636 HORTICULTURE, FORESTRY, FLORICULTURE 



cheaper than cultivation with the hoe or 'by any hand method. It is 

 much easier and cheaper to destroy weeds when they first germinate, 

 or while they are young, than it is after they have become well estab- 

 lished in the soil. It is less expensive to cultivate in the manner above 

 described than in the one ordinarily used, which involves hoeing and 

 hand weeding. 



To the person accustomed to his 160 acres, this method of culti- 

 vation may seem impossible, but he should not plant 160 acres in 

 sugar beets unless he has a large capital and plenty of labor at hand. 

 For an ordinary farmer 10 acres is considerable. For an extensive 

 farmer 25 acres is a large tract of beets. There are farmers who can 

 successfully grow much more. The acreage should be such that it 

 can be gone over many times with the roller, harrow, and cultivator. 

 If proper attention is given at the right time and is continuous, 

 weeds can be kept in subjection with very little use of the hoe or hand 

 work. Cultivation of other crops should teach this. Good judgment 

 and carefully matured plans for the accomplishment of things in 

 the right way in the proper time is of vital importance. When such 

 judgment and such planning are contributed, beet growing resolves 

 itself into a task comparatively easy of execution. If the farmer 

 will use these methods and thin his beets at the proper time before 

 they have become too large, there can be no question of a good yield. 



When the leaves of the beets touch those of the adjoining rows 

 their shade becomes so dense that the ground ceases to dry out so 

 quickly and the weeds and grasses are overcome and smothered in 

 the race for existence. Too much insistence can not be made on 

 horse cultivation. Often growers stop cultivation at the critical time 

 for its use, claiming the soil is too dry for cultivation. This is the 

 time when it is most necessary. In fact, cultivation should be con- 

 stant. Killing weeds is not the only object; conservation of mois- 

 ture is paramount when the season is dry. Cultivators stir the sur- 

 face much deeper and more regularly than hoeing. Constant culti- 

 vation maintains a dust mulch, breaks up and covers the sources of 

 egress of the moisture, thus holding it in the soil for the plants. 

 Hand hoeing in its place is desirable, but, in this country, much of it 

 is unwise and tends to a high cost of production. A proper system 

 of horse cultivation will lead to better results, and at a lower cost. 

 No hand hoeing can ever take the place of the cultivator in conserving 

 moisture. 



A proper system of cultivation should greatly cheapen the cost 

 of production of beets and greatly increase the tonnage per acre. 

 In fact, this has been demonstrated often on the farms of successful 

 growers. It is undoubtedly true that to unwise and expensive culti- 

 vation is due most of the discouragement in sugar-beet growing wher- 

 ever it exists. It can be stated as a general rule that the best yields 

 are not accomplished with the highest cost of production. It is com- 

 mon to see yields averaging 15 to 18 tons per acre in fields along- 

 side of which are others yielding only 5 or 6 tons, the beets being 

 grown from the same seed, on the same land, but by a different 

 farmer. 



