GROWING SUGAR BEETS. 213 



land is very light and dry. If crust forms it must be 

 broken by light harrowing or rolling. 



Cultivation. Weeds should never be allowed to get the 

 start of the young beets ; nor should the soil be allowed to 

 lock them in a hard surface. For this reason cultivation 

 should begin as soon as the rows can be seen. Very 



SUGAR BEETS IRRIGATED FOUR TIMES IN FURROWS. 



effective cultivators, or horse-hoes, have been designed by 

 California mechanics, which make is possible to work two 

 or four rows at once if the beets are in straight equi-dis- 

 tant rows. This cultivation beginning thus early, must be 

 continued at frequent intervals, for the reasons already 

 fully given in the chapter on cultivation. Cultivation is 

 absolutely essential to a good beet ; not only must moisture 

 be conserved, but the lower strata must be kept reason- 



