THE BEET SUGAR INDUSTRY. 123 



June abou AaJf the crop was cut off by drifting sand, or buried out of sight; what 

 was saved y^elied about six tons to the acre. While this was a very light crop, we 

 tolt encouraged to try again. At first we did our own hoeing and thinning, but have 

 since had German- Russians to do this work ; they are by far the best and cheapest 

 labor. The following spring, we contracted to put in 40 acres. The soil is a slightly 

 sandy bottom land, jnsit sandy enough to work nicely, with a good clay subsoil. The 

 field planted in '95 had been a timothy meadow for about 12 years previous to plow- 

 ing for beets. We plo-ved six or seven inches deep, following in the fall with a sub- 

 soil plow, going to the <3epth of six inches more, stirring the soil thoroughly to the 

 depth of twelve or thirteen inches and harrow- 

 ing each day's plowing as it was done. For the 

 seed bed, the field was gonu over three or four 

 times with a disk harrow, working the top 



. "SMOOTHER" FOR BEET LAND, MADE OF A 



thoroughly ; then we took a railroad iron, put RAILROAD RAIL. 



on eight horses and went over the ground until Tllis i ev eier is 28 ft long and bent slightly 

 it was perfectly smooth. This smoothing iron 

 i* illustrated herewith and I like it better than 

 a harrow, as it packs the soil better and makes {KtS^c^eV^he^t^ #25^3 

 a splendid, fine, seedbed, without which it is above, if the curve is to the rear, tLe iron 



will dip in the middle and the ends draw up 



of but little use to plant beets. Preparation of and it win not work satisfactorily, 

 the soil is the main point; you cannot get the seedbed too good. One great thing is 

 not working the top too fine. In this preparation, most of the work can be done with 

 a disk harrow, as it does not crush all of the small clods, thus preventing blowing and 

 cutting off by the fine dirt and sand that is driven over a field that has been so thor- 

 oughly worked. Planting was begun May 1 and finished May 25. A little re-plant- 

 ing was done June 10. A good stand h?is never failed us if the ground is in perfect 

 shape at the time of planting. Planting is but little trouble, the seed being put in 

 from to f of an inch deep and covered with a moist soil. The Jewell planter was used 

 last year with good success. We never use flat shovels in cultivation, preferring the 

 goose-foot shovels, which we like much the best. Thinning is begun when the plants 

 are two inches high. We bunch thin and clean all of the small weeds out at one time 

 and are particular that this work is well done. Cultivation is kept up every week or 

 ten days as long as we can get through them; in all, about five times. 



"In 1895 the mode of work was changed but little from that of the preceding 

 year. We were a little more careful as to details. Pains are taken that all weeds 

 are killed before planting. Plant as soon as the soil is ready. Do not let it lay three 

 or four days after it is ready to plant, as the weeds get just that much of a start. We 

 think if we get our crop started right, future cultivation is easy. During the sum- 

 mer of '95, most of our crop was irrigated the latter part of July or early August. 

 Irrigation is what saved our crop from testing low, as they grew and ripened. When 

 the late rains came in the fall, they did not take on a second growth but retained 

 their ripeness and sugar. Out of 56 carloads shipped to the factory, only four loads 

 went below 12 per cent sugar and 80 per cent purity. Last year we did not irrigate, 

 but I believe it will pay as a rule. Our beets were not as good last year as in '95; 

 the early part of the season was too wet. The ground on which the '95 crop was 



