THINNING AND HARVESTING 177 



lower strata must be kept reasonably loose so that the soil may be 

 displaced by the expanding beet-root. This is done not by deep 

 summer cultivation, but by keeping a good surface mulch to pre- 

 vent evaporation, and the lower soil will then keep itself in good 

 condition. All flattened, or knotty, or gnarly beets show that there 

 has been slackness, either in proper depth, in preparation of the 

 ground, or in lack of cultivation afterwards, permitting deep drying 

 out. Beets which show signs of distress will be discarded or dis- 

 counted at the factory. The beet must be symmetrical, smooth and 

 fine all of which are signs of thrift in a beet as they are in a well- 

 bred animal. 



Thinning. Excellence in beets is also dependent upon each 

 having adequate soil-room and plant food. It is impossible to get 

 proper spacing by any scheme of seed dropping. It is necessary to 

 sow too thickly in order to get a uniform stand; the spacing of the 

 beets must be done afterward. By using a narrow hoe crosswise to 

 the rows, the plants can be quickly thinned to clumps or groups, 

 from which all but the strongest plant are pulled by hand. Thin- 

 ning should be begun when the seedlings are small say from two 

 to four leaves. It is easier to do it well at this stage, and it is vastly 

 better for the beets which are to stand, for it does not displace the 

 soil nor disturb their rooting, as when it is done too late. Beets 

 should stand eight to ten inches apart in the row, according to the 

 soil. Where the soil is very rich and the beets likely to overgrow 

 the two-pound average, which is most acceptable to the factory, they 

 should be allowed to stand nearer in the row. After thinning, the 

 surface cultivation must proceed for weed cutting and surface 

 loosening until the beet leaves cover the ground. The field is then 

 laid by until harvesting. 



Harvesting. As the outer leaves of the beet turn yellow and 

 drop to the ground, maturity arrives. It is usual for the factory 

 to notify the grower when his crop is ready. The beet can stand 

 long in the soil without losing sugar percentage, but the factory 

 cannot use all the beets at the moment of their readiness, and, 

 therefore, some growers have to wait for delivery until the opening 

 of the rainy season, and that is not pleasant or profitable. It is 

 desirable, therefore, that seeding should be done at different times, 

 as each kind of land in the locality comes into condition, and thus 

 prolong both the harvesting season and the factory season. 



