per cent of job November 1-15 — 10 per cent of job September 15-30 — 30 per cont of acreage October 1-31 — 60 per cent of acreage November 1-15 — 10 per cent of acreage September 15-30 — 30 per cent of acreage October 1-31 — 60 per cent of acreage November 1-15 — 10 per cent of acreage May 1-31 50 per cent of acreage June 1-30 — 50 per cent of acreage itobor 1-31 — 30 per cent of crop November 1-30 — 30 por cent of crop December 1-31 — 12 per cont of crop January 1-31 — 11 per cent of > i i > 10 per cent crop February 1-28 of crop March 1-15 — 7 per cont of crop 80 15 75 50 100 100 100 > 100 Output per man- day 4 acres (12-hour day) 2 acres 35 cwt . (8 -hour day) 6 acres 375 cwt. 2.5 acres 300 pounds seed cot- ton 200 pounds seed cot- ton Tablo continued on next page. A. ' " £«»a" s i i' j'nilt * !■ tiMi'iii ■■■■ i iwlifcrfi ..it . • mm i Table 2 continued. 5, Crop Operation Time of need Per cent of work done by seasonal help Output per man- day Flax Harvesting Grain — barley, oats , and wheat Grain hay Rice Silage Harvesting with combine Picking up and piling sacks Watchmen Mowing Raking Shocking Baling — 50 per cent of crop "Swathing" with push header Threshing with pickup combine Silo filling 40 per cent of 60 per cent of 40 per cent of Sorghums for grain Cutting by hand — 10 per cent of acreage Threshing with stationary thresher — 10 per cent of crop Cutting with combined har- vester — 90 per cent of acreage June 15-30 — 20 per cent of acreage July 1-31 — 40 per cent of acreage August 1-31 — 40 per cent of acreage June 1-30 — 60 per cent of acreage July 1-31 acreage June 1-30 acreage July 1-31 acreage June July August May 1-31 — all of acreage May 1-31 — all of acreage May 1-31 — all of acreage June — 50 per cent of job July — 50 per cent of job Ootober 1-31 — 60 per cent of acreage November 1-20 — 40 per cent of acreage October 1-31 — 50 per cent of acreage November 1-30 — 50 per cent of acreage September 1-30 — 15 per cent of job October 1-31 — 75 per cent of job November 1-10 — 10 per cent of job September 15-30 — 20 per cent of job October 1-31 — 75 per cent of job November 1-15 — 5 per cent of job y October 1-31 — 60 per cent of job November 1-30 — 40 per cent of job October 1-31 — 75 per cent of job November 1-15 — 25 per ce of job nt J 80 80 100 50 100 50 40 25* 66 25 50 5 acres 8 acres 500 sacks 8 acres 16 acres 20 acres 4 tons 15 acres 4 acres 5 tons 0.75 acre 50 sacks 5 acres Table continued on next page. i Table 2 continued. 7. Crop Operation Time of need For cent of work done by seasonal holp Output per man-day Vegetablo crops : Carrots Lettuce Melons Weeding Bunching — pul- ling and tying Thinning Cutting Thinning all melons Hooing all melons — two times Cultivating all melons — twice Irrigating all melons — three times Picking canta- loupes August 20-31 ~ 20 per cent of job September 1-30 — 65 per cent of job October 1-31 — 10 per cent of job November 1-15 — 5 por cent of job November 15-30 — 8 per cent of crop December 1-31 — 56 per oent of crop January 1-31 — 31 per cent of crop February 1-28 -- 5 per cent of crop ^ August — 50 por cent of job September — 50 por cent of job J November 1-30 — 60 por cent of crop December 1-31 — 40 per cent of crop January — inconsequential amount May 1-31 — 95 per cent of acreage Juno 1-30 — 5 per cent of acroago April 15-30 — 15 por cent of job May 1-31 — 45 per cent of job Juno 1-30 — 40 per cont of job April 15-30 — one-third of job May 1-31 — two-thirds of job May 1-31 — 50 per cont of job June 1-30 — 50 per cent of job July 10-31 — 63 per cont of crop August 1-31 — 27 por cent of crop September 1-30 — 6 per cont of crop October 1-15 — 4 per cent of crop > 100 ) 100 100 100 100 > 100 90 90 S ioo Total of 33 hours per acre 12 crates (of 6 dozon bunches) 0.5 acre 30 crates (packed crates) 10 acres 5 acres 10 acres (1 man, 2 horses) Requires 4 men to 30 acros 30 crates (of 68 pounds) Table continued on next page. « I Tablo 2 continued. 3. Crop Operation Time of need Per cent of work done by s easonal help Output per man-day Melons (cont.) Picking honcydews Hauling honeydews Ficking Persians Hauling Persians Picking casabas Hauling casabas Ficking water- melons July 24-31 -- 2 per cent of crop August 1-31 — 80 per cent of crop K Soptembor 1-30 — 16 per cent of crop October 1-15 — 2 per cent of crop July 24-31 -- 2 per cent of crop August 1-31 — 80 per cent of crop September 1-30 — 16 per cent of crop Octobor 1-15 — 2 per cent of crop August 1-31 — 41 por cent of crop Soptembor 1-3Q -- 43 per cent of crop October 1-31 — 16 por cent of crop August 1-31 — 41 por cent of crop September 1-30 -- 43 per cent I of crop October 1-31 — 16 per cent of crop August 1-31 — 27 per cent of crop September 1-30 — 16 per cent of crop October 1-31 — 43 per cent of crop November 1-30 — 14 per cent of crop ^ August 1-31 — 27 per cent of crop September 1-30 — 16 per cent of crop Octobor 1-31 — 43 per cent of crop November 1-30 — 14 per cent of crop July 1-31 — 20 por cent of crop August 1-31 -- 70 per cent of crop September 1-30 — 10 per cent of crop y > 100 75 100 75 100 75 100 Zh tons 5 tons 3-g- tons 5 tons 3-g- tons 5 tons 25 tons Table continuod on next page. I J . : i i ! ; i ! ■ • ' ' t ■ > - I * * Table 2 continued. 9. Crop Operation Timo of ncod Per cent of work done by seasonal help Output per ma n- day Melons (cont . ) Onions Peas mm canning market Spinach — can- ning Sweet potatoes Hauling water- melons Sotting plants by hand Weeding — twice Fulling, clipping tops and roots, and sacking Harvesting with vincrs Hoeing Picking — spring crop (85 per cent of total) fall crop (15 per cent of total) Harvesting — picking up and crat ing Tl anting Harvesting — picking up and piling July 1-31 -- 20 per cont of crop August 1-31 — 70 per cont of crop September 1-30 — 10 per cont of crop December 1-31 — two-thirds of acroago January 1-15 — one-third of acreage February — all of acreage March 25-31 — 5 per cent of crop April 1-30 -- 30 per cent of crop May 1-31 — 30 per cent of crop June 1-30 — 35 por cent of crop April 25-30 — 25 per cent of crop May 1-15 — 75 por cent of crop February 1-28 — 50 por cent of job March 1-31 — 50 per cont of job April 1-30 -- two-thirds of job May 1-15 — ono-third of job October 15-31 — 50 per cent of job November 1-15 — 50 por cent of job March 20-31 — 50 per cent of" crop April 1-20 — 50 per cent of crop May 1-31 — all of acroago Soptcmber 1-30 — one-third of crop October 1-31 — ono-third of crop November 1-30 — ono-third of crop j 75 100 100 100 75 100 100 100 100 33 50 8 tons 0.14 aero Total of ( man- days por acre 15 cwt. 0.5 acre Total of rig man- days por aero 10 hampers 8 hampors 2 tons (in 6 hours) 0.6 acre 0.15 acre Table continued on next page. Tabic 2 continued. 10 Crop Tomatoes — can- ning (mostly pear- shaped variety- Operation Fruit and nut crops Almonds Apricots Transplanting in bods — 1,200 plants per acre, plus 20 por cent for replants Planting in fields Hoeing — twice Picking for can- ning Knocking Hulling Pruning Thinning — 25 por cent of acreage Fi eking Cutting for dry- ing Other dry-yard labor Time of need Por cent of work done by seasonal he lp February 15-28 — all of Job April 15-30) May 1-15 ) with rogular help May — two-thirds of acreage ^ June — two-thirds of acreage > July — two-thirds of acreage _J August 6-31 -- 15 per cent of crop September 1-30 — 45 por cent of crop October 1-31 — 40 por cent of crop s November — inconsequential amount 25 per cent of — 75 por cent 25 per cent of - 75 per cent one-third of one-third of August 10-31 - acreage September 1-30 of acreage August 10-31 - acreage September 1-30 of acreage October 1-31 - acroago November 1-30 acreage December 1-31 — onc-thi acreage April 15-30 -- 50 per cent of job May 1-15 — 50 per cent of job Juno 15-30 — 50 por cent of job July 1-15 — 50 per cent of job June 15-30 -- 50 por cent of job July 1-15 job June 15-30 — 50 per cent of lird of y 80 100 100 50 90 90 50 per cent of JOD July 1-15 job 50 per cent of 100 100 90 Output por man-day 4,000 plants 1.0 acre 1 ton 0.4 acre 400 pounds (8 hours) 0.25 acre 0.2 acre 1,250 pounds 750 pounds 11 man- hours per fresh ton t Table continued on next page ; Table 2 continued. 11. Crop Figs Grapes Operation Ticking and pack- ing for shipping — Calimyrna and first crop Mission Picking Kadotas for canning Picking up for drying — Mission and Calimyrna Drying and sort- ing Calimyrnas Drying and sort- ing Mission variety Pruning — Thompson seed- less variety Tying — Thompson seedless Time of need Per cent of vrork done by seasonal holt July 15-31 — 25 per cent of job August 1-31 — 15 per cent of job September 1-30 — 55 per cent of job October 1-5 — 5 por cent of job f August 20-31 — 20 per cent of job September 1-30 — 60 per cont of job October 1-31 — 20 por cent of job < August 15-31 — 25 per cent of job September 1-30 — 50 per cent of job October 1-15 — 25 per cent of job August 15-31 — 25 por cent of job September 1-30 — 50 per cent of job October 1-15 — 25 per cent of job > August 15-31 — 25 per cent of job September 1-30 — 50 por cont of job October 1-15 — 25 per cont of job December 1-31 — 10 per cent of acreage January 1-31 — 40 per cent of acreage February 1-28 — 40 per cent of acreage March 1-15 — 10 per cent of acreage December 1-31 — 10 per cent of acreage January 1-31 — 40 per cent of acreage February 1-28 -- 40 per oent of acreage March 1-15 — 10 per cent of acreage / ) > > 100 100 100 90 90 80 80 Output per man- day 150 pounds 400 pounds 900 pounds 50 hours por dry ton 20 hours per dry ton 0.25 acre (= 150 vines) 2.5 acres Table continued on next page, * Table 2 c ontinued. 12. Crop Grapes (cont . ) Peaches — all varie- ties Operation Pruning — other varieties Picking table grapes for ship- ment — includ- ing field pack- ing Fi eking wine grapes for ship- ment I i eking for win- eries and dehy- dratorst" — in- cluding natural rais ins Pruning — all varieties Time of need Per cent of work done by seaso nal h eir 10 per cent December 1-31 of acreage January 1-31 — 40 per cent of acreage February 1-28 — 40 per cent of acreage March 1-15 — 10 per cent of acreage August 15-31 -- 12 per cent of job September 1-30 — 25 per cent of job October 1-31 — 30 per cent of job November 1-30 — 33 per cent of job ^ September 1-30 — 24 per cent of job October 1-31 — 73 per cent of job November 1-30 — 3 per cent of job ; September 15-30 — 48 per cent of crop October 1-31 — 48 per cent of crop November 1-10 — 4 per cent of crop December 1-31 — one-third of acreage January 1-31 — one-third of acreage February 1-28 — one-third of acreage Brush largely disked under -- no seasonal labor Thinning by hand — all varietie Ficking and sort- ing clingstones > Cutting for dry- ing clingstones Other dry-yard labor — cling- stones May 1-31 -- two-thirds of acreage June 1-15 - - one-third of acreage August 1-31 two-thirds of crop September 1 -15 — one-third of crop August 1-31 two-thirds of crop September 1 -15 — one-third of crop August 1-31 two-thirds of crop September 1 -15 — one-third of crop 80 100 100 90 90 100 100 100 75 Output per man- dny 0.66 acre (300 vines) 20 lugs (=560 pounds) 100 lugs (=2,600 pounds) 1.75 tons 0.25 acre 0.2 acre 3,000 pounds 800 pounds ll|r man- hours per fresh ton t Table continued on next page, Table 2 continued. 13. Per cent of Crop Operation Time of need work done by seasonal help Output per man- day Peaches Ficking for ship- June 24-30 — 2 per cent of ( cont . ) ment — free- stones crop July 1-31 -- 23 per cent of crop / 100 2,000 August 1-31 -- 67 per cent of pounds crop September 1-30 — 8 per cent of crop -J Picking for dry- August 1-31 -- all of job 100 3,000 ing freestones pounds Cutting for dry- August 1-31 -- all of job J.00 2,000 ing freestones pounds Other dry-yard August 1-31 — 90 per cent of ij/o man- work — free- job I 75 r stones September 1-7 — 10 per cent of job hours per fresh ton t Picking for can- August 15-31 — all of job 100 3,000 ning freestones pounds — mostly Lovell variety Walnuts Harvesting — knocking off, August 15-31 — 5 per cent of "* crop picking up, and hulling jf September 1-30 — 35 per cent of crop October 1-31 -- 50 per cent of crop November 1-15 — 10 per cent of crop / S i oo / J. WW 1 POO -nniinHc! * A large part of the work in silo filling is done by exchange of help be- tween farmers. t From Christie, A. W* and L« C. Barnard. The principles and practice of sun- drying fruit. California Agr. Exp. Sta. Bui. 388:40-60. 1925. t Tonnage of natural raisins is small. Only about 2 per cent of Thompson crop used for this purpose. About 80 per cent of Thompson crop dehydrated. r Table 3 continued ■ 111 it tmi+ r\ c v> uu ipu l ptr rvc qUx TO u HVclX?. DX Q Required number of \J I U|J — I1LI 0 — OA m H n tr fTlO ll — UtLj ds.y s workers* u May unionb. ruiimg, CLipping oops ana rooxs , ( cont • ) dna ScLCKing o nnn y , uuu cw x . 15 cwt . oUU C9 n a Ppnq __ fflnrii ki£t* Kfi yvp q+ t k» cr u/i th vi ^ptq I O CX O WGkJ Ji IX I J f<. • UCil VCo t J.U^ Wl til V 1I1C1 o 1 TIP M f 1 VT- c f 1 , lit aL I L. o 1 w ■ «J cLOI C P PPA 1 P lob Virom 1-loj Swppt nntfltnp*?* Plftn+irtcr *J W C O O J^U UO.I/UCO • i XClil bXIig 7A7 of^v^oa £ t u 1 dux cb T U * O dol c 1 PRO X , cou P^ J. , OUU cxuX CO 1 O o v c x, • U cXOI c X , OUU cc cu Anri f*o+ q * Thi mni na npi lbUOo. XilXIiIlXIl£4 AIR £1 V»0 C" II O <1 /» Y» *1 o , uyu 1 p ^ i rom x-lb ; Peaches: Thinning U ( J F o cl u I C o O 5 Q /* V»0 TtT BOO Oi , O jU PR 1 , Raking pa nnn aprpQ^ CU , UUU QUI C o 1 C\j dtl fc; fc» X , uuu PA CO Shocking PA HOD acjipi;4 CO , UUU CLuX Co ' O « %J dLxc S PA CO 154 Hauling and stacking P7 ^A tnntjt C / , i— ' U i UUIIO 1 A O t nn q '-k ■ U lullb A R^A D , Ou*i PA cO , p v»Xr0 '■ •. : . \ . - - i ! ; > V « o Table 3 continued. Output per Required Available Required number of Month Crop and task Size of task man -day man- days days workers* June Peaches: Thinning 3,189 acres 0.2 acre 15,945 13 1,227 (from 15-30) (cont . J Picking freestones for shipment 30 tons 2,000 pounds 30 5 6 (from 24-30) 96 , 784 26 3,723 man-months-^ July- Alfalfa — commercial production: Mowing with tractor 4,167 acres 20 acres 209 26 9 Raking 4,167 acres 20 acres 209 26 9 Shocking with rake 2,088 acres 30 acres 70 26 3 Trimming 2,088 acre^ 10 acres 209 26 9 Baling with portable presses 1,667 tons 9 tons 186 26 8 Baling with pickup presses 1,667 tons 6 tons 278 26 11 Alfalfa --on dairy farms: Mowing 26,000 acresT 8 acres 3,250 26 125 Raking 26,000 acresf 20 acres 1 , 300 26 50 Shocking 26,000 acresf 6.5 acres 4,000 26 154 Hauling and stacking 27,334 tonsf 4.0 tons 6,834 26 263 Beans: Hoeing 47,134 acres 7 1 8,249 26 318 Irrigating 56,560 acresf a r\ it 4.0 acres 1 14,140 26 544 Flax: Harvesting 422 acres ♦ 5.0 acres 85 26 4 Grain: Harvesting 32,103 acres f 8.0 acres 4,013 26 155 Picking up and piling sacks 31o,400 sacks 500 sacks 631 26 25 Grain hay: Baling 8,985 acres 4.0 acres 2, 247 26 87 Melons: Picking cantaloupes 205,915 crates 30 crates 6,864 17 404 (from 10-31) Picking honeydews 396 tons 3.5 tons 114 6 19 (from 24-31) Hauling honeydews 297 tonsf 5.0 tons 60 6 10 (from 24-31) Picking watermelons 2,70 • « • - • . Table 3 continued. J. 1U1C o LUIil/lilUCU- Out nut npr Reoui red Available Required number of rviontn orOp a-nu XeLSiC Si 7P nf +fic:V man- dav man— days days workers* August reacnes. riCKing anc sorting cxing&wjneb 3 000 noundq u j UUU UvUIlUO 26 667 26 1,026 ( cent . ; ouxting ciingst-ones ioi drying ftnn nnund9 UUU UUUUUO 25 000 26 962 Other dry-yard labor (clingstones) 7,500 tonsT Q COR 0 , oca 332 Picking freestones for shipment 1,005 tons 2,000 pounds 1 , UUD do 39 Jrl O-KXIlg 1 I CCO LUUco iUI 111 j ± HQ 8 000 tons 3,000 pounds 5,334 26 206 ouxxmg i rees tones i or arying ? nnfi noundq 8,000 26 306 utnsr ury— ydrci ictuur ^nccoiuncb j s Ann t one? #= * » 6,210 26 239 (from 15-31) riCKing i or canning a nnn tnn«? 3 000 Dounds 2, 667 13 206 VidlllUlbi nctiVCotXIlg 103 716 Dounds 200 pounds 519 13 40 (from 15-31) 137 ,647 26 5, 295 man- months sf ill f a1 f fi — — fnmmpr/»i a T nrfi Hiif*Tinri* Mown Tiff nil all a *~ — OU IIIIUC I u X CXX |>I UUUU UlUIli mu w liig witn trdcior *I ■ X v 1 CJ- O 1 WO 20 acres 209 26 9 [3 Q 1^ 1 Vl naKing 4) 1U 1 CL1_/ 1 C u ?n a(rrps 209 26 9 OuUl Allig Wl III I aAc 2 088 acres 30 acres 70 26 3 i rimmi ng ? Dfi8 fLfrpq 1 n acre s 209 26 Q •7 oaiing witn porxcLDie prcbdcb X , UU f lUIlo 9 tons 186 26 0 Da.lJ.Ilg Wl tn piL.i\Up pi cooco 1 fi67 tonq X j XX W X\ X 1 if-. V^ 1 d. 1 1 1/ U>X v L/ l^r kj 19,611 crates 30 crates 654 26 26 Picking honeydews 3,166 tons 3.5 tons 905 26 35 Hauling honeydews 2,375 tons* 5.0 tons 475 26 IS Picking Persians 5,105 tons 3.5 tons 1,459 26 57 Hauling Persians 3,829 tons* 5.0 tons 766 26 30 Picking casabas 691 tons 3.5 tons 198 26 8 Table continued on next page. o " ; - ' -. - ■ ■ ■ - - ; ■ . 1 \ : • ■-: : • •••• . - - • \ • - . ; \ ■ ■ . . . i • ••. • v ; • •: j "• --' • . -i . V ; .. . i * ' • .;■•?.. . *" 1 ; ' • ■ - ■ ' ' . . : . : - •■ • \ 1 1 di ... - . -•. - .'. ! .' '.' ' .1 . V. -V vH -.. ■ j ■ ' - % \ - i t ' ; ' - .... i ' s i i * • " - -• r ■- - ~t " *f'*T.T." ■ i.. ..—»■.■ ..j.jii.i — m MatMpgH • v m ■ % t • Table 3 continued. uutpux. per ne qui r<; a Availabl e Required number of mUIl III wl Up cLilu oucA iTla-n— ucty rna.n— uciy s days .'orkers* September Melons (cont . ) ( cont . ) Hauling casabas 5ib tons t 5.0 tons 104 26 4 Picking watermelons 1,301 tons cio .u tons c c do 3 Hauling watermelons 1,013 tonst 8.0 tons lc;7 26 5 Sweet potatoes: Harvesting 387 acres T 0.15 acre 2 , DOO 26 100 Tomatoes: Picking for canning 4,873 tons 1.0 ton 4, 873 26 188 Almonds: Knocking 1,902 acresT 0.4 acre 4, 755 26 183 Hull ing 4 , 600 acres T 8 acres 1 , 950 12 163 (from 1-15 ) Raking 15 , 600 acres r 20 acres n r\ r\ 780 12 65 (from 1-15) onocKing lt> | boo acres t 6.5 acres d ,400 1-c 200 (from 1-15) Hauling and stacking 16 , 400 tons > 4.0 tons 4, 100 12 342 (from 1-15) Beans: Piling 1 ,U2o acres t 2.0 acres 513 12 43 (from 1-15) Threshing with stationary machine lo,45o cwt.r 35 cwt . 12 (from 1-15) Threshing with pickup combine yyo acres r 6 acres 12 (from 1-15) Hauling to town 21,210 cwt. 375 cwt. r- ri 57 12 5 (from 1-15) Cotton: Picking 182,500 pounds T 300 pounds 609 23 27 Rice: Swathing with push header /ol acres T 15 acres 53 15 4 (from 1-20) Threshing with pickup combine /ol acres * 4 acres 196 23 9 oiiage. oixo lining 1,022 tons T 5 tons 205 8 26 (from 1-10) Sorghum for grain: Cutting by hand 17 acres ♦ 0.75 acre 23 12 2 (from 1-15) Threshing with stationary machine 700 sacks T 50 sacks 14 23 1 Harvesting with combine CQO ■ mi mm ■ ii 588 acres^ 5 acres 118 12 10 (from 1-15) Q v» v» r\ + *■» • HI tr± r\ J ■? n » L/2.rroi.s . weeui ng 100 acres 17 12 2 (from 1-15) Duncning d , • \ . - * - • ? . > . ... ■ * j \ I - - s v ■ t > i I f * Q 1 1 •■■%» * ■ i ; I ■« " It* ■y .' l m- : -:v-?rTT$ r J • 0 r. * * Table 3 continued . Output per Required Available nec^i^^-ci nuniDcr ui Month Croo and task Size of task man- day man- days days JvUl t\ C I o December Cotton: Picking 82,500 pounds"? 300 pounds 275 ?o J. 4 Carrots: Bunching 15,400 crates 12 crates 1 , 284 ?n Lettuce: Cutting 30,000 crates 30 crates 1 ,000 du DU Onions: Setting 266 acres 0.14 acre 1,900 20 95 Apricots: Pruning 1,647 acres ^ U.eib acre O , DOO 20 330 Grapes: Pruning (Thompsons) 400 acres ^ 0.25 acre 1,600 20 60 Tying (Thompsons) 400 acres ^ 2.5 acres 160 20 8 Pruning (other varieties) 1,100 acres-f 0.66 acre 1,667 20 84 Peaches: Pruning 2,870 acres + C.25 acre 11,480 20 574 25.954 20 1,298 man-months-*^ * On a monthly basis unless otherwise noted. T Seed cotton — for October and November, it is estimated that it takes 1,350 pounds of seed cotton to make a bale. After the frost, that is, during December, January, February, and March, this figure is estimated to be 1,500 pounds . $ Portion of job done by seasonal workers. jf It should be noted that this figure, rather than representing the number of workers required, represents the num- ber of man-months of seasonal labor required, and is derived by dividing the total number of man-days by the total number of days available for work during the month. «p Rate of work for 6-hour day. || Rate of work for 12-hour day. ** Dry-yard labor, other than cuttings, estimated to be as follows: Apricots - 11 man-hours per fresh ton Peaches - 11.5 man-hours per fresh ton T T Hoeing beans requires a total of approximately 3.5 man-hours per acre August . one-half in July, and one-half in Table continued on next page, t\3 Table 3 continued. fi It is estimated that a total of 33 man-hours is required to weed an acre of carrots -- 20 per cent in August, per cent in September, 10 per cent in October, and 5 per cent in November. jfrflt is estimated that a total of 35 man-hours per dry ton was required to handle these figs, allowance being m for the varying requirements of the two varieties. to TABLE 4 26. Summary of Seasonal Labor Needs by Months Stanislaus County 1935 Required man-days Available Required man-months Month of seasonal labor days of seasonal labor January 27,231 20 1,362 February 27,980 22 1,272 March 5,74'0 22 261 April 26,609 23 1,157 May 64,184 25 2,568 June 96 , 784 26 3,723 July 99,781 26 3,838 August 137,647 26 5,295 September 105,552 26 4,060 October 87,441 25 3,498 November 28,495 23 1,239 December 25,954 20 1,298 Total 733,398 29,571 Notes Notes on Table 2 . — Data concerning "time of need" as shown in this table break down required seasonal labor into the period in which the work is performed in order to permit a subsequent determination of labor needs by months (table 3). Some operations are performed only to a limited extent with seasonal labor. For instance, only about 80 per cent of the labor in combining grain is done by seasonal workers. When a job extends over several different months, the proportionate amount for each month is shown. The amount of work done each month is based on the cropping system followed during 1935. The allotting of amounts of work is based on findings concerning local farm practices, and required time to "make" a crop resulting from inquiry of produ- cers, and records of carlot shipments, the latter proving helpful in "fixing dates of planting and of subsequent tasks involved in producing certain crops. Proportionate amounts of output harvested each month were determined from data of local practices with respect to harvesting, and from carlot shipments of perishable products. Rec- ords of truck shipments were also used when available. Notes on Table 3 .— Table 3 is the condensed summary of labor needs as worked out for Stanislaus County as a result of findings pertinent to 1935. The data are presented by months with the tasks which were performed in each month indicated by both crop and task. The size of the job was calculated from the data appearing in table 1 (acreage and production) and table 2 (task, time of performance, and percent- age of work pertinent to a given month). The output per man-day was calculated as incidated in the foreword presenting table 3. The number of required man-days is a result of dividing the size of task by output per man-day. The available days for the different tasks involve two variables. The first is the number of days when field work is possible because of favorable weather conditions. The basis for this column was determined from a study of the monthly weather charts of the United States Weather Bureau for the years 1933, 1934, and 1935. These data indicated available days per month as follows (based on a 26-day working month without allowance for holidays): . :. - ■ » . i, . - f\ n I r«r> n( 1 nrl M^l J » t • i i e 27. Available Length of Available Length of Month days work day Month days work day hours hours January 20 • 9 July 26 10 r e uruary 00 y August 26 10 March 22 10 September 26 10 April 23 10 October 25 10 May 25 10 November 23 9 June 26 10 December 20 9 Source of data: Based on precipitation records of the Modesto station of the United States Weather Bureau for the years 1933, 1934, and 1935 . The second factor influencing the number of available days was the size of the job. If the output was only a few cars, then the number of days was limited to the time needed to get out those cars efficiently. If a field operation had to be per- formed in a period less than the number of available days in the month, then the specific number of days was noted. These restrictions are shown in parentheses. For example, in July, picking apricots was limited to the first half of the month, pick- ing cantaloupes to the last twenty days, etc. The totals of table 3 show the total required man-days of needed seasonal labor, the available days for field work during the month, and the necessary number of men (as defined in the opening paragraph of table 3) required on a monthly basis to care for the tasks ordinarily performed by seasonal workers. In an area such as Stanislaus County, involving a variety of annual crops, the findings as set forth in this report are bound to fluctuate materially from year to year, because of the market outlook upon what and how much acreage is planted, and when it is planted; because of variable seasonal conditions affecting yields, time of performing operations, and available days; and because of harvesting operations on certain crops being speeded up to supply a good market, or retarded to avoid a poor one, resulting in marked variations in the need for harvest labor. • »