36 BULLETIN 721, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



beet geed. There are a number of sugar-beet drills on the market 

 which seem to be fairly satisfactory. In some localities the farmers 

 own their beet drills, and in others they are owned by the sugar 

 companies and rented to the farmers at a small charge per acre. 

 Most of the drills made for planting sugar-beet seed are so con- 

 structed that they will plant four rows at a time, as shown inTlate I, 

 figure 1. Likewise, the cultivator is especially adapted to sugar- 

 beet work, and will cultivate four rows corresponding to the drill. 

 This is ver}' important, as will be noted by those who have had ex- 

 perience in using a cultivator in such narrow rows. In planting 

 four rows at a time many deviations from a straight line will occur 

 in each of the four rows, which can, therefore, be followed more 

 readily with a 4-row cultivator with less damage to the plants. The 

 beet cultivators are usually equipped with various implements for 

 stirring the soil, depending upon the soil conditions and the size of 

 the beets. 



Plows. — The ordinary walking or riding plow can be used in turn- 

 ing the soil in the preparation of the seed bed. The two-way plow 

 is well adapted to the sugar-beet crop, for the reason that it pro- 

 duce3 no dead furrows. This is especially important in the irri- 

 gated areas. In some localities the disk plow is frequently used, 

 although the ordinary moldboard plow is in most common use. The 

 advantage of the disk plow for deep plowing is that it enables one 

 to stir the soil to a good depth if the plow is properly constructed 

 and adjusted, without bringing too much raw soil to the surface. 

 The plows in use vary from the walking moldboard plow through 

 various types of sulky plows to the disk plow, with its numerous 

 variations. In some types of soil it is especially desirable to give 

 an occasional deep plowing. 



The best results are obtained by fall plowing, as has been shown 

 by our survey as well as by personal experience. Fair results may be 

 obtained by spring plowing, provided the soil has been previously 

 in good tilth. 



Harrows. — In preparing a seed bed for any crop the disk harrow 

 is a valuable implement. It is frequently used to advantage before 

 the ground is plowed. When so used it puts the surface of the 

 ground in such condition that holes or spaces are nowhere left when 

 the ground is turned with the plow. The disk harrow is used some- 

 times in breaking up lumps or clods after the plowing has been 

 done; however, if the ground has been plowed when in good con- 

 dition and has been properly treated after plowing, there will be no 

 large lumps or clods, and hence no necessity for the use of the disk 

 harrow to break them up. In case weeds start before the time for 

 planting the sugar-beet seed, the disk harrow is sometimes useful 

 in destroying the weeds. The proper preparation after the ground; 



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