284 THE FORAGE AND FIBER CROPS IN AMERICA 



mination. Where sugar beets are raised on a large scale a drill 

 sowing four rows at a time is commonly used. An ordinary 

 grain drill may be used, however. By closing the proper outlets 

 a 7x11 drill will make rows 21, 28, or 35 inches apart as desired, 

 The Ontario Agricultural College found the best temperature 

 for germination of seed to be 80 F. Yet experiments have 

 clearly demonstrated that early sowing is desirable, generally 

 earlier rather than later than maize. 



355. Distance Apart of Rows. The distance apart of the 

 rows is largely a question of the value of land and the cost of 

 labor. By placing the rows close together larger yields per acre 

 may be obtained; but by placing the rows wider apart larger 

 yields for the amount of labor involved will be secured, 

 since the labor is related to the number and length of rows 

 to be planted, thinned, hoed, and cultivated. It is customary 

 to plant sugar beets in rows of 18 to 20 inches apart when not 

 irrigated, while where irrigated it is advised to plant in double 

 rows ii inches apart with 27 inches between them for conven- 

 ience of irrigation. For mangel-wurzels, it is advised to make 

 the rows 28 to 35 inches apart. 



356. Thinning. As soon as the plants have four leaves, with 

 a hoe five or six inches wide, chop out all the plants in the row 

 except a little bunch every 6 to 10 inches as required, depending 

 on the variety, globes and tankards requiring rather greater 

 width in the row than the long varieties of mangel-wurzels. 

 The bunch of plants must next be thinned to one plant in a 

 place; otherwise small distorted roots will result. It is, also, im- 

 portant that this thinning be done promptly before they become 

 "drawn," since if the plants are checked in any way at this time, 

 the injury will be permanent. This thinning is tedious and ex- 

 pensive, and has led to attempts to crack the fruits into pieces 

 having one seed each. The United States Department of Agri- 

 culture is now breeding sugar beets with one seed in a capsule: 



