218 



ARID AGRICULTURE. 



lifts the beets in the soil, cutting or breaking off 

 the root. The beets are then pulled and thrown 

 into convenient piles, sixteen to twenty rows are 

 generally thrown together in this manner. The 

 beets are topped with corn knives, or a special 

 beet knife with a blade ten inches long. The 

 beet is taken in one hand, the top cut off with a, 

 single stroke, and then thrown into the pile. 

 With good help it will cost 50 cents a ton to do 

 this. It is important that the beet be topped 

 quickly and the "topper" should be quick and 

 hit the beet at the desired point hard enough to 

 sever the top. When topped the piles are thrown 

 together and covered with the tops to prevent 

 evaporation of the juice and as a protection from 

 frost. 



CARE OF 

 TOPS 



The top of the beet is cut off about midway 

 between the mark of the lower leaf and the crown 

 of the beet. The beet leaves should be placed in 

 small piles, two feet high by about two feet 

 broad, and left in the field to cure. When cured 

 they are hauled in and fed to cattle and sheep. 

 They are liked by cows, and containing so much 

 of the tops of the beets, are a valuable feed. If 

 the tops are hauled in and put in large piles be- 

 fore they are cured, fermentation begins and a 

 smoking, hot, rotten pile is soon the result. 



COST AND 

 PROFIT 



The expense of growing an acre of beets may 

 be estimated as follows, the farmer allowing him- 



