OTHER FARM CROPS 635 



results during the different years in the cycle of rotation and for the 

 different cycles planned. There cultivation and preparation of beet 

 fields are more like careful gardening. It is granted that this in- 

 volves some expense. The increased yield, however, and the econ- 

 omy of soil manipulation induced by its better mechanical condi- 

 tion, very much overbalance the expense. 



The cultivation of a beet crop should begin the moment the soil 

 is broken up for planting to beets. If the land is broken in the 

 fall, it should be harrowed immediately, possibly rolled. It should 

 be allowed to rest for a while, giving the weed seed time to germinate 

 and come up ; then it should be cultivated and harrowed again. |n 

 the spring after stirring it should be cultivated and harrowed several 

 times until ready for planting. After planting, it should be gone 

 over with a weeder or harrow as soon as the weeds and grass begin 

 to appear. These harrowings, etc., kill weeds, conserve the moisture, 

 and prevent the soil from baking. A cultivator should be brought 

 into requisition at the earliest possible moment, and the services of 

 the weeder or harrow continued alternately with the cultivator even 

 after the plants are up. Cultivation should be continuous from the 

 moment the beets come in sight until they become so large that it 

 is impossible to continue. After the first cultivation the horizontal 

 blades of the cultivator are replaced with elliptical blades, which 

 penetrate the soil 3 to 4 inches and loosen it, making a dust mulch 

 which conserves the moisture in the soil and promotes the growth of 

 the plant. The cultivator is usually drawn by a single horse or 

 mule, and is manipulated by a single laborer, who usually cultivates 

 two or four rows at a time. 



It can be seen that this part of the work is not particularly 

 laborious. One man and one horse can cultivate many acres of beets 

 in the course of the season. The number of cultivations given a 

 crop varies according to the exigencies of the case. If it is a dry 

 season, cultivation should be continuous in order to maintain a dust 

 mulch and conserve the moisture. If the beets are excessively weedy, 

 hand hoes should be used. The number of times the beets should be 

 hoed also varies. The crop should be kept absolutely free of weeds ; 

 the ground should be kept soft and in good condition. If the land 

 has become foul, the more hoeing the better the results. If the 

 land is fairly clean, but little hoeing will be necessary. 



To the average American farmer, accustomed to growing 160 

 acres of small gram in addition to a large acreage of corn, such an 

 outline of work as this may seem preposterous. But it is the most 

 logical method conceivable. This assertion will be indorsed by many 

 successful beet growers of this country who are accustomed to beet 

 growing in this or a similar manner. The logic of this method is that 

 the yield and superior quality of the beets will pay all this expense 

 and greatly enhance the profits besides. It must be within the experi- 

 ence of every observing farmer that a good stand of any crop is the 

 first requisite of profit at the harvest. Such a stand depends largely 

 upon a proper preparation of the seed bed. It must be just as patent to 

 him that cultivation with a harrow and cultivator is a great deal 



