The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1902-11-14
CULTURE OF THE SUGAR BEET
Practical Sussestlons-Piant on Good
Land-Plow this FaIl-Use Fertile
ers Literally.

Vio
To FARMERS AND PARTIES INTEREST
ED IN SUGAR BEET CULTURE:
Allow us to make few suggestions
which have proved to be very beneficial
to beginners if carried out. First, IN
regard TO selection Of land Take the
best piece of land that can be obtained,
not so rolling that the seed will wash
as being planted early and shallow mot
toexceed 4in. deep,) the seed must with
stand some heavy early rains, and if
there is too much incline, will cover too
deep and not germinate. In Germany
it is said that the sugar is hoed into the
beets, and it practically costs no more
to get large crop on good land than a
small one, and large one means $75 to
800 per acre.
By all means select piece of rich
land, one that will grow a good corn
crop will also grow good beet crop,
avoiding muck ground or soil of a
sandy nature without good subsoil,
which serves to retain the moisture in
drouth. Tile drained land is preferable
as rule. 1t is better fertilized, owing
to atmospheric action, especially in
such year as we have just had, when
there is too much rain.
Second, IN regard TO preparation Of
land. Take for instance, clover sod, corn
ground, stubble ground, or sod ground,
put on ten to twelve loads of manure to
the acre, then have three good horses on
the plow and plow eight to ten inches
deep this fall. Then the atmospheric
conditions will act upon the soil, rain,
snow and frost will mellow it, and make
it in fine shape for the seed bed when
the time comes; also making it possible
to get in the seed by the last of April or
the very first of May, thus getting the
beets taken care of before harvest be-
gins. Deep plowing will also rid you of
many noxious weeds by putting them
down so deep, and new ground will con-
tain none.
| DO not roll, drag or culticate fail
ploued ground, as the rougher it is left
the better, so the frost will have a
chance to, what is called, "slack" the
same. The writer this year used un.
leached hard wood ashes manure, and
commercial fertilizer to try to demon
strate the value of each, but, owing to
excessive rains, the proofs were not as
|
they should be. 1t is certain however
that the unleached ashes gave the
largest yield, the manure the next,
while the commercial ialfertilizer gave the
highest sugar percentage and also the
most perfect stand. Do not use ashes
/ and manure on the same land, as the
fertilizing ele m ,nts of ashes and manure
will consolidate, forming an insoluble
compound. Ii unleached ashes are
used one ton per acre will be sufficient,
! if you use leached ashes put on eight
to ten loads per acre, and spread. and you
will have excellent results Ashes
may be put on either before plowing in
the fall, or, if unable to fall plow
plow in the spring and spread on the
land as you haul them.
If you are unable TO fail ploac, then
we would advise to take either stubble
ground OF one year old sod ground,
bean ground or corn ground. Cover
this winter with barn yard manure and
plow not more than one inch deeper
than customary in the spring: for in
stance, if you have been accustomed to
plow six inches, plow seven in the
spring, then work the one inch of new
ground well in before seeding. If you
do spring plow, do it as early as the
ground will do to handle without stick
ing. for three reasons viz. first. the
sooner the weeds are encouraged to
grow the more of them can be killed be-
fore planting the seed; second, land
| plowed while the weather is cool will
retain the moisture much longer than
any plowed in warm weather; third, it
is much better to allow ground to settle
as much as possible after plowing and
before the preparation Of the seed bed
so it will become packed to allow better
and quicker termination. After spring
plowing, harrow once and leave the
ground as it is until time to SOW the
seed, thus allowing the weeds to sprout.
If you use corn ground, would advise
carrying off stubble, as you will be
greatly hindered in cultivating by pull
ing up the stubble and thus injuring
your stand of beets, as they will not
stand much abuse in their young state;
also, in a dry year, the stubble has a
tendency to dry the land. We do not
wish to make you believe that the beet
crop requires any change in the method
of farming, but we desire to impress
upon you the necessity of starting right,
both for the success of the factory and
yourself the first year.
| SUMMING 1T ALL UP, WE
WOULD SAY, IF POSSIBLE, COVER
THE GROUND WITH WELL ROT
TED MANURE IN THE FALL AND
PLOw EIGHT TO TEN INCHES. If
SPRING PLOwED, DO 1T EARLY,
TURN UP ONE INCH OF NEW