Durango semi-weekly herald., 1905-04-17
SUGAR BEET CULTURE.

Estate news, Will Dt 1Ouuu useIuls
The raising of sugar beets in Colo
rado, because of the profit to farm
ers, has assumed such imposing pro
portions and is bound TO become oi
so mucn more importance that any
thing bearing upon the topic is o
value. The following, being baseI
upon actual experience, is taken from
the La lara Advocate:
1t is impossible to lay down set oI
rules which will apply in all cases
and 1t is not our intention to do more
than offH some suggestions which
facts that experience has shown &c
be essential to profitable beet raising
This is a matter OF the greatest i'm
portance and none but the very best
land you have should be selected for
the beet crop.
1t mas been shown by experience
that the best is a rich black sandy
soil. or a soil composed Of mixture
of clay and sand which makes nice
loan.
See that the land lays well for ir-
rigating and has good drainage.
Good crops to follow are potatoes
peas, beans or corn, where they have
been successfully raised.
Alfalfa land is especially adapted TO
beets, provided that the seed bed has
been thoroughly and properly pre-
pared.
Avoid land that is sandy enough tu
blow, land so strongly alkali that II
will not grow other crops, not gravel
ly land or land so wet that it can not
be properly cultivated, heavy adobe
land. raw land, and land which can
not be properly irrigated.
Use care and judgment in selecting
where you will plant beets 1t costs
as it does good one.
Fall plowing is always the best for
beets, but If this has not been done
The farmer should piow in the
spring as soon as weather conditions
will permit
10 have the ground well manured,
using from seven to ten loads to the
acre. spread evenly over the soil. Well
rotted barnyard or sheep manure
should always be used Right here We
wish to impress on you not to put on
a lot OF coarse green manure in the
spring, 1t will do more harm than
good. It is always best to manure
in the fall and early winter Bnt If
circumstances necessitate its being
done in the spring. use only fine well
rotted manure.
Fall plowed land should be worked
as early in the spring as possible,
using care, however. not to work the
soil when too wet. When the ground
is in the right condition, run a leveler
over II crosswise once or twice while
the ground is moist. thus filling all
the low places with moist soil.
When the land has been properly
leveled, then run steel frame lever
narrow over once or twice.
Then II the soil is thoroughly pull
verized let II lay a few days before
planting to give the weeds a chance
TO start
To Kill the Weeds.-Set your steel
frame harrow deep, weignting it down
so it will go in nearly to the frame
and harrow crosswise twice. Then set
the harrow light and run over once or
twice more the same way. You Will
thus destroy the weeds, and if the
land is firm it will be ready for seed
ing and should be planted as soon as
possible.
Spring Plowing-Should be gotten
at just as soon as conditions will per
nit, and snould be from eight to ten
inches deep. But you should be care
ful not TO turn a furrow more than
Two inches deeper than the land was
plowed the previous season. Too
much new soil that has never been on
The surface and exposed TO atmos-
pheric action is detrimental to seed
serminaton. The heavier the ground
the more injurious ii is TO turn up
much new soil. If previous plowins
has been very shallow use the sub
soiler so that the ground below, which
is not turned to the surface, is brok-
en- and loosened.
II is well to disc and harrow stub
bile or otner ground before plowing,
as the ground will plow better and
the soil turned under will be fine.
You must get a fine seed bed and
retain moisture near the surface.
II working with one team, unhitch
from the plow and smooth and har
row at least twice day.
Filling dead burrows and levelins
well as fast as plowed and while the
ground is yet moist is the best policy
A good stand is essential to tne sue
cess OF the crop and this can not he
expected unless the ground is IN
level. smooth and fine condition.
Often after spring plowing it is al
vantageous to use roller and for this
purpose n corrugated iron roller II
recommended. This tool leaves th'
ground somewhat roughened, and Il
often of great benefit.
Alfalfa ground should of course b.
fall plowed. but when spring plowe'
,,nrl should bppin as soon as th