208 AEID AGRICULTURE. 



salty soils and will grow on our alkali lands. 

 Farmers generally in irrigated regions know 

 what it is to see portions of the farm becoming 

 less productive through the rise of alkali to the 

 surface. I know of no valuable crop, unless it 

 is English Rape, which will grow in as strong 

 alkali as will the sugar beet. Nor does the com- 

 mon, w r hite alkali of this region injure the beets 

 in any way, except that these salts may retard 

 or prevent the germination of the seed. If such 

 land is to be planted to beets the surface should 

 have the salts washed out so that they will not 

 be in concentrated form around the seed. Flood- 

 ing water over the land will wash off the surface 

 salt or dilute it and carry it back into the soil. 

 Then the application of a dressing of manure to 

 mix with the surface soil will help the land, pre- 

 vent the rapid rise of salt again and enable the 

 seeds to properly germinate. After the plants 

 become well established the salts will do no harm 

 if the soil can be kept in a good state of tilth. 



SUGAR BEET h e } an( j f or SU g ar beets should be prepared 



CULTURE , . 



in the fall. After the season s crop is removed, 

 manure should be applied at the rate of ten to 

 thirty loads per acre, the amount depending 

 upon how green and strong it is. Manure from 

 the sheep corrals is of the best for this purpose. 

 We are not afraid of getting the ground too rich, 

 but the danger lies in getting it too porous, thus 

 allowing it to dry out quickly, especially in the 



