June 15, 191S Soil Moisture and Sugar-Beet Root Louse 



247 



Table VII. — Record of rainfall at Edgar, Mont., from June 75 to Sept. jo, IQ14 



The sugar beets at Edgar were not thinned, as small beets to be used 

 for seed growing the following year were desired. This accounts for the 

 large number of beets reported upon, over 61,000 in this one experiment. 

 Two plots were so irrigated that the soil was kept fairly moist for the 

 greater part of the growing season. Water was applied June 23, July 9, 

 August 10, and September 2. Cultivations were given as follows: May 

 30, June 9, July 13, and July 27. Two alternate plots were allowed to 

 become quite dry between irrigations, but they suffered no more from 

 lack of moisture than do many sugar beets under ordinary farm practice. 

 They were irrigated on June 9 and August 10. Cultivations were given 

 on May 30, June 9, and July 13. 



Beginning on October 2 each beet was examined for root lice, as in 

 the Huntley and Bozeman experiments. Sugar analyses were made at 

 Edgar by Mr. J. F. Jarrel. 



The combined results from all plats are given in Table VIII. 



Table VIII. — Record of sugar-beet root-louse increase under different soil-moisture corim 

 ditions. Edgar irrigation experiment 



At the time of harvest the percentage of infestation was very high in 

 all plots. In the plots irrigated only twice 95.7 per cent were infested, 

 30 per cent being injuriously infested. In the plots irrigated four times 

 the total infestation was reduced to 68 per cent, and only 10 per cent 

 were injuriously infested. The wet plots show a slightly better yield in 

 sugar and a decidedly better yield in weight. 



