Arizona republican., 1914-04-01

field for sugar beets it is advisable therefore, to note the kind of soil and it's condition, especially with re- ference to drainage and humus, the kind and quality of the preceding crops, and the nature and location of the sub soil.
 The field selected should be req sonably free from weeds, since the extreme foulness of ground adds very materially to the cost of growing beets The beet field must be kept free from weeds if one expects to obtain anything like satisfactory results It is sometimes claimed that a beet crop is of great advantage in freeing a field of weeds. This is true if the ground is properly handled. but one should see to it that not too large a percentage of the profits of the crop is consumed in fighting the weeds, a condition which may be avoided by careful attention to the preceding crops with respect to weed growth.
 An average temperature of about 70 degrees Fahrenheit during the growing season will usually give the best results in sugar content of the i beets. Spring weather has much to do with the success or failure of q sugar-beet crop. A late spring freeze following a favorable period for planting will frequently destroy young } plants A well drained soil rich in humus will tend to offset this to i some extent
 Cool nights and moderately warm 1 days in the latter part of summer and in the fall are most favorable for the storage of sugar in the beets. The great danger from extreme cold | frozen in the ground. This some | times occurs and causes considerable loss to the grower. Every grower ] should aim to get his beets out and, | if necessary, sliced before freezing weather sets in. If the roots them selves freeze no great amount of damage will result, provided they remain frozen until they are worked i through the mill but if they alter
 rately freeze and thaw, they will soon blacken, decay and become worthless for sugar making purposes
 The by-products of the beet field and sugar mill if properly handled may form a valuable asset to the beet grower. Many farmers sell the beet tops for a cash price ranging from ] $?.5O to $500 per acre. If a farmer does this, he is the loser. The tops are of greater value to him as a stock food. and besides if he allows the tops to leave his farm he loses | their value as manure.
 The most economical way is to gather the tops into piles soon after they wilt After they have cured in the piles they should be hauled to the feed yard where they should be fed in properly constructed racks to avoid waste The manure resulting from this feeding should be hauled to the field, spread evenly, and blow ed under. If the tops were free l from disease. the manure can be pro- fitably applied to the ground to be used for the next crop of beets. However, if any disease, especially leaf-spot or crown-rot, was noticeable on the beet leaves and crowns, the manure should be used only on the ground that is not to be put into beets for two years or more; or, bet ter, the wilted tops should be put in to tte silo, where all leaf-spot spores will te killed
 Another by-product of the sugar beet which makes excellent stock food, is the beet pulp. This is the refuse that remains after the beet roots have been sliced and the sugar 1 extracted. As stock food it may be used as green pulp or it may be dried. The pulp is prepared for the drier by having the excess wa
 ter pressed out, after which it is sub