SUGAR BEETS. 
The beet {Beta vulgaris ), a plant of the order Cheni- 
podiacx, has long been cultivated for food. It is a native 
of Egypt and the Mediterranean border, where it is found 
growing in its wild state. Under cultivation, we find 
several well-marked varieties, which differ in their 
quality, color, sweetness, etc. The beet is a lover of a 
sandy, quick soil, in which the roots can easily penetrate; 
and as an aid to this, good, deep plowing and a finely 
pulverized seed bed are essentials to success. The climate 
also has quite an influence on the final result. The 
spring should be warm and dry, w T ith plenty of moisture 
as the season progresses, and not too much heat. In 
Colorado, where irrigation is practiced, the two conditions 
above named are perhaps more nearly realized than 
elsewhere. 
In Spon’s Encyclopedia, Vol. V., 1882, it is stated 
that the beets are usually sown about sixteen inches 
apart, on land that has not received fresh fertilizers or 
manures, as these cause the plants to take up too much 
nitrogen, and thus the sugar content is much reduced. 
It is thus much better to manure a preceding crop well, 
and, preparing the soil thoroughly, use no fertilizers for 
the beets. In this State, it is easy to raise very large 
crops of beets. Not only is the total yield heavy, but the 
single specimens often grow to wonderful size. 
