leaves alone being cut off. Under this condition the beet 
wilts less and keeps better. 
After topping, the beets are thrown into piles, covered 
over with the leaves and allowed to remain until they are 
taken to the factory or the root-cellar. If to the root-cel- 
lar, the storing should be delayed as long as possible. The 
danger of heating in the cellar during the fall, is fully as 
great as that of freezing in the field. 
STORING. 
The sugar factory will begin running as soon as the 
earliest beets are ripe. From then until freezing weather 
sets in, it will work on beets drawn directly from the field. 
But all factories desire to lengthen the working season as 
much as possible, to lessen the size of the factory required 
to work up a given quantity of beets, or with a given sized 
factory to increase its working capacity. Some precautions 
have to be taken to preserve the beets from freezing that 
are to be used the latter part of the season. Long, broad 
and shallow pits are dug close to the factory into which the 
beets are thrown, as brought from the field, and then 
covered with straw and a layer of dirt more or less thick 
according to the degree of cold to be withstood. It is cus- 
tomary for the factory to supply these pits close to its 
works, rather than for the farmer to pit the beets in his own 
field, because it is much more convenient to get at the beets 
during freezing weather when they are close at hand. 
The stock feeder can use the system on his own land 
near his feeding barn, or he may build a regular root-cellar 
like those that are found all over Colorado for storing 
potatoes. The latter way in the course of years is by far 
the more satisfactory. 
COST. 
No statement of cost can be given that will not be sub- 
ject to many changes in different localities. Leaving out 
of account rent or interest on the value of the land and also 
any charge for water tax etc., the items of raising an acre 
of beets will be approximately as follows: 
Plowing and harrowing, man and team lo hours 
Seeding, man and team 2 “ 
Cultivating, man and horse 20 “ 
Hoeing, man 135 “ 
Thinning, man 65 
Irrigating, man 10 
Plowing, man and team 4 “ 
Pulling, man 20 “ 
Topping, man 80 “ 
