The Delta independent., 1923-04-13
THE RIGHT START MEANS
A BETTER BEET CRof

A. R. Douthitt, Field Superintendent
| for the Delta Plant of the Holly
Sugar Corporation.
In working the soil with the idea of
planting sugar beets we all, of
course, do our blowing in the fall, let
ting the winter moisture, freezing and
thawing accomplish the work OF pull
verifying and settling the ground in a
far more satisfactory way than we
can do with any tool. II you were
able to get your land fall plowed you
are fortunate. otherwise we are up
against the problem OF preparing the
spring plowed fields for seeding
which we wish to commence during
the first days Of April.
Pillow deep. never less than eight
inches, ten or twelve is better. Har-
row directly after the pillow. noon and
evening. Float. No doubt it is the
intention of all to do the work as laid
out above, because we go through the
same routine each spring. Very WELL
let us resolve this season to be abso-
lutely thorough in each of these oper-
atoms. Let US see that all trash,
weeds. ETC., are removed and no at
tempt to pillow it under to interfere
with seding, thinning, watering or
cultivation. Let US see that those few
places that bothered us last year be-
cause they were high or low are grad
ed SO as to make fields water uni
formly. Bear in mind a field proper
ly and evenly graded should make a
better yield with less work.
Use the harrow or disc before plow-
ing. 1t conserves the moisture, makes
blowing easier. puts a mulch under
meath which is as necessary and bene-
fetal as the one you wish to have on
top. Flowing should. of course, be
done at the earliest date possible so
as to give the land chance to settle,
soil conditions, as regards moisture,
given due consideration. Plow should
be adjusted and kept in shape as to do
the maximum amount of work intend
ed in the easiest and best way, run
ming uniform depth.
The harrow, next to the pillow, is the
most important tool in preparing the
ground for seeding, as owing to the
rapidity with which we get over the
ground with this tool, we are inclined
to quit too soon. Nothing is more
ESSENTIAL to good seed bed than the
work Of pulverizing and settling the
plowed ground by frequent and thor
ough narrowing and few extra trips
is time well spent.
The drag or float properly built is
six feet wide and eighteen or twenty
feet long, is an excellent tool to firm
and smooth the seed bed. This being
the last work prior to seeding, we use
this tool to settle and firm what
should be proper job of preparation,
but too often do we try to make it
fill the low places which the Fresno
should have done, smooth I'D the
skips dull pillow has made or mash
the clods where we failed to harrow
enough. With this thing we try to
cover up every mistake we made
since we started the spring work.
think good. plan is to harrow
following each rain. This will help
hold your moisture and destroy all
weeds and grass starting. Also, Just
ahead of seeder. teeth slant back
about an inch in depth, and in oppo-
site direction from the way you in
tend to run the beet rows so as not
to interfere with guide mark.
See that drill is working properly,
feeding regularly the required amount
OF seed, about one inch in depth,
press wheels set SO as to firm soil
around the seed which will give a
better termination. It is important
to run straight row SO as not to
make the guess row closer than twen-
ty inches, as this corresponds with
proper drill rows. In doing this you
will not destroy any beets in cult
waiting.
AS the beet acreage promises to be
larger, we are making preparations to
ship in quite number of beet labor
ers Please see that accommodations
are provided for these people.
q.