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with a horse cultivator made to work the same number of 
rows at a time as were sown by the seeder. Next follow 
with a sharp hoe four to six inches wide, cutting across the 
row and dividing it into bunches six to nine inches apart. 
These bunches are thinned by hand to a single plant. The 
plants should be from six inches apart in a twenty-four inch 
drill up to nine inches apart in an eighteen inch drill. 
After the thinning go through the field once more with 
the hoe and be sure that every weed is killed. The rest of 
the cultivation needed during the season is only such ordi- 
nary cultivation as would be given to a crop of corn. 
Irrigate the beets only when they show the actual need 
of it. Delay the first irrigation as long as possible unless it 
is necessary when the seed is planted to produce germina- 
tion, in which case the water should be turned on within two 
days after the seed is in the ground. 
A slight wilting during the day does not necessarily 
mean need of water, but when they wilt and do not revive 
as soon as the sun sets or the weather is cloudy, they should 
be watered. After the first watering they will usually dry 
out quickly and need subsequent irrigations every ten to 
fourteen days. Few beets can be raised in Colorado with- 
out irrigation, the number of irrigations varying from two to 
five according to the ground and the season. Beets will seldom 
need irrigation after the middle of August and usually not 
after the last of July. Unless the ground is very compact it 
will be sufficient to run the water in every other row. At 
the next irrigation use the rows omitted the previous time. 
Cultivate after every irrigation. Never flood sugar beets if 
it can possibly be avoided. Be careful in cultivation and in 
furrowing not to throw any dirt on to the crown of the 
plant. Keep the irrigation water as much as possible away 
from actual contact- with the plant. 
Wait until the beets are ripe before harvesting ; ripe- 
ness can be told by the wilting and dying of the outer 
leaves, by slicing a beet and noting that the cut surface re- 
mains white for a half hour or more, but best of all by a 
chemical test for the sugar it contains. At a factory this 
latter method is the one always emploved. 
On a small scale the beets can be dug out, plowed out or 
pulled. On the large scale they are always loosened by a 
beet puller made specially for the purpose. They are then 
lifted out by hand, thrown into piles and topped by hand 
with a corn knife or a heavy chopping knife. 
