THE BEET SUGAR INDUSTRY. 149 



but rather low in sugar. The Kleinwanzlebener and the Vilmorin have been most grown 

 in this country and seem to be best adapted to our soil and conditions. 



">*(C(1iiifi For good results it is very necessary to get a good stand. Without it 

 the yield will be unsatisfactory and many of the beets, having too much room, will be 

 overgrown, resulting in a "low percentage of sugar and purity. 



"It is customary to sow about 20 Ibs of seed per acre, though if it all grows this is 

 many times more than is needed. If dry weather follows the planting, only the best of the 

 seed will germinate; if a crust is formed before the plants are up, they help one another 

 to break through, hence the chances are much better for getting a good stand with heavy 

 than with light seeding. 



"A machine that will drop with accuracy three or four seeds in a place 

 at such distances apart as experience shows is best for different soils, will 

 not only save seed, but will tend to secure an even spacing of the 

 plants in the row and greatly reduce the labor of thinning and 

 weeding. In heavy or damp soils the seed should not be covered more than one- 

 half to three-fourths of an inch; in light, dry soils one to two inches. The soil should be 

 firmed over the seed, the degree to be determined by its character, light soils requiring 

 more compacting than heavy ones. On most soils best results are obtained by planting 

 in rows from 18 to 22 inches apart. If the rows are much further apart 

 than this the beets cannot use all the space and the yield is lessened, or if a good yield 

 is secured it is by growing large beets at the expense of quality. 



"Such narrow rows, however, are difficult to cultivate except by those ^accustomed 

 to the work and having machinery especially designed for it. When the ordinary imple- 

 ments of tillage are to be used it would seem wise to allow more room for working 

 between the rows, say 24 to 27 inches, and leave the plants a little closer 

 in the rows. Those who expect to till considerable areas of beets will do well to 

 provide themselves with special seeders and cultivators. These seeders are made to sow 

 either two or four rows at a time, and they may be adjusted to sow 16, 18 or 20 inches 

 apart, spacing them very accurately. The cultivators work either two or four rows at a 

 time and are accurately adjusted to follow the seeder, the workman confining his atten- 

 tion to one row while the machinery adjusts itself to the others. Of course such a culti- 

 vator can only be used to work rows that are accurately spaced by a special seeder. 



"Those who have both the special seeders and special cultivators may find it advan- 

 tageous to adjust the machines so as to sow two rows at either side 16 to 18 inches apart 

 and leaving a space of 24 or more inches at the center in which the horse can travel 

 easily while cultivating the cultivator being adjusted the same as the seeder. 



"Tillnyc Under certain conditions of soil and weather a weeder can be used with 

 very great satisfaction for the first working of the land after seeding, but those condi- 

 tions are not always present. Should a heavy rain cause a crust to be formed and the soil 

 again get dry enough to work before the seeds have thrown out many sprouts, the weeder 

 can be used with great benefit to break the crust and destroy small weeds that start 

 quicker than the beet seed. Again, on rather light land that is quite free from small 

 stones and other impediments to tillage, if the plants have come up quite thickly the 

 weeder can be used very advantageously to stir the soil in the rows, thin the beets some- 

 what and destroy many small seeds. 



"Regular cultivation should begin as soon as the rows can be followed, and 

 repeated as often as necessary to keep the surface loose and prevent weeds from gaining 

 a foothold. Under ordinary circumstances tilling fortnightly will probably give as good 

 results as tilling weekly, but whenever a crust has been formed by rains it should be bro- 

 ken up as soon as the condition of the soil will permit. The weeds will be kept in subjec- 



