The Grit-advocate., 1906-06-01
BEET CULTIVATION
EXPERIMENTS IN COLORADO
Conclusions Announced by the Expert
nent Station at Fort Collins.
BY W. H. Olin.

| - sN HopSlS VI
Bulletin 109:
To learn the cultural methods prac-
ticed by our most succe ssful sugar
beet growers. question circulars were
sent to 1000 beet growers well distrib-
uted in three beet regions of the state; /;
northern Colorado. Arkansas valley
and the western slope region. These
growers We're slected as representa-.
the growers who were obtaining the
best tonnage and therefore getting the
most profitable crop returns. The cir
culars were sent out in June and Oc-
| tOber OF the crop season 1905.
1t is to be regretted that many to
whom this circular was sent neglected
to send in reports. Less than fifty per
cent. sent in a complete report from
which We can quote. From the replies
sent in to these question circulars, the
following facts were CLEANED:
l. Flowing Of Beet Ground-Fifty-
four per cent. OF those reporting. plow
their beet ground in the spring; TWEEN.
ty-six per cent. plow their beet ground
in the fall; twenty per cent. irregular,
part of the time spring plowing and
occasionally disked potato ground.
=. Date of Seeding.-Between first
week in April and first week in June;
| SiXty-one per cent. seed in the month
of May.
3. Amount of Seed Per Acre.-The
amount of seed used was from twelve
to twenty-five pounds per acre. The
great majority reported using fifteen
to twenty pounds per acre.
4. Help Preferred.-Forty-six per
cent. of those reporting preferred Rus
sian labor. No particular class OF la
borers received satisfactory vote
from the rest.
5. Space Trimmed in Rows.-This
varied from six to sixteen inches, the
average being 1O.4 inches.
The majority reported from ten to
twelve inches. Further work is neces-
sary on this point. The table clearly
shows the advantage in point of yield
for the wider spaces in the row.
6. Number of Cultivations.-Fort
four per cent. cultivate four to five
times. Thirty-one per cent. cultivate
six to seven times. Twenty-Five per
cent. stated they cultivated two, three,
eight, ten or as many times as the crop
seemed to require cultivation.
| Z. Times rigated-Fifty-six per
| CeHl. ItpOIl Two ~ llllet SlSht
cen per cent report four times; fifteen
per cent. report often as needed.
From answers sent no definite data
on yields could be obtained.
s. To the question, DO Beet Crops
Require More or Less Water Than
Other Field Crop?' thirty. eight per
cent. said more water; thirty per cent.
said less water; thirty-one per cent.
said same as other crops.
9. Value of After Crop, Tops, Etc
In answer to this question, sixty-five
per cent. placed the value between 81
and So per acre, while the average
value assigned was So per acre.
10. Tonnage for 1904.-The average
for those reporting was ia tons per
acre. The state average for the same
year was less than twelve tons.
II. Tonnage for 1905.-The average
yield reported was fourteen and one.
half tons per acre, which is several
tons above the estimated average Of
the state. lhis would indicate that
1904 was a more favorable year for
beet culture than 1905, and that those
reporting are among our most success
full farmers in this industry.
| 12. Expense Per Acre.-The ex-
pense differed according to locality
from $50 to $50, but the average was
$500 per acre.
IS. Net Profit of the Crop.-The re-
ports varied to remarkable degree.
from nothing to SIS per acre. 1t was
almost impossible to strike an average.
the greater number reporting between
$40 and $55 per acre.
IA. To the question. Number Of
Years Beets Have Been Grown on the
Same Ground Without a Change Of
Crop?' the average was two years.
However, most of these farmers have
been growing beets but two years.
Is. To the question. do You Ma
nure Your Beet Land?" tifty-nne per
cent. report they do, forty-one per
cent. report they do not.
1G. Is the Crop a Satisfactory One?
Eighty per cent of the reporting
farms declare it to be the most profit
able crop which they can grow. The
I following statements are given by
farmers having at least -four years of
successful experience in sugar beet
culture:
| l. The sugar beet crop is an expen-
sive one to grow and should be grown
on the very best land on the farm.
2. One should not bring to the sur
| IaCG more lnan Two lncneS OF new SOIL
in plowing. Ground which has not
been worked holds its plant food in
form not easily available to the plant.
The young beet plant does not obtain
proper nourishmenr from such soil
and is checked in the beginning of it's
| growth. When proper conditions pre-
vail. beet ground should be plowed at
least ten to twelve inches deep. When
beet land is plowed in the fall. the soil
is weathered, rendering plant food at
surface easily available to young
plants.
8. Beet ground should be as uni
formly level as the lay of the land will
permit.
A. Early-planted beets have gen
orally given the best yields. The seed
bed should be warm, moist, but not
wet, for the best termination.
5. A uniform stand is seldom OBJ
tained when seed is covered more than
two inches deep. The vitality of the
beet seed does not seem to be sutf-
cient to send the sprout out of the
ground from greater depths. Moisture
conditions must indicate the depth to
plant, as shallow covered seed
makes rapid growth with proper soil
and moisture conditions.
6. Early thinning Of beets has given
I,, ,,Ip