THE IRRIGATION AGE. 213 



i 



Of the different classes of fertilizers used the phosphate gave the best 

 results. 



Bulletin No. 67, by H.* A. Nicholson and T. L. Lyon, contains the 

 following in regard to the proper space between rows: 



"The most satisfactory results have so far been obtained by hav- 

 ing the space between the rows of beets 18 inches, with beets 8 inches 

 apart in the row. This admits of horse cultivation and yet brings the 

 plants sufficiently close together to prevent their growing too large. 

 A plan that gave very satisfactory results was to allow 18 inches be- 

 tween every fourth row and 15 inches between the others. This plan 

 admits of horse cultivation if a four-row seeder and cultivator are 

 used. Beets planted in hills 18 by 8 inches apart produced a very 

 poor yield per acre and a relatively low sugar content and purity. 

 Beets grown in 12-inch rows were unsatisfactory on account of the 

 necessarily expensive hand cultivation." 



KIND OF CULTIVATION DESIRABLE. 



'Experiments in 1899 and previous years have shown that shallow 

 cultivation* throughout the growing season is desirable. Deep culti- 

 vation dries out the soil to a greater depth and decreases the yield of 

 beets. This is true both on heavy and light soil in Nebraska. Pour 

 to five inches is deep enough to cultivate and hoe the beets." 



EFFECT OF WEEDY VS. CLEAN GROUND UPON SUGAR CONTENT. 



On the assumption that the growth of weeds in sugar beet fields, 

 aside from lessening the yields, may have a deleterious effect upon the 

 sugar content of the beets, it was determined to make some tests with 

 a view to ascertaining the extent of the injury. 



Adjoining portions in two different fields were selected for the 

 experiment, In each field a plat was allowed to run to weeds about 

 the end of July and the beets from these were compared with samples 

 taKen from the adjoining clean ground. The tests were made during 

 the first and second weeks of October and the samples consisted of 

 five average-sized beets each. 



Owing to the fact that both plats received the same treatment and 

 were kept equally clean until late in the cultivation season, it may be 

 assumed that the difference in the results obtained was not so marked 

 as might otherwise have been the case. Nevertheless, the test plainly 

 indicates that where weeds are allowed to flourish they may very 

 materially reduce the value of the beets produced. 



The fresh growth of the beets induced by the wet weather during 

 September was found to result in a rapid reduction of the percentage 

 sugar content of the beets, but the results of extensive determina- 

 tions indicate that unless the fresh growth is accompanied by buds 

 upon the crowns there seems to be no real loss of sugar the beets 



