ARID AGRICULTURE. 211 



any of the weeds when it is time for the cultiva- 

 tor to start. The early planted beet gets a good 

 start and shades the ground before hot weather 

 begins. 



The seed should be sown with the regular 

 sugar beet drills, in drills 18 to 20 inches apart, 

 and 1 inch to 1% inches in depth. Spacing the 

 rows 16 inches and 24 inches apart in order to 

 furrow and irrigate between the wider alternate 

 rows is a convenience on level ground where it 

 can be applied. 



These drills sow four rows at once and have 

 two small wheels following each shoe of the 

 drill, one on either side, and about one inch 

 from the center of the shoe. These firm the soil 

 about the seed and tend to bring the moisture to 

 it, insuring an early germination. The beet 

 seed requires considerable moisture before it will 

 start, and it should never lack for moisture from 

 the time it begins growth until the crop is "laid 

 by" in August. The seed should be sown at the 

 rate of 20 pounds per acre. It is poor economy 

 to try to save seed. This amount of seed will 

 produce many more plants than are desired, but 

 it insures plants over the entire length of the 

 row, which, when thinned, should result in a 

 nearly perfect stand. 



If a crust has formed over the ground from 

 rain or irrigation, each seed which grows will 

 help the others, and all working together will 



