304 DRY LAND FARMING 



gation, as this would result in the loss of too much mois- 

 ture. The distance between the rows should be such as 

 to meet the conditions of cultivation. Having regard 

 only to the needs of the plants, the rows between carrots 

 may be as close as 20 inches, mangels 30 to 36 inches, 

 sugar beets 20 inches, rutabagas, turnips and kohlrabi 30 

 inches. The seeds of all these crops are preferably sown 

 shallow, as shallow as 1 to 2 inches. Deeper planting 

 will be more or less adverse to quick germination and 

 also to strong germination, and yet it may be necessary 

 to plant more deeply in order to insure germination. 

 There is a marked advantage in having the soil pressed 

 around the seed when it is planted, as is done by the 

 press drill when it is used. Germination is then both 

 surer and firmer. 



From 2 to 3 pounds of seed should suffice per acre 

 for carrots. It is usually considered wise to sow not 

 fewer than 6 to 8 pounds of mangels and sugar beets to 

 insure a full stand. From 1^2 to 2% pounds of ruta- 

 bagas, turnips or kohlrabi should suffice. 



Rutabagas and turnips may be sown on new break- 

 ing or on any overturned sod, more especially after it 

 has been pressed down by the roller. The seed is broad- 

 casted and is covered with the harrow. No cultivation is 

 given subsequently. This method will, in most instances, 

 bring a crop, even from early spring plowing the year 

 that the land is first broken. 



Care of the crop. Whether the weeder or the har- 

 row, or both, may be used on any of these crops after the 

 seed has been sown will depend, first, on the depth to 

 which the crop was sown, and, second, on the thickness 

 of the stand secured. If the seed has been planted deeply, 

 the weeder or a very light harrow may sometimes be run. 

 over the ground with profit after the seed has begun to 

 germinate. After the seed is up, say, a couple of inches, 

 one of these implements may sometimes be run over the 



