42 
can not be finished for the market on the beet by-proclncts, and 
unless other feed is available it will not be advisable to purchase 
animals for feeding purposes with a view to turning them on the 
market later. If the farmer is provided with dairy cows, it is ad- 
visable to furnish them with one or two feeds of tops or pulp each 
day. The tops, when cured or pitted, will keep for several months; 
the pulp when left in a large pile will not spoil for feeding purposes, 
except in a thin layer on the surface. If the tops or the pulp are 
fed heavily to dairy cows, a distinct increase in the How of milk 
marks the top and pulp feeding period, and there will generally be a 
marked falling off in the flow of milk Avhen this feed is discontinued. 
Since the supply of tops and pulp is limited, it is better to continue 
the feeding over a longer period, giving a smaller amount to each 
of the animals daily. The tops and pulp should always be fed 
in combination with other feeds in order to make a balanced ration. 
LABOR PROBLEMS. 
One of the most serious problems on many of the beet farms is that 
of labor. The difficulties in connection with the labor question as 
related to sugar-beet culture are due to the fact that a part of the 
work must be done by hand and is tedious: furthermore, the labor 
in connection with this crop is not continuous. For example, there 
is a period in the spring when considerable labor is required for the 
blocking and thinning of the beets, as shown in Plate III, figure 1. 
The work daring midsummer is light, consisting of a little hoeing. 
In the fall there is another increase in the labor requirement, due to 
the harvest, followed by the winter months, when little or no field 
work in connection with this crop is done. The need for labor at 
harvest time is apparent, as the beets must be harvested promptly 
when they are mature. The reasons for pushing the beet harvest are 
several : Fall rains may set in and cause the roots to deteriorate in 
quality, the roots may he frozen in the ground if harvest is delayed, 
the mill must have sufficient roots to operate continuously, and the 
farmer must get the beet crop out of the way in order to do his other 
fall work. The question of obtaining and holding the necessary labor 
for the handling of this crop has been one of the serious problems in 
sno-ar-beet growing in this country. Beet labor may be classified 
under three heads — family labor, community labor, and hired labor, 
the latter being divided again into general labor, regular and tran- 
sient, and into contract labor. 
Family labor. — By this term is meant the labor furnished by the 
family which has contracted with the sugar company to grow the 
beets. It may be the family of the landowner or the family of the 
tenant. Usually the most successful operations in sugar-beet grow- 
