The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1914-03-13
Sugar Beet Production
In Irrigated Areas

|
trial, western and southwestern por.
tons of the United States are dealt
with in the department of agrimul
aure's new bulletin, Sugar Bee,
Growing Under Irrigation" This is
the second bulletin of interest tc
sugar beet growers which has been is
sued recently. The other was en-
titled: Sugar Beeting Growing I'm
der Humid Conditions and was oil
interest more particularly to the
northern portion of our country
where most of the present sugar beet
crop is grown.
While there is a feeling of safety
| in having an unlimited supply OF
water for irrigation purposes, it must
always be remembered that irrigation
costs money and labor, says the gov
ernment's investigator. Such precipi-
tation of moisture then, as there is
in locality should not be permitted
to escape from the soil with the idea
that more water can always be alp
piled when needed All moisture that
falls upon the ground and is received
and retained by the soil acts upon
the plant foods day after day and
accomplishes most for plant growth.
Precipitation is natures gift and
should never be despised. The
ground in irrigated sections where
the sugar beet plant is grown should
be plowed to good depth in the fall
and every effort made to retain the
moisture in the soil from the time the
previous crop is harvested until the
beet crop is laid by.
Much depends upon the condition
of the soil as to whether or not it
is able to receive and retain the mois-
ture. A large number of showers
may show several inches of rainfall
in the aggregate, and yet they may
have accomplished little, if any, good
so far as crop production is concern
ed, because they failed to moisten the
ground to sufficient depth. On the
other hand, one or more heavy, dash
ing rains may show satisfactory
total rainfall for the season and at
the same time be entirely unsatis-
factory from the standpoint of crop
production. Indeed such rains may
be more injurious than beneficial, be-
cause of packing and crusjing the
ground. A record of the total rain
fall for season, or even month by
month, is of little value unless we
know the nature and amount of each
precipitation. The point of most vital
Importance is to have the ground in
condition to receive as much as pos
sible Of the moisture that falls upon
it and then to make every effort to
retain that moisture in the soil.
Other points to be considered by
growers of sugar beets under irriga-
tion are the following:
Sugar beet soil should be selected
with reference to its fertility, it's
physical condition, its previous CROP
ping and it's ability to be properly
drained and irrigated.
The seed and root beds should be
so prepared that they will be fine,
firm, moist and well aerated, with
lumpy mulch on the sur
race to prevent blowing.
Beet ground should never be flood
ed after the seed is planted.
The soil should be we'll supplied
with humus.
Beet seed should be planted in
moist soil, but not more than one and
one-half inches deep.
Beets should be spaced and thinned
just as soon as they are large enough
10 handle.
Beets should be cultivated and
hoed often enough to destroy all
weeds and to keep the entire surface
of the ground covered with mulch.
Beets should always be rotated with
other crops in order to keep the soil
in good filth and free from pests.
Live stock, especially dairy cows,
should always be found on beet farms. |
The by-products of the sugar beet
and of the sugar mill are worthy of
careful attention. There are describ-
ed in detail in both the newly issued
bulletins on the sugar beet.
and Winds Must be
Considered
Besides the precipitation, two i'm
portant climatic factors to be consid-
cred are the temperature and winds.
Both high and low temperature have
a direct bearing upon the growth or
quality of the beets. A study of the
most successful sugar-beet localities
Of the world leads to the conclusion
that beets of the best quality can
not be grown where the average tenn
Derature for the growing season is