Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1923-04-12

and delivered to the sugar company
or protected from the cold before
freezing weather sets in. II the roots
themselves freeze after they are nar-
vested, no great damage will result,
provided they remain frozen until they
are worked through the mill, but IL
they alternately freeze and thaw, they
will soon blacken. decay and become
worthless for sugar-making purposes.
Frozen beets should not be put into
the factory sheds with the expectation
of leaving them for any length OF time,
as they will certainly spoil. The only
safe way Is to get the beets out of the
ground before they freeze and put suf-
lcient covering over them so that they
will not be frosted.
Two important points In blowing for
sugar beets shouhl be kept In mind.
namely. the time and depth. Expert
ence has shown that the best results
are generally obtained by blowing for
beets In the fall. Taking advantage
of this fact. the beet grower VIII try
to arrange his work and his crop ro-
tation so that he can pillow his beet
ground in the fall. provided the soil
and weather conditions Will permit.
II has been demonstrated that deep
blowing, especially of the heavier soils,
If done In the fall. VIII give the best
results for sugar beets. If the soil is
deep and well supplied with humus
and is plowed In the fall, IT is hardly
possible to pillow too deep, provided the
ground is in condition to be plowed at
all. If the soil Is shallow and under
lain with clay, 1t will be better to pillow
only one or two inches deeper than
usual. and her use the subsoil pillow.
If the blowing must be delayed until
spring 1t is not advisable to pillow more
than. one or two inches deeper than
the ground was previously plowed.
Object Of Flowing.
The whole object of blowing should
be to make a deep, rich seed and root
bed which a be penetrated easily by
the beet roots and from which the
plants can draw an abundant supply
of food necessary for their constant
and rapid growth. The seed bed must
be firm enough to hold the plants Sc
curely In place and to retain a good
supply OF moisture, but not so compact
that the air cannot circulate freely |
through 1t. II the seed bed is care
selected, properly supplied with
humus, and thoroughly prepared, the
success Of the crop is more than half
assured.
Considering the yield and quality OF
the beets as compared with the cost
Of growing them with different widths
rows. 20 inches is generally salts
factory. although this width Of row
requires a special cultivator. Good,
land that is capable Of growing
a satisfactory row of beets every
inches will soon pay for a beet
in the extra yield when COM
pared with the wider row in which. a
corn c%ultivator could be used. Shall
low planting, one-half to three-fourths
Of an inch. is advisable provided there
IL moisture enough in the soil to pro-
luce termination.
At present practically all sugar beet
seed is planted In solid rows. AS soon
rs the plants have developed from four
10 six leaves. they must be spaced and
since they must stand one in
place at intervals of from eight TO
.welve inches in the row In order TO
beet roots satisfactory In
Held and quality.
The beets should receive a good hoe
ng at the time they are thinned. the
ioosened on all sides n weeds
carefully removed. The number OF
hoeings will depend upon
ocal conditions. Cultivation should
legin Just as soon as the rows can be
ollowed. 1t is usually possible TO cuI-
once before the spacing and
thinning are done. A second should be
.iven as soon as they s~traighten ND
thinning. No fixed rule can be
aid down as to the number of culti-
atoms that a field should receive dur
ng the season. This must be gov.
rned by soil and weather conditions
nd by the presence Of weeds.
Operation Of Harvesting.
Harvesting sugar beets consists OF
distinct operations-llfting. pull.
az and topping. The lifting is usu-
lily done either with a double-pointed
Implement somewhat resembling a
pillow, or by means OF a
ide litter, which Is a small shoe or
low on the end OF a long shank. After
he beets are loosened they should be
brown into piles. In knocking or the
from the beets care should be
not to bruIse the roots unneces-
arily. In topping. the beets should be
ut of squarely at the lowest leaf
car. This is usually done with one
OF a heavy knife.
The beets should hen be covered TO
evaporation. The roots wora
luch better in the mill IL they are
ept fresh and crisp. and they LOSE
IN stderahie wpiKh III exno4ed % a.