EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 



247 



Spring plowed land should be firmed with a cultipacker or roller and 

 harrowed immediately after plowing, and disced and harrowed at in- 

 tervals until planting time. Discing before plowing improves the bottom 

 of the furrow slice. The final fitting immediately before planting should 

 be made with a spike tooth harrow or a heavy plank drag. Intensified 

 efifort in fitting the seed bed properly will be repaid by lessening the 

 work of weed control after the crop is planted. 



Thorough fitting greatly lessens the cost of later weed control when crop is growing. 



PLANTING 



Comparatively early planting on a well worked seed bed gives best 

 results in yield and quality. Planting should be begun as early in May 

 as the seed bed can be brought into condition and becomes properly 

 warmed up. The usual planting period ranges from May 5th to 20th but 

 plantings may be made as late as early June, where early planting is 

 impossible. 



The seed is drilled with a special beet drill, either a one, two or four 

 row machine. The rows are usually from 22 to 24 inches apart and the 

 seed is drilled at the rate of from 12 to 20 pounds per acre, according 

 to the germination of the seed and the condition of the land. Rows 22 

 inches apart give highest yields on fertile soils. The average plantings 

 are at the rate of 15 pounds per acre. Care should be taken in planting 

 at a uniform depth of about one-half to three-fourths of an inch. In cases 

 where the seed bed is exceptionally dry, owing to spring droughts, plant- 

 ing somewhat deeper — to one inch — may be advisable. 



The use of a cultipacker after planting and before the beets are up, 

 is recommended for ground which has a tendency to bake or crust over. 

 In some cases it is the only means of saving the crop. The machine 



