ARID AGRICULTURE. 215 



feet." Early cultivation kills all weeds in sight, 

 as well as great numbers that have germinated, 

 but are still under the surface. The cultivator 

 attachments should be kept sharp. A large 

 weed will catch on a dull tool and drag out the 

 beets. The beets should be cultivated every ten 

 days or two weeks until the leaves cover the 

 ground. When the leaves get so large they are 

 injured by the cultivator, the cultivation must 

 cease. In cultivating, use a slow, steady horse, 

 and for the first two cultivations have some one 

 lead the horse. The eyes of the man who has 

 hold of the cultivator handles must be on the 

 beets. The cultivator takes two rows at once. 

 It is important to get started on the rows right, 

 for the drill has sown the four rows parallel 

 with each other, each row of the four has the 

 same crook in it, and in cultivating but one row 

 of beets needs watching; if that row goes all 

 right past the cultivator, the other row being 

 parallel, is sure to. If you start in on the fourth 

 and fifth rows w r ith your cultivator you will find 

 yourself in trouble. They are not exactly par- 

 allel and you are sure to destroy parts of one or 

 both. In setting the a hoes," bring them as close 

 together as possible, without destroying the 

 beets. It is better to have the hoes for the first 

 two rows a little too far apart to give the opera- 

 tor some experience and skill in cultivating. 



After thinning, the cultivator should be kept 

 going. At intervals of ten days or two weeks 



