GROWING SUGAR BEETS IN- COLORADO. 



55 



Good yields are invariably associated with thorough tillage methods 

 and a well-regulated cropping system. If the returns on a given 

 farm are below the average for the district, it is highly probable that 

 some improvement can be made by giving attention to the following 

 points: (1) Better utilization of the manure which accumulates on 

 the farm; (2) increasing the supply of organic matter in the soil 

 through green-manuring crops; (3) more thorough tillage, not only 

 in plowing, but also in the subsequent preparation of the seed bed; 

 (4) exercising greater care in doing the handwork, expecially the 

 bunching and thinning; (5) better cultivation; (6) the proper use 

 of water. A good rotation should be adopted and adhered to 

 systematically. 



VALUE OF BEET TOPS. 



Beet tops may be considered as a by-product of the beet-sugar 

 industry. After the beets are pulled the tops are cut off squarely 

 just below the crown at the base of the bottom leaf. The crown 

 part of the beet, together with the leaves, is left upon the field. 

 Sometimes the topping is done in such a manner as to leave the tops 

 in small piles. By following this plan they are not tramped into the 

 soil when the beets are loaded and hauled from the field. Beet tops 

 make excellent feed for all classes of stock and can be used to advan- 

 tage by most growers in the fall of the year. In this investigation 

 an attempt was made to get the growers' estimate with reference 

 to the value of beet tops in 1914 and 1915. The figures obtained 

 were based upon actual value when sold or upon the value of hay and 

 roughage saved through the use of tops. Seventy-four per cent of 

 the operators fed the tops to their own stock. A few men fed a part 

 of the tops and sold the remainder, while a few other men sold all 

 the tops (Table XXXII). 



Table XXXII. — Disposition and estimated acre value of sugar-beet tops. 



District. 



Num- 

 ber of 

 farms. 



Year. • 



Per 

 cent 

 fed. 



Value 

 when fed. 



Per cent 



fed and 



sold. 



Value a 

 when fed 

 and sold. 



Per 

 cent 

 sold. 



Value 

 when 

 sold. 





195 

 66 

 106 



1914-15 



1915 

 1914-15 



73 

 65 

 79 



$3.07 



■ 4.31 



2.82 



12 

 21 



8 



$2.70 

 4.25 

 2.65 



15 

 14 

 13 



$2.97 





3.77 





2.54 







Total 



367 





74 



3.35 



12 



3.30 



14 



3.07 









a Part of crop was fed on farm and remainder was sold. In the latter instance the tops were invariably 

 fed in the field where the beets were grown. 



The average values for the Fort Morgan area were uniformly 

 higher than the values for the Greeley and Rocky Ford districts. 

 Sugar beets are relatively more important in the management of 

 the farm at Fort Morgan than in the other two districts, and for this 

 reason greater value is placed upon the tops. Furthermore, the 



