THE BEET SUGAR INDUSTRY. 91 



6 inches, and should then cease, as the beets are ready to lay by. Besides destroying 

 the weeds, this repeated cultivation prevents evaporation from the deeper soil, and 

 secures a good and healthy growth. Never hill the beets, as level land keeps the 

 moisture best. 



Keep the horse cultivator going whenever weeds appear, or a crust forms, until 

 the beets have grown so large as to prevent this work, when they may be " laid by." 

 In Utah and California, four cultivations and one hand hoeing, besides one spacing 

 and thinning, is all the crop requires, but in Nebraska winds and drouth may necessi- 

 tate more work on the crop. Frequent stirring to a depth of two or three inches is 

 one of the best means of preventing loss of moisture from below during a dry spell. 

 This point cannot be too carefully observed whenever a drouth threatens, and if this 

 cultivation is well and frequently done, the crop will stand quite a severe drouth 

 without much injury, if the ground was previously prepared as described on Page 83. 



Hoeing has been rendered more effective and less expensive by the use of the 

 various horse hoes and cultivators illustrated, but the use of these machines is to be 

 supplemented in the field with the hand hoe. Great care must be exercised in using 

 any cultivating machine, for if the setting up and use be not carefully looked after, 

 the weeds will not be extirpated, while whole rows of beets may be cut down. Fre- 

 quent hoeing and cultivating cannot be too highly recommended, for, as they say in 

 Germany, "sugar is hoed into the beets." In Knauer's experience (Germany) a plot 

 hoed once yielded 7 tons of beets per acre, twice gave 8 tons, three times gave 10J 

 tons, four times gave 12i tons, while a field hoed five times yielded over 13 tons of 

 dressed beets per acre, thus doubling the yield over the plot hoed only once. 



It will be seen from the foregoing that flat culture and rows is the universal rule 

 at present in America. Mr Lewis S. Ware, editor of The Sugar Beet, states in that 

 paper for January '97, illustrating a French machine for harvesting beets in hills: 

 "We have on many previous occasions urged that hill cultivation should be given a 

 fair trial ; it enables the tiller to get from beets most satisfactory results. The objec- 

 tion, evidently, is that special agricultural implements are needed. In Europe, the 

 rows on hills are either single or double; when single, the harvesting with ordinary 

 plow may give good results, but it is very much more expensive than it would be 

 with a special double row harvester. When in single rows on hills the distance be- 

 tween rows is 21|to 23i inches; when in double rows on hills the distance is 9 to 11 

 inches, while the hills are at distances which vary from 27 to 31 inches. There can 

 be no doubt as regards the yield in hill cultivation; it is equal and, in many cases, 

 is superior to flat cultivation, as the roots in growing find less resistance to overcome 

 and have their plant food within easy reach, and through the soil there is a better 

 circulation of air; furthermore, there need be no evil effects from badly drained or 

 damp soils which, under ordinary conditions, are almost worthless." 



This point is worthy the attention of American growers, though the fact that flat 

 culture and drills have thus far been universal, indicates that they are generally satis- 

 factory. One thing is certain, that hilling should not be practiced on dry and warm 

 soils, for there it can only work harm. Hilling up may be of benefit on cold and wet 

 soils, but these are properly treated by drainage. Of course if the soil gets washed 



