The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-25
SUGAR BETS.
Practical Instruction Concerning Gull
tivatiOn of an Important Crop.

The appended bulletin, prepared by Mr.
H. A. Huston, chemist of Purdue University
agricultural experiment station, has just
been issued:
All the sugar beets planted in this State
are for experimental purposes, the objects
quallty can be grown and whether, from the
results OF experience with the crop a
VlSaDle TO grow beets on a larger scale in
case a factory should be built and furnish
market for the crop.
Factories will only be located where il
is known that beets of satisfactory quality
can be grown and that farmers are willing
TO grow enough beets to furnish raw ma
terlal for the factory.
In conducting experimental work of this
kind 1t is of the utmost Importance that
the work should be properly done. Every
case where the work is improperly con-
Quoted and beetS of poor quality are there
fore produced is not simply so much labor
lost, but since all results must be taken
into consideration it is a positive injury to
the locality where the bad work is done.
THE thinning of the beet fields is one of
the most expensive and important parts of
the work. No absolute rule for thinning
can be given since all lands do not require
the same sort of work. For loans that will
produce fifty bushels of corn per acre in a
favorable season the beets should average
eight inches apart in the rows when the
rows are twenty to twenty-four inches
apart. For stronger lands the beets may be
allowed to stand somewhat closer, say six
inches. For poor lands the beets may be
beets weighing between one and two pounds
each.
THE beets are ready to thin when the
plants have produced four leaves. 1t is not
necessary that plants should be exactly Six
eight or ten inches apart, but that this
should be the average distance. If two
strong plants are four inches apart it is bet
ter to leave these two strong plants than
to have one str ng and one weak plant
When the plants are thinned care should be
taken to remove all weeds from the rows
If this is done thoroughly the plants will
afterwards only need cultivation to keep
down weeds between the rows and to keep
the soil loose on the surface. 1t is not
necessary to ridge the earth up along the
rows unless the roots show a tendency to
project above the ground. Thinning should
be completed before July l this season. The
recent rains have left the ground in such
a moist state that the extra plants can be
easily removed with little disturbance to
those that are to remain.
During July and August the leaf spot
disease sometimes appears on the leaves in
the form of small brown spots. If this
should make its appearance the beets
should be sprayed with Bordeaux mixture.
There has been a strong effort on the
year, and it is hoped that those who did
secure and plant seed will give the crop
such attention as to obtain the most favor
able result that the season will permit Both
farmers and capitalists are turning atten-
ton to the beet sugar question in the hope
of finding a profitable field for work. This
years result will be very carefully watched
by both. Every properly conducted list be-
comes of additional value, and every test in
which the work is neglected is not merely
worthless it is positive injury to the agri-
cultural interests of the State