392 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE 



classod as loam or clay loam as the best for the production of sii<j;ar 

 beets. 



Tliere are certain low land soils frequently classed as muck but 

 which are so tlioroughly mixed with alluvial soil, or on which the sub- 

 soil is very near the surface, where suj^ar beets will <ijrow, i'ivin<>- a ])(;r- 

 centaj^e of su<j;ar suilicieutly hi<>h to be profitable to the farmer as well 

 as the factory. On these soils where such favorable conditions exist 

 su^ar beets may be grown, provided the common error of growing 

 beets excessively large is avoided. Wherever the tendency is for beets 

 to grow to an enormous size, say over three pounds each, the remedy 

 is to grow them more closely together. As has been shown by numerous 

 experiments and analyses, beets weighing from one to three pounds 

 give the highest percentage of sugar. Jieets even smaller than this 

 show a very satisfactory sugar content, but below the one pound size 

 they are unprotitable to grow, owing to the greater expense in hand- 

 ling after the crop is ready to harvest. 



TOOLS. 



Fortunately, the expense for tools for growing and handling the 

 sugar beet crop is not excessive. Every well equipped farm is provided 

 with all the tools necessary in preparing the ground. The ordinary 

 grain drill has been used with marked success for sowing the seed, 

 while the cultivation of small areas has been and may be successfully 

 accomplished with such cultivators as are generally found on a farm 

 where mixed husbandry is practiced. In harvesting the crop hundreds 

 of acres are successfully and profitably managed without the expense 

 of special tools. However, for the farmer who is growing any consider- 

 able area it will be to his advantage either to purchase or hire the 

 special beet seed drill, the sugar beet cultivator, the beet lifter, and 

 a few inexpensive weeders, hoes and topping knives. The average retail 

 price for a four row beet drill is |4().()0; for a four row cultivator, 

 $25.00; for a two row cultivator, $18.00; and for the beet lifters, $10.00 

 to $13.00 a piece. Many of these tools can be owned in partnership by 

 two or more neighboring farmers, or could be rented at a nominal price. 

 In the older beet-growing districts, however, the practice of each 

 farmer owning all the tools necessary for growing his crop has become 

 quite universal. 



PREPARATION OF THE SOIL. 



Parallel in importance with the selection of the soil and securing of 

 proper seed is the preparation of the seed bed. Unlike most other crops, 

 the crop preceding the sugar beets has some influence upon the manner 

 of growth of the sugar beet. The crop grown on the ground just prior 

 to the growing of sugar beets should not be one that will leave the 

 ground covered with coarse herbage which would have a tendency to 

 modify the shape of the beets and cut off the soil moisture from below. 

 While beets have been grown successfully on corn stubble and heavy 

 sod with considerable growth of grass, this particular condition is not 

 the best. A wheat or oat or barley stubble, or even clover sod, will 

 give much better results. In the plowing and further preparation of 

 the soil the one thought should be borne in mind that the sugar beet 



