6 BULLETIN 735, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
TasLe I1.—Classification of the 305 farms studied in the Billings region, accord- 
ing to ownership and size, showing the percentage relation between the total 
irrigated area and the area planted in sugar beets in 1915. 
- Irrigated crops (acres). 
Percent- 
: ; Number ; 
Classification of farms. SPAS. Total planted. Average per farm. age an 
Area. |Inbeets.; Area. | In beets. 
As to ownership: 
OWaT eT Spies ene ae ee henselae eee 117 10, 276 2,57: 87. 83 21.99 25.03 
Owners renting additional acres....--. 55 5, 953 1, 622 108. 24 29. 49 27. 24 
HREM ANTS Seis tieee ee ements 133 12, 132 4,604 91. 21 34.98 38. 36 
PANT SFT) S aoe aaa Oa re Ss eal 305 28, 363 8, 849 92.99 29.01 | 31. 20 
As to size: 
251 ACESANCILESS Wee omen sau eee kis aaa 9 139 107 15. 44 11. 88 76. 97 
PO HO D0 BYORI coed nee bora Gou an uecs 77 2,844 1,273 36. 94 16.53 44.76 
ECO ON ACTOS ets See seal ert ea estes 67 4,277 1,562 63. 83 23.31 36. 52 
ZOxU OL OOM Chest eee ce cae eee eee esa r ase 45 3, 845 1,357 85. 44 30. 15 35. 29 
TOMO WAS BOS 56 sacconssodosSoounscese 43 4,893 1,758 113. 79 40. 88 35. 92 
U2GCORISOACKeSeeeene sere mee ce neon aes 28 3,919 1,121 139. 96 40. 04 28. 60 
PSIG O SIZ OS ACES Me sna anes Ae 13 2,083 546 160. 23 42.00 26. 21 
IAD WO PHO AOR ccdccasonussouesossdoos 14 | 3,001 653 214. 35 46. 64 21.75 
Zoilvackesiandlancenas eee eee eee | 9 | 3, 362 472 373. 55 52.44 14. 04 
Alifarmsse eee, rite ieee poate 305, 28,363] 8,849] 92.99 | 
PREVIOUS CROP. 
Of the 8,849 acres of beets included in this survey, it was found 
that 6,129 acres were planted on land that had been in beets the 
previous year, 1,640 acres were on land that had been in alfalfa the 
previous year, 717 acres had been in grain the previous year, 86 
acres had been in miscellaneous other crops, and data in regard to 
the previous crop, covering 277 acres, were wanting. This large 
acreage of beets planted on land that was in beets the previous year 
is an indication of a cropping system that should be modified by 
the growers as soon as possible if they do not wish to have decreas- 
ing yields of beets. Beets should not be planted on the same land 
continuously, even if the farmer has manure to put on the land 
each year. The figures given would indicate that nearly 70 per 
cent of the land was planted in beets at least two years in succes- 
sion. Data for a longer period of time were not obtained, and it is 
not possible to state how long the average grower devotes land to 
beets without rotation. 
On some farms certain fields are so located with respect to water 
supply and proximity to the loading dump, and have soil of so 
favorable a type that they are the most desirable parts of the farm 
for the growing of sugar beets. Naturally there is a tendency to 
plant beets on such fields for a number of years. This region hav- 
ing many tenants, no doubt much laxity exists in the planning of 
the crop rotation. | 
