Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1906-03-23
SUGAR BEETS A money CROP
An Interesting Statement of Facts From
Our Townsman w A Bahlke.


much to learn.
early believed beet culture profitable.
For this reason in part, l purchased
farm seven years ago and have taken an
active interest in its development.
For the last five years | have grown
about rs acres of beets each year on my
farm of SO acres just east of this city
am now prepared TO say advisedly that
the sugar beet is beyond all doubt the
best and most profitable crop that farm
ers il. this county can employ ON their
farms in am regular system of crop
rotation. This statement is not guess
nor merely an opinion, but fact, the
record of five years of farming under
circumstances which appear to me to be
most fair and impartial in making the
test; this principally because l have
hired during this time every days labor
done upon the farm that produced the
resnlt.and have accurately kept a record
of every cent received and expended
from year to year upon it. wish to
prove the truthfulness of the statement
above made.
And first, what place should the sugar
beet take i'll system of crop rotation?
In arranging a crop rotation, two
things are of first importance. LIST.
What crops will best succeed each other?
End. What crop will you depend upon
as your money crop" Experience
must determine both of these questions.
l have depended upon sugar beets for
the money CROP" for this reason the
whole rotation has been planned with
the object of attaining the best results
with this crop. l have learned from
growing sugar beets that it is the profit
maker on the farm. 1t is this i'll part,
that makes farming, like all other kinds
of successful business, attractive and
entertaining
Experience has brought me TO the
conclusion that the following five year
rotation finishing with beets is as well,
if not better adapted to the production
of a good beet crop, as any that can be
arranged upon hard wood land such as
is generally found in Gratiot county,
viz:
First year: Oats following beets: in
fall "stubble in the oat ground into
wheat.
Second year: Seed the wheat ground
with clover do not use any timothy
on your farm; this impoverishes it and
renders the soil hard and unfit for beet
culture.)
Third year: Cut clover for hay or
seed or both as circumstances may deter
mine.
Fourth year: If clover winters well
plow under a clover crop about July lst
and fallow the ground for the best crop
for the following year If the clever
does not winter well plow it up in the
spring and put into corn and beans, one
or both as may be thought desirable,
but whether fallow, beans, corn or
other cultivated crops keep the land
thoroughly free from weeds If into
corn or beans plow in fall if possible for
the beets in the spring.
Fifth year: Sugar beets.
A four year rotation may be obtained
by blowing the clover meadow in the
fall about September 10Th after full
second growth clover crop has developed,
and then cultivating it before freezing
weather begins. The actual condition
of the soil as to fertility should deter
mine the course to pursue. 1t is not de-
sirable to grow beets on soil so long as
it can be substantially and extensively
increased in fertility Soil cannot be
too fertile for beets. 1t costs practically |
as much to grow poor crop of beets as
a good one and on account of the cash
invested to grow it, loss is possible
where there is no excuse for taking the
chance. Do not grow beets where the
conditions are not practically as promis-
ing as they can be made. 1t is possible |
for every farmer to attain the right /
standard on some portion of his farm;
where this standard is attained put in
your beets; five acres or even less under
ideal conditions will make good money; |
twenty acres where conditions are not
right may lose you money In the
latter case one is likely to become dis
couraged, condemn the crop and there
by injure its successful development
and the improvement in conditions
which this industry has brought to this
community. II we cannot be helpful in
this field of usefulness, let us at least
be sure we do no harm.
The advantages to the farmer in this
rotation, so far as my experience is con-
cerned, are many. In the first place a
beet crop leaves the ground in an ex-
cellent condition for oats; we all know
this from experience. Oats can be easily
put In. no plowing necessary, therefore
put in early, most important considera-
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