1917] FIELD CROPS. 741 



described as a late-maturing variety of sorghum exploited as Egyptian wheat, 

 Mexican Desert wheat corn, and under many other local names. 



The results obtained with shallu when grown under the dry-land conditions 

 of the soutliern Great Plains are cited and compared with those secured from 

 other grain sorghum varieties such as Dwarf milo maize, Dwarf Kafir corn, 

 and feterita in variety, tests in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and New Mexico. 



Owing to its late maturity (125 to 140 days) shallu is subject to injury by 

 drought and even under the most favorable dry-land conditions the yields are 

 lower than those of Kafir corn and milo maize, while in unfavorable seasons 

 it frequently fails entirely. Shallu often lodges badly and is not to be recom- 

 mended where milo maize or Kafir corn can be grov.n successfully. 



The irrigation of sugar beets, F. S. Haeris {Utah Sta. Bui. 156 {1911), pp. 

 S-24, figs. 14). — Experiments with sugar beets are reported, showing the effect 

 of different weekly irrigations and of standard 5-in. irrigations applied at cer- 

 tain periods in the growth of the plant on the yield of roots, yield of sugar, 

 percentage of sugar and purity, and size and .shape of beets. The life of the 

 sugar-beet plant was divided into the following stages: (1) Ju^ before thin- 

 ning, (2) four weeks after thinning, (3) when the beets averaged 2 in. in 

 diameter, and (4) Avheu the beets were nearly ripe. The weekly irrigations 

 consisted of applications of 1, 2.5, 5, and 7.5 in. of water, made during the 

 regular irrigation season. Tabulated data are presented for the 5-year period 

 of 1912-1916, inclusive, and the results compared graphically. 



The highest average yield of beets on plats receiving weekly irrigations was 

 secured from 1-in. applications, and amounted to 21.92 tons per acre, as com- 

 pared with a yield of 12.98 tons without irrigation. When but one irrigation 

 was given, that applied at the third stage of growth gave the highest average 

 yield, 18.92 tons per acre. Where more than one application was made the 

 highest average yield. 23.39 tons per acre, was secured from irrigations made 

 at the first, third, and fourth stages of growth. Irrigation after planting but 

 before the plants were up gave a yield of only 11.22 tons per acre. After the plants 

 were up the least desirable time for irrigation was during the fourth stage of 

 growth, when an average yield of but 15.09 tons was secured. Proportionately 

 more tops were produced by the high and late irrigations than by opposite con- 

 ditions. 



Except where the water was applied quite late, the percentage of sugar and 

 of purity was higher in the irrigated beets than in the nonirrigated. The 

 highest average percentage of sugar was secured from a weekly application of 

 2.5 in. of water and amounted to 16.32 per cent When one irrigation was given, 

 the highest average percentage, 15.73 per cent, wb.s obtained from an applica- 

 tion made in the third stage of growth, while an average of 14.5 per cent was 

 obtained from plats receiving no ii-rigation. The highest average purity was 

 secured from weekly applications of 5 in. of water and amounted to 83.9 per 

 cent, as compared with 78.4 per cent from nonirrigated plats and 83.2 per cent 

 with 2.5 in. of water weekly. 



The length of beets was not increased by delaying the time of application of 

 the first irrigation, early irrigation apparently facilitating penetration of the 

 roots into the soil. The average length of root from the nonirrigated plats was 

 10.6 in., while the longest roots were secured from the plats receiving applica- 

 tions of water during the first three stages of growth, and averaged 11.7 in. 

 Weekly applications of 1 in. of water gave roots with an average length of 

 11.5 in. 



Irrigation affected the size of the beets in about the same manner that It 

 affected total shield. The highest average weight, 2 lbs., vras secured from plats 

 receiving 1 in. of water weekly, as compared with an average weight of 1.09 lbs. 



