CULTURAL DIRECTIONS 
251 
crop. A few days’ delay often makes a great difference 
in market prices, and growers for local markets find that 
it usually pays to dispose of the small beets as soon as 
dealers will take them. 
The early beets are tied in bunches of three to ten, 
depending upon size and market requirements (See Fig- 
ure 64). Washing is usually done after bunching. 
Bunched beets are shipped from the South in cabbage 
crates or other convenient, well-ventilated packages. 
When prices decline, beets 
are sold in bulk, the tops be- 
ing cut about an inch from 
the crown and the roots 
packed in baskets, boxes or 
crates, and barrels. 
In sandy soils beets are 
easily pulled by hand; in 
heavy land a one-horse plow 
can be used to advantage in 
this work. 
The late crop may be 
stored in various ways. 
Burying is a popular method. 
Cellars and pits are often 
used, the roots being covered fig. 64. beets bunches 
with moist sand or soil if the for market 
air is dry. 
Yields and returns are variable. A yield of 300 to 400 
bushels an acre is considered good for garden beets, 
although larger crops have been harvested. Gross re- 
ceipts range from $200 to $600 an acre. 
326. Insect enemies. — Although about 200 species ol 
insects feed upon the beet, most of them are unimpor- 
tant. Flea beetles are the most destructive pests. Bor- 
deaux mixture is the best-known deterrent for these in- 
