THE BEET SEASON. 



215 



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 de- 

 sirable, therefore, that seeding should be done at different 

 times, as each kind of land in the locality comes into con- 

 dition, and thus prolong both the harvesting season and 

 the factory season. 



Beet harvesting is now done cheaply by means of imple- 

 ments and machines of California design and construction, 



FURROW IRRIGATION OF SUGAR BEETS IN THE 

 SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY. 



which either loosen or completely dislodge the beet. Top- 

 ping, or removing the leaves and all the green part of the 

 root grown, is done with knives, though inventors have 

 made some promising progress in machines for this work. 

 The Beet Season. As already said, the beet is an all 

 the year plant in California. Planting may be done when- 

 ever the local soil and moisture conditions warrant. Some 

 planting is done as early as February in regions of light 

 rains, and the sugar factory season opens in southern Cali- 



