92 THE SUGAR INDUSTRY. 



away from the plants, the earth should be drawn up about tnem, as that portion of 

 the beet that shows above the soil is of inferior quality. 



HOEING. 



The first hoeing, which is very important for the growth of the small plants, 

 must be given with an ordinary 11 inch hoe between the rows, going li to 2 inches 

 deep, and as soon as the beets break through the ground, or if crust is formed, as 

 soon as this occurs, following the press wheel marks. 



As the ground will have become packed during the bunching (or spacing) and 

 thinning, thus preventing proper circulation of air, and the young plants, moreover, 

 will have become weakened by their disturbance; and for the further reason that it 

 is cheaper to do it then, the second hoeing should be given with a 7-inch hoe the day 

 after the beets are thinned, and never later than a few days after, care being taken 

 to kill the weeds out close to the plant, but in such a manner as not to loosen or 

 injure the beets. As the horse cultivator only loosens and clears the ground between 

 the rows, the hoe must perform this work between the different plants. This hoeing 

 should be 3 inches deep. A similar hoeing may be necessary twice after this, the last 

 depending upon the freedom from weeds, also upon whether the ground is loose 

 enough to enable the roots to grow. Both of the last hoeings should be as deep as it 

 is possible to make them without injuring or loosening the plant. Under ordinary 

 circumstances no work should be necessary in the field after 80 days from the time of 

 planting except the final and deepest horse cultivation. 



THINNING OUT. 



Care should be exercised in doing this part of the work, as it is the most impor- 

 tant of all the cultivation and care of the crop. It can only be neglected at the 

 expense of yield and quality of crop. It is very necessary that this should be done 

 just at the right time, and the sooner it is done the better for the growth and yield 

 of the crop. As soon as the beets have four leaves, they should be thinned, and must 

 not remain longer than one week without thinning, as the roots will entwine around 

 each other if left longer, and make the thinning detrimental to the plant that is left. 

 To perform this work, the beets should be spaced or bunched (directly after a horse 

 cultivation) with an ordinary 6-inch hoe, cutting 6 inches of beets out and leaving a 

 2-inch bunch, containing from three to six beets. After the beets are bunched, the 

 healthiest plant in each bunch is selected by the thinner to be left standing, his 

 linger is placed firmly against it to prevent its being disturbed, and the other plants 

 are pulled out by hand, together with all the weeds nearby. This operation will 

 leave one strong single plant every 9 or 10 inches, and the ground should be pushed 

 up well around each, but not packed. Of course, it is better to select the strongest 

 and most thrifty plant, even if it is not at the regular distance, than to chose a weak- 

 ly or spindling one at just the right distance. 



If thinned when only four leaves are on the plant, the top soil is still moist, and 

 the beets left have no difficulty in taking hold and growing with renewed vigor, but 

 the disturbance occasioned by thinning a few days later is not so easily overcome. 

 The top soil is then dryer, and the young beet receives a set back that will certainly 



