16 



BULLETIN" 238, U. S. DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. 



it to germinate later. Sueli belated plants add little to the tonnage. 

 (PI. IV.) 



The damping-off disease exacts its toll every season; it may be so 

 severe as to more than decimate the stand (PL V). It is occasioned 

 partly by fungi borne on the seed balls, and partly by fungi present 

 in the soil. This disease seems to be severe when the spring weather 

 is unfavorable for the rapid and vigorous germination and growth 

 of the beets. 



An incrustation of the soil after rains sometimes prevents the young 

 seedlings from breaking through, especially in heavy loams. Those 



Fig. 3.— Three sugar beels, showing the effect of standing water or a wet subsoil upon the roots. 



crusts may with advantage be broken with a corrugated roller. 

 (PI. VI.) 



Wireworms and flea beetles are very troublesome and destructive 

 in some localities (fig. 4). In this connection it would be of benefit 

 to keep down weeds along fences, ditches, and roadsides. (PI. VII.) 



It is entirely practicable to increase the percentage of the germina- 

 tion stand to an extent that would amply repay the cost of the addi- 

 tional labor required. Deeper plowing should be more generally 

 practiced. The extra disking and harrowing would require only a 

 few hours more labor per acre. In irrigated regions the extra labor 



