25O VEGETABLE GARDENING 



will be satisfactory. When the work is properly man- 

 aged there is a gain of possibly two weeks in time of 

 maturity over sowings made in the open. The seed 

 may be sown four or five weeks before the time of plant- 

 ing in the field. 



323. Fertilizing. Beets must grow rapidly to mature 

 early and to develop the highest quality. To accomplish 

 these purposes there must be an ample supply of soluble 

 plant food, especially of nitrogen 



Fresh or green stable manures should never be apolied 

 a short time before planting, because they encourage a 

 rank growth of top at the sacrifice of root; but rotten 

 cow and horse manure may be used freely. Henderson 

 recommends 75 to 100 tons an acre, while more recent 

 intensive growers use 40 to 50 tons an acre. Some 

 succeed with half this quantity, supplementing with com- 

 mercial fertilizers. From 1,000 to 2,000 pounds of a high- 

 grade fertilizer can generally be applied at a profit, with 

 an additional top dressing of nitrate of soda. The New 

 Jersey Station found that as much as 800 pounds of ni- 

 trate an acre could be profitably used during the season. 

 At each application 100 to 200 pounds may be used by 

 distributing along the rows or sowing broadcast when 

 the leaves are dry. The first and largest application 

 should be made in about three weeks from sowing, mak- 

 ing additional dressings as may seem necessary. 



324. Cultivation. Thorough tillage is essential to 

 large yields and high quality. The beet is a surface 

 feeder, so that shallow cultivation should be practiced. 

 The Garrahan hand weeder is a valuable tool for weed- 

 ing and thinning beets when the discarded plants are not 

 to be reset. 



325. Marketing. Early beets are usually sold on local 

 markets before they have attained full size, because the 

 market accepts a small tender beet, and the grower de- 

 sires to clear the land as soon as possible for some other 



