216 ARID AGRICULTURE. 



the beets should receive two thorough hoeings. 

 A small five-inch hoe should be used, which can 

 be run between the plants the same as in spacing, 

 killing all the weeds and loosening the soil about 

 the beets. In this work the young beets should 

 not be cut or scratched with the hoe. Such cuts 

 do not heal properly and the beets are injured 

 for life. If the ground it; not too foul, the sec- 

 ond hoeing will subdue the weeds, the beets will 

 be well started and a harvest in sight, 



IRRIGATION When the beets need water, give it to them. 



Don't think they must be thirsty so the roots will 

 go after moisture and get deep into the ground. 

 They will go down, anyway, if the ground is not 

 too hard. The most of the root feeders are near 

 the surface and here is where most of the nour- 

 ishment is obtained. Beets are like alfalfa in 

 that they go deep after plant food. They stand 

 neglect better than most crops and will do much to 

 redeem themselves if given good after-treatment, 

 but it is unprofitable to allow the growth to become 

 stunted for lack of water. There are two irri- 

 gating shovel attachments for the best cultiva- 

 tors, which make furrows between the rows of 

 beets. These should be used before irrigation is 

 commenced, but the soil should not be thrown up 

 on the beets. When the beets are thus covered, 

 the yield is much less. The furrows allow the 

 water to follow along between the rows and when 

 run from three to five hours it has soaked to the 



