28 



BULLETIN 726, U. S". DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



common to all beet-growing areas of this country, and it is everywhere 

 used in about the same way. To insure good work with the planter, 

 the surface of the field should be smooth and free from any large 

 clods-, and the soil ought to be firm enough to enable the operator to 

 manipulate the drill readily, otherwise the drill wheels will sink and 

 the seed can not be planted at an even depth. If these essentials 

 are obtained, straight rows can bo made, which are not only pleasing 

 to the eye and give the owner a sense of gratification as the season 

 advances, but also make it easier for the driver to operate the culti- 

 vator, especially while the plants are small. Thus the stand is not 

 impaired by having some of the beets cut out with the cultivator 

 knives. The rows averaged 20 inches apart in the Fort Morgan 

 district, approximately the same in the Greeley district, and at 

 Rocky Ford 19 inches. Some of the Greeley farmers made a practice 



Fig. 11. — Planting beet seed with a four-row beet drill. The marker to the right makes a line that serves 

 as a guide for the driver. Furrowing-out shovels are also attached to this beet drill. 



of planting wide and narrow rows in pairs. The usual distance apart 

 for these pairs was 16 and 24 inches. Such an arrangement not only 

 provided a set of wide rows in which to drive the horses when culti- 

 vating, but also furnished more space for irrigation ditches (fig. 11). 

 The dates of planting in the Rocky Ford district varied from April 1 

 to June 15, at Fort Morgan from May 10 to June 22, and at Greeley 

 from April 1 to June 20. These dates included the very early and 

 very late planting. There was a little replanting in each district, 

 which undoubtedly had a tendency to carry the latest date of planting 

 somewhat beyond the customary limits. Under normal conditions 

 planting in all of these areas is quite general during the latter part of 

 April and early in May (Table XVI). 



