lyo Bulletin 143. 



summer lead to the belief that commercial fertilizers applied on the 

 surface have a tendency, like recenly applied barn manure, to cause 

 the development of *' fingers and toes," as the ill-shnped sprangly roots 

 are called. It is reasonable to suppose that the plant finding its food 

 near the surface would throw out branches at this point. No doubt 

 th^'s tendency would be most marked in very poor soils and in dry 

 seasons. 



If the land is not plowed in the fall, then plow deeply in early spring, 

 taking care not to turn up much new soil. In the Western States 

 experience has taught that subsoil plowing in the spring is an unsafe 

 practice. If abundant rains do not come after the plowing is done, to 

 compact the soil and re-establish capillary action, the crop may suffer 

 more from drought than it will be benefited by the loosening of the 

 subsoil. It would seem that in this state there would scarcely occur a 

 season when there would not be sufficient rainfall after early plowing 

 to properly compact the soil before the dry weather of summer sets in. 

 As early in the spring as the land is fit it should be harrowed and 

 left for a week or ten days that the weeds may have a chance to 

 start, when they will be easily killed by another working. If this 

 operation can be repeated several times before seeding, the crop will 

 be kept clean during the season with much less labor. 



The seed bed should be thoroughly prepared. The subsurface 

 should be fairly well compacted; the surface fine, level and free from 

 obstructions to cultivation. It is very important that a good stand of 

 plants should be secured, and this is much facilitated by a properly 

 prepared seed bed, but just what tools to use and how much to use 

 them will depend upon the character of the soil and the season. 



Seed. — It is of prime importance that first-class seed be used. The 

 modern sugar beet is the result of a vast amount of painstaking care 

 and labor in its selection and growth, and is a highly artificial product. 

 It therefore quickly deteriorates when the conditions favorable to the 

 maintenance of its high qualities are wanting. 



In Europe the production of high class seed is relegated to skillful 

 seedsmen who have made the industry a life study. Little effort has 

 been made in America as yet for the production of seed, our supplies 

 being drawn largely from Germany and France. The matter of select- 

 ing the varieties and importing the seed is usually left in the hands of 

 factory management. There are a large number of varieties possess- 



