Rocky Ford enterprise., 1906-11-09
SUGAR BEET CULTURE.
Col. Ed Story. a Successful Grower.
Gives his Methods of Soil Prepara-
x;o, ,nJ Trr;ua<;Nr


few observations in regal to beet
culture. l think it will b admitted
by most farmers that the Slgar beet
is the most profitable crop g-Dwn in
the Arkansas Valley. An ere is
no other crop that respond , read
i, ily to intelligent cultivation good
farmer, upon any sort of lT iould
raise ten tons per acre, fg- one
acre OF ground with rows iches
apart, and beets thinncd to ! hes
apart, there are about 1000 cts.
Now. suppose from various 'fes.
we lose onc-half of our stal' we
would still have twenty tho nd
bects to the acre. SO you may Sc q II
II the bce,s would only average ulc
pound each. we would have ten tons
per acre. and any good farmer ought
to raise that much on the poorcs,
land.
My own method OF beet culture Is
to select the best piece of ground.
either old alfalfa ground. or old
ground well maunrcd. II maunrc is
spread with n sprcadcr. follow with
disc harrow. tapping half. so that the
manure and top OF ground may ba
well pulverizcd together. or II spread
in the old method should be thrown
in large piles during the winter so as
to retain the gasscs as much as posi-
bic. When ready for the plow i,
should be spread evenly over the
ground aud disecd as before.
Follow this Immediately with n
piow, piowing twelve to fourteen
inches deep. Follow piow with d
smoothing harrow. pulvcri.ing the
ground fine. narrowing in afternoon
al iha, had been plowed that day.
When through piowing ground iloa,
!, erosswisr Until all elevations are
ievelci and low places filled w. an,.
the surface Of field packed hard. Fol-
low this with smoothing harrow d.
aTonally To create dns, mulch TO re-
tain moisture.
The ground thus prepared Is now u,
good condition for seeding. which
should begin abou; the tenth OF April.
Seed should bc planted about ono TO
ono aud half inches below surface.
not considering the drs; mulch.
The mex; impofisr; step Is the beet
thinning. which should be done by the
hour. l.tni. by the way. the best
hee, thinning I have ever seen done
was done by the little Indian boys last
summer. who worked by tho hour.
1
fourteen inches apart. and every weed
and spear OF grass should be taken
OFT, os tho field IN the rows and be
tween ,hc rows. aud only large stock;
ber;s left. all inferior small ones sakei,
out. II your help Is working by the
hour they can afford 20 do this.
As soon as hcc;s have had few
days res; and arc standing up well
follow with etii;iva;oT. used the
four row eui;ivator las; summer with
great success. Set in eui,iva,or TO fol
low planter rows. found that The
increased weight OF four row ctlii'
vaior was OF great advantage besides
leaving both hands free TO guide
horses. and guiding plow with my feet
usually enl;isatinE my becis three OF
four times with piow.
When leaves become large enough
TO cover ground and arc brittle snt
break easily. I consider Il dissivan
tagc to drive horses through the field
Cultivation should be continued with .
hoe.
Hocing should be done with srca,
care NO, to iniurr bcc's. and ever
weed and spear Of grass taken o,i'
OF tho field Weeds arc very iuiuri
OTIS 10 a beet cror. not only poison
ing the air above the ground and ai.
sorbinE the plant food. but taking
moisture out of tho ground and i'm
povcrishine tho soil.
believe in thorough cultivation oI
bccts no; only through tho rows but
at the ends and around tho corners
thereby keeping the bitches and road
ways clear Of weeds.
As TO irrigation: After ground has
been prepared as above. bccts will
usually go until tho middle Of 1uiS
without any irrigation a; all. for with
this deep plowinE VIC have a sponge
with almost enough moisture to ma.
turc a crop. I, is a good plan 60 ic,
bcc;s dig down for water. forming a
long tap root.
William Sanders. who Is superin
tcnicnt Of gardens and grounds and
parking commissioner at tho asrieui
turai department at Washington. d
C.. says: Before you water a plan,
let Il get thoroughly dry. so that II
will reach out and make a great force
of roots. and when wa,cfcd give Il
a thorough soaking and never fioot
a plant" About ono more good wat.
crins after this ough, TO finish crop
In regard TO harvesting every on,
tas sirtr nNn ttcnrx