270 ' BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



inches by 30, there will be 11,616 plants per acre. At the latter 

 distance 



Each bset weighing 3 pounds would give to the acre 17 tons. 848 pounds 



It is always better that the crop should be made up of large, 

 sound'roots, than that it should consist of a greater number of 

 smaller ones, even though the weight be the same per acre. The 

 large roots require less labor from the " singling" out to the final 

 harvesting of the crop, and, indeed, until they ar"e fed out. 



Singling and Hoeing. After the plants have put forth their 

 second pair of leaves the cultivator should be run between the 

 rows, and the " bunching " should follow. This is done with a 

 hoe, cutting out twelve or fifteen inches, leaving about three 

 inches in the drill, untouched all along its length. Soon after 

 "bunching," the "singling" and weeding should be performed. 

 By " singling'" out the plants at an early period of their growth, 

 they have greater exposure to the air and light, and will sooner 

 assume a vigorous growth. After " singling " out the plants and 

 the first weeding is performed, the after labor is all accomplished 

 by the hoe and cultivator, requiring but little more labor than an 

 ordinary hoed crop. Beets require a large amount of moisture, 

 and by frequent tillage the soil will retain this necessary moisture. 

 During the first half of the season, the cultivator should be run 

 between the rows at least once a week ; twice a week would be* 

 still better, especially if the weather is dry. This work may be 

 done by a boy who can handle a cultivator and drive a horse. 

 Two hours time will cultivate an acre once over, keeping the sur- 

 face light and porous and preventing the parching effects of 

 drought. 



It has been remarked, that "a man will raise more moisture 

 with a hoe or spade in a day than he can pour on the earth, out of 

 a watering pot, in a month." If this is true, how much moisture 

 would a boy raise in two hours time, by running a cultivator 

 between the rows on an acre of beets ! The summer culture is 



