130 The Sugar-Beet in America 



which the beets on low places receive more water than 

 they need before those on the higher land have received 

 as much as they should have. Scalding of plants on the 

 lower spots, due to their being covered with water, is 

 not uncommon. Excessive slope to the land should be 

 avoided; more than five feet fall in one hundred will 

 result in considerable washing. 



Methods of irrigating beets. 



Although check and border irrigation is used in parts of 

 California and in a number of other sections to a less ex- 

 tent, most of the beets in the country are irrigated by the 

 furrow method. In a few sections sub-irrigation is prac- 

 ticed. The checks are usually rectangular in form and 

 not larger than an acre in extent ; a half acre is better. 

 The checks near the head of the ditch are filled first and 

 the water is moved from one to the other in regular order. 

 The levees are seeded with the remainder of the field, but 

 the beets planted here have less moisture than the others. 

 Care must be exercised in irrigating by this method not 

 to scald or to drown the beets. 



In furrowing out the beet field for furrow irrigation, 

 several implements are used. Each community has its 

 preference for some special implement. The main thing 

 is to be able to make a good, clean, smooth channel. 

 With the proper implement five to ten acres can be pre- 

 pared in a day by one man and team. 



The permanent field laterals should be arranged so 

 as to allow the freest preparation and cultivation of the 

 fields without interference. By making the field laterals 

 conform to the contour of the land, the water may be 



