Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1920-03-19
HOW TO SUCCEED
WITH SUGAR BETS
J. T. Volta and A. II. Wright


J. +. Volta and A. III. Wright
Sugar beets need good soil on
which TO grow. Fertile silt loans. clay
loans. aud well decomposed and thor
oughly drained marsh lands are the
ones to select for beet growing. Badly
washed hiilSideS and worn-out. poorly
drained, or marsby soils will not pro
duce profitable crops of sugar beets
Any soil that will produce a good crop
Of corn. barley, cabbage or potatoes is
adapted TO growing sugar beetS.
Fall plowed land thoroughly disked
and narrowed as early in the spring as
possible makes the best seed bed. In
some cases fall plowed land may be
come so compact by spring that it will
be necessary to re-plOw.
When the beet land is spring plowed
do not pillow as deep as is customary in
the fall plow as early as possible and
work the soil down to Il firm seed bed.
Keep the surface thoroughly worked
until planting time. This will provide
ii level firm. well-pulyerized seed bed
check
Seed may ne secured from the beet
sugar companies. which handle only
the best seed.
Plant sugar beets just as soon as the
soil is warm and dry.-about corn
planting time. The earlier the beets
are planted the more vigorous their
growth.
Plant the seed at a uniform depth of
one-half to threef ourths of an inch.
II is best to use Il regular beet planter.
but if one is not available a grain drill
With some of the spouts closed Will do.
With a finch drill. leave one hole open
20 SOW the seed and shut the next four.
The rows should he about 20 inches
apart. With the G-inch drill leave one
spout open and plug the next three ;
with an S-inch drill leave one open and
shut off the next two. y hand drill
may lie used to advantage where only
a small acreage is to be grown.
Rate of planting. The beet rows
should he from 20 to % inches apart
The seed should be SOwn at the rate OF
about - pounds to the acre.
Cultivate once before blocking and
thinning Do this as soon as the rows
can Ee. plainly seen across the field.
Cultivate shallow and he careful that
the Dlantlets are not covered with dirt
When the beets are from ~ to 212
inches high take n hoe about { inches
wide and block out the beets, leaving
> or > inches Of beets in each block.
Next. leaving the most vigorous plants.
thin out to one plant in each block.
plants to he s or 10 inches apart. This
work should be done with care and on
time The condition and the evenness
Of the stand will largely determine
the success or failure of the crop.
After thinning. keep the field clean
Of weeds by frequent cultivation. This
will hasten the early rapid growth Of
the plants SO that the tops will cover
the ground between the rows before
the usual hot. dry weather begins.
The leaves keep in the soil moisture
which promotes the healthy growth of
the root.
After S or 10 leaves are formed do not
cultivate too close to the plant nor too
deep. Close. deep cultivating checks
growth by cutting too many side roots
which serve as feeders to the plant.
Cultivate from three to five times dur
ing the summer and until the tops
meet between the rows.
one or twO-rOw beet cultivatOr. \
small field of sugar beets may be taken
care Of satisfactorily with hand cul
tiyatOr.
\ good yield of sugar beets is from
10 to - tons to the acre. Higher
yields have been obtained: yields in
excess Of 20 tons are not uncommon.
The average for Wisconsin is about IL
tons.