

SUGAR BEETS, POTATOES, ETC 289 



175. Method of irrigating sugar beets. The careful 

 leveling of the land before sowing adapts sugar beet 

 fields to the furrow method of irrigation, although either 

 furrowing or flooding may be practised. In earlier days, 

 the field ditch method of flooding was used for sugar beet 

 fields, and in California, today, many of the beet fields are 

 irrigated by the border method of flooding. By the flood- 

 ing method, serious injury often results from contact 

 between the water and the heavy leaves of the beets. 

 Especially on hot days, immediately after an irrigation, is 

 a kind of sun-scald induced by too much water on the 

 ground near the leaves. Once a crop is set back by such 

 sun-scald, it recovers slowly. This trouble is largely 

 obviated when the furrow method is employed. All hi 

 all, the furrow method of irrigation gives the most satis- 

 factory results in sugar beet culture and is rapidly dis- 

 placing the flooding method. The rows are usually about 

 3 feet apart, with the furrows half way between. If the 

 soil sub-irrigates easily, the furrow may come between 

 every other row. Cross ditches are run at the head of the 

 field and every 300 to 500 feet to intercept the water from 

 above and to supply the adjoining lower section of the 

 field. The quantity of water allowed to run down each 

 furrow is small, except when a high head is used for the 

 special purpose of covering the field quickly. As with 

 corn and the other crops already discussed, it is well hot 

 to make the rows too long. The ideal of every method of 

 irrigation is to distribute the water equally over the whole 

 field, so that each plant may receive the same quantity of 

 water. This is best accomplished by the furrow method 

 of irrigation. 



One of the main difficulties in all furrow irrigation is 

 to secure a uniform application of water in the different 

 s 



