The Delta independent. [volume] (Delta, Colo.) 1886-19??, 1907-11-01
Ideal Yield Of Sugar Beets.

Fifteen to 28.75 tons an acre Is the
yield of the Agricultural college
beet crop this year. The maximum
yield last year was 81 tons. Instead of
being less than last year the tonnage
average is greater, in spite of the late
season which, it was feared, would not
only delay the harvest. but would re-
suit IN small yield.
The result of 2S-ton yield at the
college is not the average for the Fort
Collins district, but the ideal. the point
to which the beet growers are expected
to work up during the coming season
by taking advantage of the lesson set
by the experiment on the college
ground. The principal point brought
out this year is thus stated by Prof.
Fritz Knorr:
'"The' average farmer uses far too
much water. A l5-ton yield was pro-
duced without irrigation. The best
yield of %. rs tons had two runs of wa
ter. Many growers irrigate four times.
This is too much. 1t causes the beets
to run to tops and makes the yield
lighter. l am satisfied that with a
more judicious use of water many acres
more could be brought under irrigation
without increasing the water supply
Tests of the college beets show the
sugar contents to vary frpm 1862 to
1875 per cent On composite samples.
What the sugar factory tests show is
not given out, so no comparison can be
made.
Experiments in beet siloing are in
progress. Prof. Knorr has completed
a long silo bed in which the beets were
covered in the manner usually employed
by growers. Other conical shaped silos
were also completed. The object of the
experiments with these is to determine
whether wet or dry siloing is better. In
the wet silo, the soil is thoroughly
soaked, on the theory that dry dusty
soil absorbs the moisture from the beet,
causing greater shrinkage. By wetting
the soil the beets, it is believed, better
retain their moisture and the conse-
quent weight.
Another phase of the experiment is in
the size of the silo. One, for example,
contains one and a quarter tons of
beets, while in another there are four
tons. Comparison between these piles
will show the relative merits between
large and small silos. In the center of
each of the conical silos is placed a
sheet iron pipe through which the tenn
perature of the silo may be taken at
any desired depth. The beets will re-
main in silo about two and a half
months and the result of the expert
ments will be announced when they are
delivared to the factory.
Growers. therefore, will have for
next season not only their own expert
ences-the first with SLIDING in northern
Colorado, but they may know with a
considerable degree of accuracy wheth-
er wet or dry silo will return the
best results and whether the beets
show the least shrinksge in large or
small silo. Prof. Knorr will slso make
tests of sugar contents before and after
SLIDING, to show the gain in sugar and
the loss in weight.
Field Superintendent Griffin of the
sugar factory says that practically
three-fourths of the beets in his district
have been harvested and cared for.
The most of them have been delivered.
This is far greater percentage of the
crop than was harvested at this time
last year. He also says there is less
complaint among the farmers this year
than usual over the lack of cars and un-
favorable weather conditions. Denver
Republican.
Buttons sewed on mems clothing at
the Steam Laundry.