FARM MANAGEMENT ON IRRIGATED FARMS 
41 
early in the spring. Barley is given a light irrigation before it starts 
to head and another light irrigation when in milk. The barley is 
cut and bound about July 1. If the stubble is too high, it is mowed 
and raked and taken off for stock to turn into manure in the corral. 
This man plows the ground about July 8 or 10. If it turns up 
lumpy, it is harrowed, but generally it is just floated. It is then 
ditched out with a 4-row beet cultivator and irrigated. It is allowed 
to dry into good working shape and is then harrowed into good con- 
dition for planting, ditched, marked with 4-row cultivator, and 
drilled. The ditching prevents the young plants from burning off 
when they come up and provides for early irrigation if necessary. 
In order to assure a full crop, in this area this man recommends 
planting between June 15 and July 20. This farmer plants 2 pounds 
per acre of King of Swedes or American Purple Top in rows 22 inches 
Fig. 15.— The crop of sugar beets on this farm was a failure on account of disease and the land 
was replanted to rutabagas about August 1. The four-row duck-foot cultivator saves much 
labor on farms growing sugar beets or rutabagas 
apart. He cultivates as soon as possible, usually when the third or 
fourth leaf appears, and thins to 8 to 10 inches. He cultivates again 
in about 10 days, ditches, and irrigates if ground needs irrigating. 
Then he cultivates about every week or 10 days until plants become 
too large for cultivation. He irrigates about three times, the last 
time around September 15. Harvesting takes place between wSep- 
tember 15 and November 1, depending somewhat upon the market 
price, and can easily be so adjusted that it will not interfere with the 
harvesting of other crops. 
SUGAR BEETS 
It is unfortunate that sugar-beet growing has not been attended 
with more success in this area. The dependable market furnished 
by the local sugar mills gives this crop an advantage which can not 
be claimed by the other field crops. (See fig. 16.) 
