590 Report of the Department of Field Crops of the 



The teeth were fitted at the bottom with shoes about eighteen 

 inches in length and three inches deep, made from one and one-half 

 inch plank. These were fastened by cutting a notch out of the bot- 

 tom of the tooth one and one-half inches wide and about three 

 inches deep. Holes were bored through the teeth at right angles 

 to the shoes. Bolts passing through these holes and a correspond- 

 ing hole in the shoe fastened the latter and the tooth together. 

 The first plan for having the shoes work freely on the bolts as 

 •pivots was modified by nailing beveled blocks or the back of the 

 teeth just above the shoes, making them stationary. The difficulty 

 encountered in the loose shoe was that when any resistance was 

 met by the forward part, it would tip down, and in digging into 

 the soil raise the rear end out of the ground, thus throwing the 

 whole marker out of line. After this change the marker, though 

 crude, worked to our entire satisfaction, making a mark about 

 one inch deep and two inches wide, which could be followed with 

 ease by the seeder. 



After seeding six rows an unexpected and very heavy shower 

 of rain so saturated the ground that it was impossible to continue 

 the work until May 17. 



It was a mistake to completely fit the entire plat before com- 

 mencing to sow the seed, for we were obliged to again harrow 

 and roll the ground before seeding could be resumed. The only 

 safe way is to prepare the ground as needed, thus avoiding the 

 extra expense of re-working after every rainfall. 



Another mistake was made which was a source of annoyance 

 throughout the season. Because of haste to complete the seed- 

 ing as soon as possible, the small stones scattered over the plat 

 were not picked. While these did not affect the growth of the 

 beets, they were a hindrance in seeding, and, later, in the cultiva- 

 tion of the crop. It would have been economy in the end if they 

 had been removed. Any obstruction in the wpy of the seeder 

 will give it a jerky motion which will bunch the seed. The mo- 

 tion should be smooth and continuous in order to allow an even 

 distribution of seed. Later the stones interfered with hand and 

 horse cultivation and more or less with hoeing and thinning the 

 beets. 



