THE BEEa?-SUGAfi. INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES. 35 



FARM EQUIPMENT. 



The equipment on the sugar-beet farm is a matter of vital impor- 

 tance. It covers a wide range of subjects, which may be grouped 

 imder four general heads, namely, soil and water, implements, live 

 stock, and labor. If a farm is lacking in any of the essential parts 

 of the equipment and if these parts can not be supplied, successful 

 sugar-beet growing is not possible. The equipment differs to some 

 extent in different localities, especially between the humid and irri- 

 gated sections. 



SUITABLE SOIL. 



As previously noted, a suitable soil, together with a satisfactory 

 subsoil, is one of the first requisites in the production of sugar beets. 

 Soil is not usually classed as a part of the farming equipment, but 

 it is in fact a very essential part. If the soil is very sandy or ex- 

 tremely rocky, it is not probable that it would pay to undertake the 

 growing of sugar beets. Certain conditions of soil may be changed 

 or modified by proper cultural methods, so that an otherwise un- 

 favorable soil condition may be changed to a sufficiently favorable 

 condition to enable the farmer to produce a satisfactory crop of beets ; 

 for example, a hard subsoil may sometimes be broken up in such a 

 manner that a sufficiently deep soil for the production of beets is 

 produced. Again, an infertile soil due to lack of humus, to a scarcity 

 of lime, or to improper crop rotation, etc., may be remedied at a 

 small cost and an otherwise unproductive soil rendered productive. 

 As already noted, a soil containing an excess of moisture or one in 

 which the water table is too near the surface may be made productive 

 by proper drainage. It is apparent, therefore, that soil, from the 

 standpoint of equipment, may be a permanent limiting factor, which 

 in some cases can not be overcome sufficiently to enable the farmer to 

 produce a satisfactory crop of beets, while, on the other hand, this 

 part of the farmer's equipment may in many cases be modified by 

 proper treatment and the barrier to sugar-beet production removed. 

 This part of the farm equipment, however, like work stock, imple- 

 ments, etc., is just as essential for the production of other crops as 

 for the production of sugar beets. 



IMPLEMENTS. 



Many of the implements used in sugar-beet growing are the same 

 as those used in the production of other crops, though some special 

 implements are necessary in order to grow sugar beet^ successfully ; 

 this is especially true of the drill shown in Plate I, figure 1, and 

 the cultivator, Plate IV, figure 1. 



Drills and cultivators. — Sugar beets are grown in rows about 20 

 inches apart, and there is a special drill for the planting of sugar- 



