334 



THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



MAY GROW SUGAR BEET SEED IN NEVADA 



J 



Almost Ready to Harvest. Fields Near Deming. X. M. 



W. FERGU- 

 SON is ex- 

 p e r i m e n ting 

 with the raising 

 of sugar beet 

 seed on the 

 Truckee - Car- 

 son project in, 

 Nevada. Mr. 

 Ferguson found 

 that there were 

 many beets left 

 on his place 

 from last year's 

 crop that were 

 not injured by 

 the winter 

 weather. He 

 called the atten- 

 tion of Professor 

 S. C Knight, of 



the University of Nevada to this and Mr. Knight 

 suggested that a test be made of the beets in grow- 

 ing seed. It was agreed that a dozen should be sent 

 to the experiment station at the University and 

 that a number would be reset on the ranch where 

 they grew. Tests of the beets were made and it 

 was found that they came through the winter and 

 still tested 23 per cent sugar. 



The samples which Mr. Ferguson has dug up 

 show that the growth and development of the seed 

 is most prolific, every stalk being loaded with seed. 

 It is the intention of Mr. Ferguson and Prof. 

 Knight to make thorough tests of growing beets 

 from the seed thus produced and if possible deter- 

 mine whether it is feasible to produce beet seed in 

 Nevada. 



Practically all of the beet seed for this country 

 comes from Germany and Austria. It is a won- 

 derfully scientific industry in those countries, hun- 

 dreds of chemists being employed in order to in- 

 sure the production of seed that can be depended 

 upon to germinate. Now that those countries are 

 at war with the probability that the beet fields will 

 be neglected and destroyed by armies, the securing 

 of seed for America becomes a serious problem. 



The process of raising beet seed is rather slow. 

 For instance, the beets grown last year are set out 

 this spring and will bring forth a crop of seed the 

 coming fall. Then in turn, that seed would be 

 planted next spring, so it takes two years to secure 

 the seed. 



If seed can be grown here to advantage, there 

 are a number of Nevada farmers who are raising 

 beets this season that could save a good supply for 

 next year and soon have this valuable home in- 

 dustry well under way if the necessary scientific 

 methods can be applied in the United States to de- 

 termine whether the seed grown will germinate. 



Secretary H. E. Roe of the Nevada Sugar 

 Company says there is an ample supply of seed now 

 on hand in the Fallen factory for all requirements 



fcr seeding in 



1915, so if seed 

 could be pro- 

 duced next year 

 it would fill the 

 requirements for 



1916, and west- 

 ern Nevada 

 would sail along 

 with the beet in- 

 dustry regard- 

 less of condi- 

 tions across the 

 water. The ex- 

 periment will be 

 watched with 

 much interest in 

 all the other 

 beet districts. 



KANSAS IRRIGATORS MEET 



The third annual meeting of the Kansas State 

 Irrigation congress will be held in Scott City, Sep- 

 tember 22 and 23, according to an announcement 

 by H. B. Walker, irrigation engineer in the Kansas 

 State Agricultural college, who is secretary of the 

 organization. 



Problems relating to the construction of wells, 

 pumps, engines, central power plants and the prepa- 

 ration of land, to the care of crops and to irrigation 

 legislation, will be discussed. It is stated that 

 Kansas has between two and three million acres 

 of shallow water land. Practical Kansas irrigators 

 will make the addresses at the meeting, over which 

 E. E. Coffin of Scott City, president of the congress, 

 will preside. 



Scott City is situated in the great shallow water 

 district which extends southward to the Arkansas 

 river, and persons who attend the meeting will have 

 an opportunity to visit some of the numerous pump- 

 ing plants in the vicinity. Demonstrations will be 

 given of the proper methods of handling water. 



PARK FOR UMATILLA FOLKS 



Federal Water Users on the Umatilla project 

 in Oregon are considering plans for the establish- 

 ment of a summer resort on the banks of the big 

 reservoir created by the diversion dam near Her- 

 miston. It is proposed to plant shade trees and 

 grass and make other improvements. Several boats 

 have been placed on the lake. 



Send $1.00 for 1 year's subscription to the IRRIGA- 

 TION ACE and bound copy of THE PRIMER OF IRRIGA- 

 TION. If you desire a copy of The Primer of Hy- 

 draulics, add $2.50 to above price. 



