The roundup record., 1911-05-19
Growing Sugar
BeetS in Montana.
BY r. F. Patterson, Montana
Agricultural College.

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In no part Of the region west of the
GSth meridian is it impossible to grow
sugar beets, provided the proper prin-
ciples Of agriculture are observed and
followed. The two essential things
are moisture and SOIL one Of the
the land should be plowed very deep
in the fall say from ten to fourteen
inches. During the winter as the soil
packs considerably it should be loos
ened up again in the spring before
the seed is placed in the land. The
purpose Of plowing in the fall is that
the moisture Which falls during the
winter season may be preserved aud
also the action OF the weather will
tend to pulYerize the harder portions
Of the surface soil. In the spring it
is wise to get on and disc, pow or
harrow so that a sort of mulch is
formed over the surface. In this way
the moisture is prevented from evap-
Grating. If it is impossible to plow
the land in the fall, we may secure as
good results by handling the land in
the spring, but the method of opera
tion will differ somewhat from that
used in the former method.
In the spring the land should be
plowed very deep and then rolled or
packed down SO as to exclude the
>f ni, at Il
establishing capillary attraction. The
surface should be stirred and made
into mulch SO that the land will not
become hard and lumpy. If the roller
is used in the spring, care must be
exercised that the operation is not
performed when the soil is very wet
or it will pack too hard tor the sac.
cessful growth of the beets. The roll
ing is best practiced after the seeds
have been sown. In this event tho
moist soil is packed firmly around the
seeds and termination is fastened.
After the young plants begin to
show through the surface some of the
beet growers advise harrowing stat
Ing that this destroys some of the
weeds and saves considerable mois-
ture. After the soil is Well prepared
the seed is usually drilled in with the
rows from eighteen to twenty inches
apart. The common sugar beet drill
Is used almost exclusively. The seed
Is placed into the soil to depth vary
ing from one-half to one and one-haif
A nj
depend upon the amount Of moisture
present and the type of soil in which
the seed is placed The smaller the
amount OF water the deeper the seeds
are placed in the soil; also the lighter
the soil the deeper the seeds arc
seeds to push their way up through
three or four inches of heavy clay
soil For this reason. in this type of
soil, the seeds are put in very near
the surface. From fifteen to twenty
pounds of seed are used per acre.
Not much care is given TO the crop
after planting until it is time to thin
out some Of the plants. This opera
tion is not easy TO perform and is
quite expensive. Thinning is usually
started when the plants have -four
leaves and is essentially done by hand.
The plants are thinned down and
spaced in lunches from six to eight
inches apart All of the small and
weak plants are removed from the
field. The distance between the plants
varies according to the strength of the
plant and to the condition of the soil.
Rich, open soil will support more
plants than poor compact one.
AS soon as thinning is completed
cultivation is practiced This opera.
tion is usually performed by the aid
Of horse and the beet cultivator. We
should exercise care in order that the
cultivator may not run too deep. The
young plants should not be hilled up
for they require all of the air and sun
light that it is possible to receive
After the first cultivation it is Gus.
tomary to remove the remaining
weeds with the hoe. also the excess
of beets may be removed at this time
In all parts of the West sugar beets
seem to do the best upon irrigated
land. When it becomes necessary to
irrigate, the water is usually applied
shortly after the first cultivation and
hoeing The water is passed down
between the rows SO as to not flood
the beets. If the soil is open and
porous the first application of moisture
will saturate the first six or eight