2o6 Sugar Beet Industry in Norfolk. [June, 



There are three imported horse-weeding or hoeing machines 

 at work here now. They are in many details as unique as the 

 drills. They work with four large /\ hoes, gf in. for the middle 

 four rows and two smaller A hoes 7 J in., which take part of 

 the outside row, and return in the same row on going down a 

 field as coming up, thus taking five rows at a time. The 

 horse walks on or straddles over the middle row, and it is 

 said the damage done is infinitesimal. Certainly when quite 

 small the plants do not appear to get damaged; what will 

 happen later remains to.be seen. 



The hoe itself is governed by a rack and pinion steerage, 

 operated from the back by a steerage post and two handles, 

 and in use the operator only has to keep the middle row in 

 exact line with his steerage post, and all is well. When the 

 plants are quite small, to prevent the hoes crowding the mould 

 over them and smothering them completely there is an 

 ingenious attachment of revolving discs which fit on the 

 shanks of the hoes and run on each side of the tiny plants, and 

 act as guards, thus allowing hoeing to commence quite early. 

 When the land is reasonably fine they are of great use. 

 Unfortunately, this year the land, especially on heavier soils, 

 is inclined to be rough. The machine is quite lightly made, 

 and one horse harnessed by traces attached to the collar can 

 work the five rows comfortably. 



Manuring. — Most of the lands growing sugar beet .were 

 manured in the autumn with farmyard manure, though some 

 were done in the spring. 



As regards the artificial manures on the various lands the 

 four following are being used (per acre in each case) : — 



(1) 3 cwt. compound manure containing 7 per cent, 

 ammonia and 9 per cent, phosphate. 



(2) 3 cwt. superphosphate, 1 cwt. sulphate of ammonia, 

 and 1 cwt. sulphate of potash. 



(3) 4 cwt. compound manure, containing 35 per cent, 

 phosphate, 2J per cent, ammonia, and 2\ per cent, potash. 



(4) 2 cwt. sulphate of ammonia. 



There is still some prejudice against the crop, as some say 

 it is exhausting. This is not, I think, borne out by facts, 

 but after this year we shall have our own results to go by, 



