30 SECOND THOUSAND QUESTIONS IN AGRICULTURE 



pasture for some twenty years. It was plowed last spring, and on one 

 end of it several rows of beans were planted, under irrigation. The 

 beans grew finely, and there also appeared an enormous growth ofl 

 erodium. 



It will bother you a good deal to find the onions grown from seed 

 in land which grows such a lot of filaree (erodium). It would be easier 

 to kill down a lot of it by plowing and disking until April, and then set 

 the field with transplanted seedling onions from a seed bed which you 

 can start in February, according to the conditions of soil and weather. 

 We would prefer to put the whole piece in beans the first year and 

 keep cultivating to clean the land for a try at onions next year. Beans 

 will largely kill the weeds in their rows, which onions will not do, and 

 therefore require a lot of hand work in the rows, which is very ex- 

 pensive. If you conclude to try beans you can wait until March to plow 

 under the growth of erodium. After that disk the land to kill more 

 weeds and keep a good surface in preparation for the bean planting, 

 which must wait until after danger of frost is over, early in May. 

 Then keep down the summer growth of weeds by frequent cultivation. 

 Land which gives such a free growth of erodium will bring plenty of 

 beans without fertilizing. 



Summer-Planted Beets. 



Can I plant beets for stock food in August and make a success of 

 them if I irrigate before planting, and when could I expect to com- 

 mence to feed them? 



There is more risk in getting a good stand of beets in August than 

 earlier or later, because of the danger of high, dry heat. The beet is 

 more tender at germination than at other times. But if you wet down 

 well and plant a little deeper (if your soil is light and friable) than 

 you would in winter you ought to do well, if you get good strong seed. 

 Afterward, irrigate as may be required to keep the beet growing. Do 

 not wait for rain until the growth stops and then start it again with 

 water. You ought to have well grown beets for feeding in January. 



Growing Stock Beets. 



How early and deep would you plant beets on fairly heavy, subirri- 

 gated soil with no prospect of any surface water? And what variety 

 is best to be fed to milch cows? When could it be expected they would 

 be ready to feed if planted March 10? At harvest time, could I plow 

 them out readily? 



It will take from four to six months to get a good large stock beet 

 according to the amount of moist heat they have to grow with. On 

 moist land you can plant all the year, as the plant is little affected by 

 frost, but beet seed is rather apt to rot unless there is heat enough to 

 start it quickly. Plant thinly in drills about 2 1 /* feet apart for horse 

 cultivation using about five pounds of good seed to the acre. Take the 

 Long Red Mangel or the Yellow Tankards; they get great size and 



