The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1900-12-21
USES HIS HEAD.
A New York Farmers Bright Notion
About Harvesting Sugar Bcets.

A New York Farmers Bright Notion
About Harvesting sugar Bcets.
Anything that viii lessen the labor
ana cost of harvesting sugar beets is
of value to those concerned in growing
this crop A Rural New Yorker writer
tells how one farmer reduced this eX-
pru-c fro-a SO an acre the first year
Q-.- 90 4..t2 last season. He says:
NJ; small part of this saving was eff
fcJ.tf III '.. manner of removing the
tops .Iom me bcetS. Directions that
la. ."cu c.ven We're to pull the bcctS
nm throw them in piles; then put thu
mon to work on benches placed by the
side of the piles, when they pick up
the hcCtS, lay them on the benches and
cut Off the tops. after which the bcetS
might he thrown into wagon box or
into crates, if moro desirable than to
throw them into other piles. 1t was
found that it took more than twice as
many men to cut of tops as to pull the
beetS after the "liftcr' had been along.
MI Rogers was not satisfied with this
condition of affairs, but began expert
mcuting and using his head. As II re-
suit four mon now do the cutting for
six men to pull,
The way 1t is douc is for the man
who does the pulling to take two rows
at time pulling from each row with
one hand as he stands between III"
rows, they being IS to ~ Inches apart.
The points of the hcets are then laid
together between the rows, leaving the
tops outside laid 50 that the crowils
are in Il straight line. MIR. Rogers says
that he has to lie very particular to inn
press upon the men the Importance of
the straight line, as otherwise they
are likely to become careless about ia,
and any deviation works a hindranco
to the cutters. The cutters now gcr
down ON their knees, and, graspnG tn
bects in one hand, they draw the knife
right across, thus SeVCrinG tie tor.
with one movement of the knife, and
with the knife still in position the top
is moved a little to one side. This is
all the cutters do. If there is II left
handed cutter, two men work side by
side otherwise the cutter goes down
one side and up the other.
Mr.. Rogers finds that the cost OF cul-
tivatuS the first time is 81 per acre.
This cultivating is done with a two
horse machine which cultivates two
rows mt a time. After this has been
thoroughly done men so through and
with one stroke of the hoe they cut out
weeds and plants the width of the hoe,
leaving the best plants. Men and boys
follow to weed and thin out by hand.
This work, after cultivatug, costs 81
per acre. Later there must be another
wedding at 4 cost of 81 per acre. Mr..
Rogers raised about - acres of sugar
beets this year If l understand it cor
rectly, there was considerable cultiyat-
ing done with the one horse cultiYatOr
besides that already mentioned
The cost of harvesting last year was
1892 per acre. The first act in harvest
ing sugar beets is to use the 'lifter.'
/ This implement consists of two blades
OF suitable length and width attached
| to a beam above, and is used some
thing like a plow. The blades pass
each side of the row, and as they are
set at a slight angle nearer together at
the lower tips than above, their pas
sage looSens and slightly raises the
! beets. After this Is done it is not diff
cult for the men to walk along and pull
the beets, two rows at time.