SEED AND PLANT DISTRIBUTION. 69 



( 'ulture.- While sugar beets can be successsully grown on a variety 

 of soils, it is usually considered that they thrive best on a rich, sandy 

 loam, having uniform surface and subsoil. The soil should be deep, 

 with moderately porous subsoil, and either naturally or artificially 

 drained. A good crop can not be grown on shallow soil having a hard, 

 impenetrable or water-soaked subsoil. A soil that will grow a good 

 crop of corn or potatoes is well adapted for beet culture. Well-rotted 

 manure, phosphates, and potash may be freely vised, but Chile salt- 

 peter, if used at all, should be used sparingly. The proper prepara- 

 tion of the soil is a prerequisite to successful growing. The ground 

 should be fall plowed to a depth of '.» or 1<» inches, and subsoiled 5 or 6 

 inches more. The surface should be thoroughly pulverized by disk- 

 ing and harrowing as soon as the frost is out of the ground. After 

 the weeds have a good start, the ground should lie again harrowed to 

 destroy them, and finally harrowed the day before seeding. The seed 

 should be evenly planted in rows 18 inches apart, as early in the spring- 

 as the season will permit. If a drill is used. L5 to 20 pounds of seed 

 are required to sow one acre, while 10 to 15 pounds are sufficient if 

 sown by hand. Cover the seed to a depth of one-half to 1£ inches, 

 according to the condition of the soil and the season. To keep weeds 

 from getting a foothold and the surface loose, cultivation should begin 

 as soon as the seeds have sprouted sufficiently to show the rows and 

 continued as long as it is possible to do so without breaking the lower 

 leaves. Thinning should be done as soon as the plants have four well- 

 formed leaves. This can be most easily done by bunching with a 

 6-inch hoe, leaving a group of plants every to 10 inches. Thin to 

 one plant to each group, using care always to leave the strongest and 

 healthiest plant, even though the plants are at somewhat irregular 

 distances. Give a thorough hoeing at the time of thinning. 



It is difficult to give general directions for raising sugar beets, as 

 local conditions of soil and climate often make general rides impractic- 

 able, when the individual grower must meet conditions peculiar to his 

 particular locality. — J. E. W. Tracy. 



Attention is again called to the desirability of a report on this seed. 

 The beets raised from this seed should be hauled to the factory in a 

 separate load from beets grown from any other seed, and a separate 

 test for sugar content and purity should be made. If persons receiv- 

 ing this seed will send to the undersigned a postal card stating that 

 they are willing to fill out a report, a blank form will be forwarded 

 to them. 



A. J. Pieters, 

 Seed and Plant Introduction and Distribution,. 



