444 



Bulletin i66. 



would alwa^'S give the best yield. The conditions as determined 

 by soil, rainfall, previous treatment of land, etc., would all need 

 to be considered. This experiment will be continued to learn if 

 more definite data can be obtained. 



Effect of bunching and thinning at various periods of growth. — 

 It is usually recommended that beets be thinned at about the 

 time the second pair of leaves appear. It is found in practice 

 that it frequently is impossible to thin the beets at the time 

 recommended. The experiment was undertaken to learn if it is 

 important that beets be thinned at a certain time in their growth 

 or if considerable range in time may be taken. The variety of 

 beets grown was Kleinwanzlebener,and the plat selected was No. 

 39 of the permanent series of plats. The following table shows 

 the results : 



Plat No. 



Date 

 planted. 



May II 



No. of 

 Date cul- 



thinned. tures. 



June 3 



39 

 ist Divi- 



sion .... ; 



39 Ma}- II June lo 



2nd Divi- 

 sion . . . . i I 



39 May ii Ijune 17 



3rd Divi- 

 sion .... 



6 

 6 

 6 



Per ct. 



of 

 sugar 



in 

 juice. 



16.80 



16.35 



A study of the above table shows that the yield per acre was 

 considerably more where the thinning was delayed until the beets 

 had made considerable growth. This indicates that where con- 

 ditions are favorable considerable range may be taken as to time 

 of thinning. With the weather cool and the soil moist thinning 

 may safely be done when the beets have attained a height of 

 three to four inches. However, thinning is such a slow process 

 that it would better be commenced on time, viz., when the second 

 pair of leaves appear the plants should at least be bunched. The 

 bunches may then safely be allowed to remain for a week or ten 

 days before the beets are thinned to a stand of one beet in a place. 

 If one could always be certain that the weather would be cool 



