442 



Bulletin i66, 



On plat 33 the beets were thinned in the row to distances of 

 9 inches, and on plat 34 the space left between beets in the row 

 was 6 inches, thus securing approximately the same number of 

 plants per plat. While in the early stages of growth the tillage 

 of the rows which were 24 inches apart was somewhat simplified, 

 yet on the whole the rows which were 20 inches apart were 

 easier kept clean, and after becoming somewhat familiar with 

 their cultivation no trouble was experienced. Where the land is 

 in proper condition for sugar beet growing the rows should be 

 not more than 20 inches apart. The table above shows that 

 where rows were 20 inches apart the yield per acre was two tons 

 more than where rows were 24 inches apart. All conditions were 

 alike as nearly as they can be made in field culture, and the 

 results were decidedly in favor of the close planting of rows. 



Effect of tillage on beets. — Tillage has shown such marked 

 results upon certain crops which have been experimented with 

 that it was thought wise to determine if equally marked results 

 could be obtained upon sugar beets. Plats 35 and 36 of the 

 regular series were devoted to the work. Each plat was divided 

 into three areas each of which would contain three rows of beets, 

 each row being 109 feet long. The following diagram shows 

 the arrangement of rows : 



Plat 36 was a duplicate of 35. 



