Graham guardian., 1911-12-22
SUGAR BEET CULTURE
Furrow Method Of Irrigation
Gives Best Results.
One Advantage OF System Is Ease
With Which Water Can Be Ap-
piled Without Touching Plants a
and Avoid Crust Forming

The furrow method of irrigation
without doubt gives the most saus'
factory results in growing sugar peets
II of course requires almost perfec'
preparation of the land, but the re-
cults are satisfactory. One advantage
of this system Is the ease with wnicn
the water applied can be kept from
touching the plants and thus forming
crust of earth around them. Inc
ideal condition Is brought about oy
the maintenance Of continuous gooo
mulch near to the plants so as 10
prevent evaporation from the soil sur
face and by cultivation after irriga'
ton to break up the wetted area IN
the furrow into finely divided con
dition, says the Denver Field ano
Farm. Furthermore, the furrow sys'
tenn leaves the surface In cond1tlon
for any other crop which may be used
In rotation.
Down in New Mexico and all over
California the check and border sys'
TENS are practiced. but they are not
desirable for they interfere more OF
less with the planting, working ano
harvesting of the beets. Besides this
the beets are in danger Of drowning
out by careless application OF water
and considerable waste ground is
to occur in the field In preparing for
irrigation by burrows the surface
must have uniform slope throughout
so that water may run through with
out interruption On lands which are
fairly level leveler or float Is the
most common implement used. The
land should be first plowed In lands
to depth of eight or ten inches
Flowing around field should always
be avoided and all dead furrowf
should be eliminated so far as pos
sible by back furrowing into then
several times.
The lands should therefore be oi
considerable width. even II time II
lost at the turns. In this connection
1t may be well to speak of a type oi
plow which is coming largely into
favor in many of the beet growing
sections and which does away en-
tirely with both back and dead fur
rows, since all burrows are thrown ir
the same direction. This plow Is .
sulky and is made In two types, called
reversible and left-hand plows set op
posite each other on beam. Wher
the end of the field Is reached the
plow is thrown out of the ground and
reversed by means Of handles at ths
back and when the implement is turn
ed around the other plow throws the
burrows In the same direction as the
previous furrow.
Another type accomplishing the
same purpose consists OF sulky
frame carrying right and left plows
with levers for raising and lowering
them so that either one can be held
out Of the ground while the other one
is in use. The balance pillow consists
Of one or several plows in gangs
fastened In two frames, which are sci
at an angle Of 1875 degrees to one an
other. the axle and wheels being al
the angle. One frame contains right
hand and the other left-hand plows
The drawbars at the ends are Joined
by means Of heavy round steel roc
and a loose ring connects the team Il
the drawbar. When the end of the
field is reached the team is swung
around on the unplowed ground ant
the ring travels from one drawbar II
| the other by way of the rod. As the
plow starts up 1t pulls one plow ou,
and the other into the ground, thus
obviating the necessity Of throwing
the plow out as In the reversible.