Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-04-25
SUGAR BEET TALK.


q. ". shaw in Grand Junction News.
Since the matter OF planting beets
in rows mt distances to exceed those
recognized az giving the best results
has been considerably under discus
s,ou. II will he OF interest, and trust
profit. TO review the results OF certain
experiments touching upon the effect
OF such planting upon the Yield. pu.
rity and sugar contents OF the beet
Farmers are naturally prone at the
outset to advocate the use OF wide dis
tances because OF the greater onsc
with which cultivation can he con
Quoted. and In an irrigated region they
are stiIl more inclined to do 80.
claiming that II is easier 10 irrigate
sfhe crop. The real reason, 80 far sf
the latter matter In concerned. In the
deaire to run water In. MS long rows
ms possible. and my observations last
eenson were that very large mum
ber OF growers attempted to run toe
water over altogether too long dis
tannea. thus causing Shc loss OF mnni
bcets at one end of the field through
g over HHhl'ftltE Wy w ''f'N
INTO the trench enough water TO rcaei
the farther end Of tho field, npd aist
spelling many beets nj the other enc
OF the neld because OF a too limited
supply OF water reaching them-thut
cutting the proiits at both ends.
The desire for wider distance
comes, primarily. I think, To enable
them TO continue this practice which
is of itself Objectionable for the rca
sons stated, These wide distances
viii encourage this fault.
Farmers, ns o rule, are not aware
OF the tact that the sugar beet haf
beru developed along very rigid iine'
an. that any considerable deviation
from these lines is almost certain t.
enect the sugar content. purity o
yield aud perhaps all OF these, II IL
to show you what has been demon
siraied us to the cfioct on the beet
from the use OF different distances
TINT | present this.
A great many experiments have
been conducted to ascertain this ct
feet and IL Is for this reason that ali
factories insist on the narrower dis
tanccs II is a well known fact thai
hish-Dred animals developed ATOMS
certain lines, MS for instance the ior
sey COW, when placed under strained
conditions and unsuitable environ
ments are affected unfavornbly ms &c
the health and the quality Of thch
miik This IL law well known to
ana recognized by all well poatcd dat
rymrn. The sugar beet In an artiif
cialIy developed and thoroughbred
plant and Is similarly affected by plac
ing II uuier conditions radically dif
ferent from thocs of its development
II Is a particularly seneitlye plant
dinerent IN this respect from any 9th
er grown by the farmer. which is y
fact not realized by farmers until they
have grown the crop some years.
wbcn they come TO realize this fact
from close connection with the crop
there Is no trouble In getting them IT,
adopt rigid methods OF cultivation, ms
IL the case now at Lchi, They expe.
rienco no trouble with their grower
except IN the case OF new men. who
are always wanting TO do somcthinl
different than the crop will stand, ow
ing TO the lack OF a proper realization
or the extremely sensitive nature oi
the plant
While these experiments were not
conducted here. yet the laws which
govern plant life arc the same here N
elsewhere. and the immutable law Of
cause and effect always holds.