'LHE IRRIGATION AGE. 



zlebener, Vilmorin. and the Imperial 

 White. As there were one hundred and 

 six samples of the Kleinwanzlebener va- 

 riety out of the one hundred and twenty- 

 five recorded, no distinction is made be- 

 tween the varieties in this summary. 



The percentage of sugar in the samples 

 from the Platte valley ranged from 11.5 to 

 20.0, the coefficient of purity from 73 to 

 86, and the orop in tons from 9 to 47. 



The percentage of sugar in the samples 

 from the Divide section, growth without 

 irrigation, ranged from 11 to 18, the co- 

 efficient of purity ranged from 71 to 87 

 and the yield in tons from 9 to 22. 



The percentage of sugar in the samples 

 from the Arkansas valley ranged from 12 

 to 20 ; coefficient of purity from 73 to 86, 

 and the crop in tons from 12 to 40. 



The samples from the Grand valley 

 showed percentages of sugar ranging from 

 12 to 19, coefficients of purity ranging 

 from 74 to 86, and crops from 15 to 42 

 tons. 



The samples from the San Luis valley 

 showed percentages of sugar ranging from 

 11.5 to 17.9, coefficients of purity from 

 74.2 to 86.9. 



The time of ripening of beets in Col- 

 orado will vary, of course, but the average 

 of the samples taken between September 

 25th and October 10th is 14.1 per cent 

 sugar and 80.7 per cent purity, which is 

 an excellent grade of beet. To get the crop 

 to ripen is the principal aim of the beet 

 grower. The mort important factor in this 

 is that the beet shall be kept growing all 

 the time from the sproutiug of the seed 

 until the harvest. Some of the conditions 

 on which the ripening of the crop depends 

 are beyond the control of the grower. In 

 Colorado it is true in general that the crop 

 will not ripen until the vigor of growth has 

 been checked by frost. The best means 

 of determining whether a crop is ripe or 

 not, that is, in condition to go to the fac- 

 tory, is by means of an analysis, but a 

 good judgment can be formed by cutting a 



beet and noticing the rate at which the cut 

 surfaces darken. 



The increase in percentage of sugar and 

 coefficient of purity during ripening is- 

 about three per cent for the former and 

 about five per cent for the latter. 



Some very suggestive facts relative to 

 methods of culture were observed during 

 this year's study. Certain principles of" 

 beet growing have come to be considered 

 as essential to the production of the best 

 beets. These principles were violated by 

 most of the growers of beets this year, it 

 being their first experience, and yet they 

 obtained good results. It is said that beets 

 should never be planted on new ground. 

 This was violated with good results, giv- 

 ing, in one case, beets of 15.2 per cent 

 sugar and 82.4 per cent purity, and in an- 

 other 19.4 per cent sugar, and in others^ 

 the beets were above the average. Ground 

 which had been broken but one year gave 

 uniformly good results. So, too, in regard 

 to time of plowing and sub^oiling. All 

 writers on sugar beet culture agree that 

 beets should not be planted on ground that 

 has been recently manured. Sixteen per- 

 sons report manuring with stable manure.. 

 The crops were late in ripening, but with 

 three exceptions, the quality was good. 

 The results as a whole indicate much more 

 gain than loss from the application of 

 stable manure. 



The hardest part of beet raising is to get 

 a full stand all over the field. The poor 

 growth of the seed is due to lack of mois- 

 ture, too deep planting, and poorly pre- 

 pared ground. The lack of moisture cao 

 be overcome in two ways by irrigating 

 before or after planting the seed. The 

 latter seems to be more promising as a 

 general method. Of fifteen persons trying 

 this method, eight report having obtained 

 a thick stand, being twice as large in pro- 

 portion as those reporting a thick stand by 

 depending on rain or the original moisture 

 in the ground. 



Mr. Geo. H. West of Greeley, contri - 



