IRRIGATION AT UNIVERSITY FARM, DAVIS, CAL. 21 
Yield of sugar beets and percentage of sugar content and purity. 
e™/H^r- Number 
needing. Qfplat _ 
Number of 
irrigations. 
Depth. 
Sugar 
content. 
Puritv. : Yield 
per acre. 
Value at 
-55 per 
ton. 
Cost of 
irriga- 
tion. 
f 5 
None 
Inches. 
Percent. 
21.3 
17.7 
16.5 
23.00 
20.10 
17. 25 
Per cent. 
sS. 13 
so. m 
83.14 
83. 75 
Ton-?. 
10. 85 
13. 80 
17.50 
4.8a 
6.70 
14. 75 
554. 25 
69.00 
87.5 
24.25 
33.50 
73. 75 
93.00 
Mar. 11 1 6 
One 
10.5 
14.9 
$4 10 
Two 
5. 81 
1 
None 
Mar - 27 3 
One 
6.12 
11.52 
v 
Two 
4 49 
Three 
::.-. 
16. 85 
89.91 
IS. 60 
6.94 
In irrigating, continual attendance was necessary at a cost of 25 
cents per acre-inch. Power co^t 11 cenu per acre-inch. The total 
cost is therefore 39 cents per acre-inch. 
With the same number of irrigations heavier yields were obtained 
by early seeding than by late seeding. The results show an increase 
in yield of 6 tons per acre from the unirrigated plats in favor of the 
early planting, while the plats given one irrigation show an increase 
of 7.10 tons per acre. This is due entirely to the weather conditions 
following seeding. Between March 12 and 15. 1.13 inches of rain 
fell, giving the early seeding a vigorous start. Following this no 
more rain fell until April 10. and the late seeding was very slow in 
sprouting, some of the seed not coming up until the middle of April, 
after the early seeded plats had been thinned. 
In general the sugar percentage decreased with the increased 
amounts of water added, although in every case this decrease was 
overbalanced by the increase in yield. 
The time of irrigation and the quantity of water required will 
always depend upon the local conditions. This is shown very clearly 
in the yields from plats 2 and 3. on which a second irrigation of 5.4 
inches, costing 82.10 per acre, increased the yield 120 per cent and the 
gross returns 810.25 per acre. Here, as in other irrigated crops, suc- 
cess or failure lies in the judgment of the irrigator in applying the 
water. 
o 
WASHINGTON : GOVERNMENT PRINTING OEFICE : 1913 
