FARM CROPS. 173 



Harvesting. The time of harvesting varies a great 

 deal, depending upon the time of planting. Beets 

 planted from April to June are ready by early October, 

 and those planted in November and December should 

 be harvested in June and early July. The harvest pe- 

 riod is indicated by the appearance of the leaves, which 

 droop, turn yellow and many of them wither and die. 



The beets are harvested by loosening with a turn 

 plow, the share of which cuts off the beets at the proper 

 depth and throws them over the moldboard. Some- 

 times a digger is used which consists of two prongs that 

 run deep enough to cut the beet below the middle part. 

 This machine is only suitable when the rows are 

 straight and the beets uniform in size. The beets are 

 pulled out and the leaves removed by means of a sharp 

 knife with hand labor.* 



Turnips and Rutabagas (Swedes, or Swedish tur- 

 nips). These crops are valuable to follow some 

 early harvested crop as potatoes or tomatoes. In this 

 way they may be used as a catch crop. They are 

 sown either in the drill, 30 to 36 inches apart, or 

 broadcast. When sown in the drill, 3 to 4 pounds of 

 seed per acre will suffice, and the plants should be 

 thinned to 6 inches and well cultivated. For broad- 

 casting 4 to 6 pounds of seed are necessary. Seeds 

 should be sown about one-half to one inch deep, de- 

 pending on the amount of soil moisture. Turnips 

 grow more quickly than rutabagas, but do not yield or 

 keep so well. To combine the quick growing of the 

 turnip and the superior keeping and yielding qualities 

 of the rutabagas crosses have been made which are 

 called hybrid turnips. These crops will not stand 

 drought as well as mangels and are not able to secure 

 plant food so readily, especially phosphoric acid. Tur- 

 nips should yield about five to twenty tons per acre and 

 rutabagas ten to thirty tons. The principal varieties 

 of turnips grown for feeding are the Mammoth Pur- 

 ple Top and Improved Green Globe; hybrid turnips, 

 * Farmers' Bui. 52. 



