PLACE IN RETURN BOX to remove this checkout from your record. TO AVOID FINES return on or before date due. MAY BE RECALLED with earlier due date if requested. | DATE DUE DATE DUE DATE DUE 2/05 p:/CIRC/DateDue.indd-p.1 SUGAR BEET CULTURE T Hos esis Submitted to Michigan Agricultural College for the degree ef Master of Agriculture / i 8 . a Lo ‘ , By 1 . ' * . ; . a eh _ Elton Brainard Hill uae, ewe wee ere . 1923 .4 ' l . : : , So, ; . , { 3 ee oH xT. ' | 1: i | | ' an “ee oa a eet Bless we ee eee sas oe ~ | os ~ 4 - LN - tt 1 : —oorio., a ce - toe mee Orne cs terete ey er ee em en et te > ee es eae cane Caren eee Tee Sy ee BOY Fe : + .- oa -- . * . - a 4 defi >» . * = ~ . tot een len mabneyniemimtinaiine fade ee a paupme day r= + ¥ we . my . 7 - o. 7 7 ete kee . whe eee eye . eee ye oot - i “ - 7? ——_ wey ay ' = 7 aa ™ * r — —_— J ’ ‘ ! . 3 . 1 . . -¢ on: ' . ' ~~ oe ~- eee ye ee ee ve ’ ~ - - ~ ~- a ree . f° - . : t . . ¢ << - ASAE _ Tete e < at , . el” te - 7 a . - ; mos : a ' * “ ‘ 7” - — . - - . - . . . . ‘ ° ~ - . * . . Sd “a : - . 5 . Jat to. ’ : - . x . —acSNPS = ee - . - ee eG . - - . ‘ we, . ‘ . ft > 8 ~ . 2 = ~~ = te . a y TO own men ee ag —_— - > ~—— - ye ee we ee oe oe ee > wr rom wee ’ nee os" ETS if i $ tt f hl « j The) farmer upholds the sugar beet because the sugar beet upholds the farmer a OMe we we wat ae . . q : + . ' weet HS et ae ee ee - yee — oo — = ne a — ? - ; ‘ : . 7 8 . Except where otherwise noted, the material presented in this bulletin is the result of five years personal ob- servation and work with the sugar beet industry,- first as County Agricultural Agent and later as Agriculturist for the Menominee River Sugar Company at Menominee, Michigan. J ) =o , r } | - | | ro i /. “| | Le t gi. eee RR Ee ee ae Oe woe 1 we eee ‘SUGAR BEET CULTURE A New Industry Sugar beet culture is a relatively new industry. The firet sugar factory to be established in Michigan was built in Bay City in 1898, just twenty-four years ago. During the next seven years, twenty-three other factories were built in the state. Seven of these have been moved away, leaving Michigan with seventeen active sugar factories. It is a noticeable fact, hovever, that no new factories have been built in Michigan during the past seventeen years. Wiese A satisfied beet grower. The sugar beet is one of: ene 8 moat reps tant cash crops. ? Beg oj. wa do ely PB to a ry Po oe | ns a fo _ | ‘The First aa 4 | | vd Politics ae well: as soientific pgrioulture and chemisa- . 4 try have been a very important factor in the. development of this industry. The Ding ley Tariff Act of 1897, providing : for a tariff of #1.95 per hundred on refined sugar. was the q first important favorable legislation to benefit this phase ‘ of American agriculture. The financial provisions of ‘this - Act were reduced twenty-five per cent on March 1, 1914. The tariff which is being considered at the present session of Congress provides for a still sreater protection for this a great American industry. An Important Cash Crop Although the sugar beet is a relatively new crop in : 7, a ee Lathe See TR SOI tase mee eer + ee rN + . cna a ited ” - ra ard ee ha A hand ’ Michigan, it is already established as one of our stable in- dustries. It returns to the growers, in actual cash returns -—, ae meres: ee Te} enn tot ren 7 fom $7,000,000 to $11,000,000 per year. Table I, taken Vy from the 1931 Annual Summary of the Crop Report for Michigan gives some valuable information relative to the extent of ~~ rn ey . . . . CEE NES RTE ce the sugar neet crop in this state for the past twelve years. It gives. only the cash returns from this orop, however. With all farm ordps: there are certaim other advantages: as well as are mae ty wpe , - , : . ' 7 . . : te ae woe segs, . wey eo er ec rie waco on Su YT EN CTTW Oe 3 * . — Pp —~* . , a Aisadvantages which should be taken into consideration. The me other. benefite, which have long been recognized, derived from a. fb yeugar, beet: culture are “Likewise very important, but will be c | dfeoussed : in ‘other ate of this ‘Peper. eB oe ed : bo , ws ye eiged cb : | AN eT BOE CEPA ROS HT Orr tower - pyres Table I. A twelve-year report on the acres harvested, yield and total value of Michigan' =| “sugar beet crop. | Av aT Ome? af ply Oat pee Da et Total Average Total - Average < F YEAR. pshcrenge ed yield: production, price value, value ( ae , per acre. (000 omitted.) December 1. | (000 omitted.) | —per‘acre. - Fg | } it cres. Tons. Tons. Dollars. Dollars. Dollars. ' 44 lo 78,779 9.0 708 5.22 3,698 64.98 a 1910............ sl. 117/500 10 3 1,208 6.00 7,248 61.80 ed Wl... 145.837" 9.9 1,444 BM 8/289 56.83 a 1912.....0000 000.0000... 124 , 241 68 839 5.69 4,774 38.69 [n 1013. .............000... 107,965 9.0 955 5.93 5,663 53 .37 . 44 1914...........00.0.0004, 101, 263 8.5 857 § 23 4,482 44.45 % 1918... 0.00. 122,000 8.2 998 | §.91 5, 898 48 .46 1916. .... 000000... 99,619 5.8 544. 6.14 337 |. 33.77 be WI7. ee, 82, 151 6.4 462.) 8.04 3,714 51.46 x 1918... ll. 114,976 79 800 10.08 8,971 70.63 Fs *1919....00. Ul, 123,000 9.8 1,205 12 52. , 087 122.70 a *1920. 150,600 8 8 1/320 10.08 13/306 88.70 ad *"1021....0.00..0...000.. 125, 8.3 1,038 6.00 6, 228 40 80 Avorage.............. 114, 795 8.3 959 7.12 6,976 61.13 *Final revisions not completed. A further important factor to be presented in the pre- liminary economic discussion of this crop is its relation in 1 acreage and value to certain other stable cash crops of this state. A presentation of this tahle (Table II) is necessary wee L ae ‘ - 7 - ~ oo. . - = “ar ’ fs =~ rn F st A who en EAE Dall 0nd sat Eee Be Pt ee A ee get he eee, to fully understand Michigan’ s need for this crop and its im- portance to the agricul ture of the state as a whole. In other words, “how much richer financially is the agriculture of Michigan on account (of the beet crop than is the agricul- - : - - ~ o¢4 - . _ ry rye ea - “x Berne a PE eT J oe. ture of Towa, ‘Tllinoie. or some similar state without it? , : From Table TIL te is found that the potato is the only oo soa aod farm 0 orop. ‘that. hes a larger ratio of total acres to total tr Ih - talue t than has. ‘the sugar peet. The ratio of the potato crop | is, 1. to Ae 39, while fat of the eugar veet is 1 to 3.07, fol- t9) ay 69, orn with 1 to 1.16, wheat ve, “towed 9 by. beans. with ath 2 to i. 00 and boy rye with 1 to 0.56. ' j wont. ere ano ~ tes Soy ee a . oa PEN A wre Pes et yt ee ero bars Stage tere $e one ee ’ wae . t nO GO mar tern mee aw NSS Se, . x. wo. og t- pene hee Te ae = kN oe 6 eee ot ma rN Te er w r aT ee ae = 39" — af rr en ~~ a ee —s TA eee ote oe ™ To oe wry pennant, hye 7 ES Tt, ee ce wo s cian —~ ~ ee eT tne ee bear tT woe te tee ver ctw re rome eae oe ed . Foor ey wee Pe rf Pe a mabye aye 4 ~ ES Sye oe ve et “ “ . ee ? = ~ eet et ea a Table II. A summary of the acreage, yield and valuation of thé farm crops of Michigan for the year 1921. ‘ Total value | (000 omitted.) a o& es | ey 28 Acres, CROP. » (000 omitted.) | . | 3s g -_ oe ~3 Duet bo on ~~ | bee DODOe@ SSSSSSASSS Winter wheat... ee lea. 857 ing wheat............. Corn Leeeeee eee e ee eee. 1,703 Oats $14,260. 374 | $1,880" pa 10, 116° Mee STW i tee ot — ©o iY wooor™= bo = ADDO! RISVSRSSSVESTR 33 wd I] pe eon eke g ad Peeeeeae! we wo} i dS ss aa % a a —S od 8 i Ww 3 - as Hwan Sass See Hw BDOODWANOCOS > o om tena Es @® z§ ] << ko o & ws © ve a pas 2s e 3. 3 S & 8 o” ih a aa —— mm © gfe? Apples (agricultural)... |.......0.0.00eb oe beeeveee | ‘ Apples (commercial)... .. .|. oe eeeccacswabeceees _.. - bbls. 1,208 |............20)--- deccevccvaaleceeeceeeereae ‘Peaches... 6... cele c eee e ee lessee ee eees . 338 | 8 er a bus.} - 532 - ra mee - mt a= See et - =! wal oo —~ © -— AD - pre em set arg, en. a” Qe ee Table III. Relation of the acreage and value of various HMMM ‘ ‘ é farm crops to the total acreage and total value of all crops ¥ given in Table II. | i oan Per; cent of total crop acreage Ter Ty ee : Car} 7 . 5 i hs Per cent of total crop value Ratio, acreage to value = sc jf. an |----- "a we ty, - v is, aes Te ee Tas OT me ve . " pia pa 4 ‘ + ! ! t ' t pa 1 — TT Corn 19.1 32.0 1 1 to 1.168 a t oy 4 t Wheat | 20.1 ‘10. 1 ' 1 to 1.00 , a 2 , 1 fr | Rye + 7 8 fy!) bed 1 to .56 5 : 7 . ‘ . . , o : | . ee : ote po pa oo 1 _ cans ov ‘2.9 3 4 Lo. ' 1 to 1.68 . oF at pe a ra a. “Sugar Beste. ‘ho daa tae 1 to 3.07 ha ls : a Bob Be whey ar LO Ree a Bee ty ag 0 gy. eS ae meer ete re “eer eee ee wh poten be een GOOD [a ade Sd Doe ayy aa, Pot Da ep Ae Beg ye a gS : = ea ir a | - us ae eh. bee yey e eo " if o . ~ a wee Sot ope ie OE Noe “eee olf ee ye gee RT'S i te Le he ys waft Teh wh bg 2 a heheh acy RE Ee | bbe AP a TEA thay , Es ~~ 1a a +~-— > . ot ow and a ARE ~ oe OS ft me gee ~ - ny oan c=, . . . " ead a es ji . Pre chs eaten huey a " . wee . . o at . 7 ee lee moe ew - . . oo " - . * v 1s a ov rie eee LP 3. a od =. mL pe ns . ~ we . - . Memes ea tre 8 Nay my fe ee oh we we la i a de me Hs | ' L : ‘. os ‘ : : 4 rt 1. a . ~ # d- eo. . or 4 f. ’ o “a 4g ye 4 io . | ody 4 Fi woe ¢ g ce "e ry ; a os c+ | 24 4 { ; ce “" ry a ' 4 lat A Duet 4 ars * wh 4 po ree 4 poi OD my et ei e's sy oe : 4 so pe tk Promotes Diversified Farming Thus Michigan 1s indeed favored by having soil and ellis matic conditions which are ideal to the production. of. another crop. In other words it offers a still greater opportunity for diversified farming. Tt adds from 87 000,000 to $11,000,000 to the farmers! pockstbook and at the same time 125,000 acres of land produce a crop which is not in direct competition with our other cash Crops. One of our greatest agricultural problems is not necessari- ly reduced acreage and production, but a readjusting and redis-. tributing of our farming’ enterprises. Ye find, therefore, that aS a general rule the states with a highly developed type of diversified farming, or in other words, a better distribution of farm enterprises, have not so keenly suffered from the present serious agricultural depression as have the one crop states. / a The sugar beet industry, a nighly specialized form of agriculture, has helped Michigan in ‘this proper distribution of farm orop enterprises. Tt is "just a real ‘good cash crop" which, when properly handed, can always be deperided upon to ? ‘return a cash alanc ad at. harvest time. Oo | ‘Tt is, one | of thd “fen crops handled on a contract basis. . When he. plants “his otop. in the spring, the farmer knows the th. aa niin dn price per tor he will receive in the fall. Present dontracts: ‘also contath, 3 a, provision, whioh enables the grower to receive a higher wotum | for his. erop should the price of ie pane fe be: higher. ‘than | the minimus stated in the contract. a Woe eo i : ae oh a Oh oy : | , 1 . ‘ i : | pe PS : of ' Professor J. F, Cox, head of the Farm Crops Department of the Michigan Agricultural College, stated recently: "There is a special need for a few ‘contract crops' to help lend stability to our farming enterprises." The sugar beet crop helps to fill that need. Fig, 3. The sugar beet is "Just a Real Good Cash Crop." Although, as stated in the beginning, politics played a very important part in establishing the sugar peet industry, the fact remains that. solentifio ae has also per- formed dn neo bank service for sthis erop. There is, however, _ much more that scientific agriculture oan do for the sugar beet: industry. along the lines. of improved breeding, improved feu turat: methods ane Heeeeh 08 Song sontest. » nt and. 1 tapaton ‘of Wachigen's Beet Areas put. one of Mionigen’s = seventeen factories are located . - = oe 8 ew 1 | | he i r . { 4y | | “ . in the; lower penineula. The upper peninsula has one 1200 ton plant at. Menominee. These factories are located in the . best farming areas of the state, in fact sugar beet culture and fertile, well kept farms seem to go hand in hand. Mich- igan now ranks third in the United States in importance as ao sugar beet producing state. It is the leading state in beet sugar nroduction east of the Rocky “Mountains. 4 LAKE SUPERIOR er wes oFt te + wwe el TNT Te te eT re gee a. “= t i ‘(m nS : . i ” "F PLS 4 ’ 1 Ka “1 Fe * ik i a i EE ' { ‘ ; h 1 - 8 . | -& a \ , ef . . . lk ~ a i 4 . , . : a ! . . . ,. ~, j a - ‘ i i Be , ro ; : ms “ : > le vo i , : . ; : fale eo ~ : sy qo . , mS co oy 1 ot A Es ole ay showing location, ot: M onigda’ bide ‘sugar. factories ad esaing Production areas. : a : | Sy al ae . HBB ee Se I nT oi er rr co caf boas te £ if . oe oy , ots ’ eer, . 2 as " oy, ne mot v' 7 qo ' - ; 4 . were ma ody if cd we So, | do. : 2 OU pt ae Oh a oe rt a an ’ ve, ér eis "44, ar 7 i il. t "s ‘ ! ay , oe , as fob Dt} vite Layo 2 i. . Cog d boty na oa io ‘ y ’ - tJ ~ “ "e ws po os oo -} t . : oy pee : 7 oad PE eae, uth es ima. Toe t oh ao ges, Ah» td. wd ay eos: ibsdey th Bodkds er hea pay aera — Tt re Senfo1c tae es oN CO ey cone oe FIERY fee SL wey te te Se TL ee teat yo Det tas S duag % ee ei PR is, bs . d ~ oy 2 ~ p * ; Sani 4 ad a . - St . eo yp Se ans O PERL a a - : SO he ee ae ce aS ES SET ITO TI UR SOIT ee oy BAT LP neat ars bh Le Rae Ke i Cee *7 Da RE wea aw me mt Come ee te . oa ey aes ak Oe ae wee rok - ~ : ~ po - . Con pe ot FE : Crt Ss ~aere etna aves NE ete pine Rae Bo . Ree, s RM ee ce ee ve vt ae “oN me ee To" ic. ee we ea 2 ie 7 a es pt vipes sp teye ete = pea anaes No. 106, yr OR FETS EN —" ¥ if — - . ' . . . . { ” . | ' j : r ’ | r | 4 of t . and the leading production AaTCES . ahe accompanying map, from Michigan's Special 3ulletin shows the location of Michigan pae't sugar factories his map shows that the » Shumb area" in eastern Michi- gan produces the bulk of the crop. Other areas are distrib- ited over the southern portion of the lower peninsula and in Jenominee County of the upper peninsula. The following list gives the names of the various sugar factories now in operation in the state: * ' , “e. 4 : : mn Bo a epee ee ee a ee de Columbia Sugar Company, Pay City, Wichigan wt. Pleasant, ichigan Continental Suzar Company, Vlissfield, Michigan Hollana-St.Louis Cugar Company, Holland, wichizgan te Louis, Michigan Independent pugar Company, Marine Gity, Michigan Menominee River Sugar Company , Menominee, Michigan Michigan Sugar Company, Bay city, Michigan Alma, | “ichigan — Caro, | iichigan Carroiton, 3 tichigan Croswell, Michigan “Sebewaing, Michigan ut. Clemens. sughe Company, rey “Chemens, iohigan { a oo “hi a 1 me ‘| de i i we eo -- > bo el mpm lk ek me tt ~ «- cat + . + . , slo ee tte em eet ee ee + me ee Behe Bn ee te eee et Boe oe WITH : . *. oF oe ‘ . mot Lt 2 Lee : were ee . to. aco, . BTS ee DOT Me ta ee ae OT ae pare aS" re ve oF J 3 “at, bees . wt a . c 47; woe ee ag Le ig t> = “ me 7 . B 1 fy - Se d oy . * . | 5 * > 4 . : . ‘ + 7 ‘ be bee | i j CO hey Owosso Sugar Company, Lansing, Michigan Owosso, Michigan West Bay City Sugar Company, Wesat Bay City, Michigan CULTURAL METHODS Soil Selection The types of soil best adapted to grow good crops of beets are the loams, silt loams, clay loams and fertile sandy loams. The fact is though, any fertile, well drained soil that will grow a good crop of grain, corn, potatoes or clover Will, when handled properly, produce & z00d crop of sugar beets; however, the crop seems to grow best on the heavier types of soil. On these soils we secure a combination of a good. tonnage and sugar yield. The lighter types of soil will usually produce beets of fairly high sugar content, but un- less this land is very fertile and well supplied with organic matter the yield is not sufficient to make the crop a@ success. Certain types: of; muck soils will, when properly fertilized and cared for, produop a ggod yield of beets of acceptable quality. Other. types), of muck will, however, give a good yield of beets but. they are! of a comparatively low sugar content. a Further Investigations regarding this type of soil is neces- ote ry before | At can bel classed as @ sugar beet soil. “HLly- land ‘that washes, badly or very stoney land is not en adapted to ‘the e yroduction of thie crop. mye _ So oe ‘ . . . , ' 4 I: . ‘ - . - . > 1 * : ' . . vf . . , en . . . : + * . . : Poop + . oF . - . . 1 f, 7 ey ‘ . . . , . ‘ : (ty . ' ” oo” . fe . . vo : : . a mos , o : C Lo : . ’ . . ‘ » : 5 v4 ee = a ee . oe . adh . Code ot, - , . . oy a . ‘ . ' poe BEST . t _ a eee ie oe, oo wo wr be oe pine eee ehe teen ae AS A tee wv * - wor Zs th ge - we Oy oe Lee + ~ vo Pet ee aes . A SSA MEST 8 POET Tae sey mn COTY Fe aZe. - te a . Drainage The sugar beet is a deep rooted plant and it is quite evident that any soil that is to be used for this crop should be well drained. Poor drainage is sometimes indicated by a very spotted field, hecause standing water drowns out the young plants. Sugar veets Will stand as much, if not more flooding than any other: farm crop, but long standing water will, in time, smother the young plants (Figs. 3 and 4, from “Michigan Special Bulletin No. 106). In many cases the field, by observation at least, is apparently well drained, but at times the water table rises to vithin from five to ten inches of the surface. This causes a very short rooted, prongy heet of a low tonnage and sugar content (Fig. 5 from “Michigan | special Gulletin No. 106). In either of the foregoing cases the yield of the crop” and thue the resultant: profit is greatly reduced. The field should also be drained well enough to enable the grower to properly: prepare the seed bed in the spring, to plant on time and to oultivate, hoe and harvest without \ any serious handicep. There are now thousands of acres of land of a. texture suitable to sugar beet production in the state, ‘but which cannot be go used on ‘account of poor drain- 1 ; ! | me pee | ye , . : t t | | ome em - : . - . t / . : : . ; ot ge . . / - = - - ~ . ‘ . ’ + . | ee 2g - me . . : soe Lo. - : : wo . . es . ere : ' : . : . an . . . ’ bay ee ee a a ee . ae . . . so > o 12 EXAMPLES OF ABNORMAL RooT | | DEVELOPMENT OF BEETS UNDER | }POOR DRAINAGE CONDITIONS, SHOWING HOW ROOTS ARE - MISSHAPEN AND. THEIR GROWTH | | STUNTED BY IMPROPER REGULATION OF SOIL. MOISTURE, Pe he 4 % woe, . L Fig. 5. ‘Poor ‘shaped beets are also caused oy plowing “under. a. ‘tough sod or} te of planting. Pte: of seed bed ‘ large amounts of barn yard manure, the | They may also be formed by improper 4 by | e hardpan at the bottom of furrow Sa - a 13. ; Soil Preparation The proper preparation of the soil is one of the im- portant phases of sugar beet culture. The choicest field, well fertilized but poorly prepared, will give poor results. A large amount of hand labor is connected with the produc- tion of this crop und the time spent in thorough soil pre- paration is highly profitable. Pall plowing is usually recommended for most Wiohigan soils. Many farmers follow the practioe of plowing twice for deets. The first plovine, about four inches deep, is made early in the fall. The land is then worked with a disc and drac. Later in the fall a second deeper plowing is made; the deeper plowing going about three-quarters to one inch deeper than the field had been plowed in former years. Seven te ten inches is usually sufficient on most soils. At no time should the land be plowed more than three-quarters to one inch deeper than the former plowings. To plow deeper than this would turn up too large a guantity of rather inert, unfertile sub-soil, which would be very unfavorable to the young beet seedlings. Increase the depth of |plowing gradually, not all in the same year, No. more work should pe. done to the field after plowing - in the: fall. ‘The ground should be worked, however, the next -. ‘epring, as goon as it, is in proper condition, en The fall plowing provides for a thorough settling of the seal e and makes it easier to secure the compact seed bed which faa necessary with thie orops Although @ compact seed bed is i oo _ to prevent the tap root of the beet from following its natural course. In some soils, sub-soiling has given good results. A Deep Firm Seed Bed Required | The sugar beet needs a deep seed ved so as to give the root a chance to grow longer and to secure the moisture stored at that depth (Fig. 6). The larger beets grown on soll prepared as described in the foregoing paragraphs will yield a larzver tonnage per acre. Tne writer observed an eight acre. field of beets at Anston, S4seconein, on 2 clay loam s0i1, following corn. This field had been plowed about six inches deep with a two-bottom plow pulled by a “reconstructed Ford roadster." The field was well fertilized and apparently well worked except for the plowing. From all appearances of the leaf growth an ex- cellent tonnage vas to bé secured. At harvest time it was discovered that ahout seventv-five per cent of the roots vere crooked, with a right angle bend about four to five inches below the crown. In fact it was found upon further investigation ‘that & ere number of the beets could be | kicked out of ‘the ground with the foot. _ ‘The resulting yield ode | meee of course, low ahd NAB no ‘doubt: due to the hard furrow fom the surface, -dptton encountered had tap root at five to six inches tien + the, field tp to. ve epring plored, it should be Sos , ‘ . i wo b . Wey | I | i | 1 ‘ . ., : i , +? - | oy ey ; . oe 7 - a - . t ~ : - . : ; - on ' : . - , J . . . ‘ eo aol a’ . ne fy . soe . : ' . ‘ Dye ef ee ee 4 , | 15 SUGAR BEETS REQUIRE A DEEP SEED-BED ies s eal: ste ; 2 ‘ vishal ee ER SOIL+PROPER FITTING = PERFECT BEETS t PROP IMPERVIOUS LAYER = DISTORTED BEETS ? \ ser Fig. 6.) Land for sugar beets should be plowed deeper than for most crops, -| from seven to ten inches is considered suffiotent., It is not best to plow more than three-quarters oe f an inch ‘to one inch deeper than the usual depth, at one Lowing. This deeper) plowing should be done in the fall. sage | Spring|plowing should) be done at the usual depth. me sf ‘ : ~ : eo . . ‘ . . o my on , mo, ' . + Ce , mo, Poe " ; ot. , . * + ‘ Oo .¢ ‘ : : ’ . : ro . ; 1 , . 1 . .. ty _ , . . : , 1 . ' : . ‘ 1? done 80 as early a possible. Some soils give surprisingly better resulte when plowed in the spring. This is especially true én some. types of clay soil that would be apt to puddle and become £00 compact over winter. The ground should be disced before plowing in the spring. Then when the ground is plowed, the loose disced soil on the surface helps to fill up the furrow bottom with fine material and thus immediately es-— tablishes direct contact between the furrow slice and furrow bottom. Spring plowing should never be deeper than the deepest — former plowing as it is not advisable to mix the sub-so0il with the furrow slice in the spring. Surface Preparation | With both the spring and fall plowing it is necessary to give the soil z00d surface preparation with the drag, disc and roller or culti-packer. Sugar beets require a deep, firm seed bed, one that is readily penetrated and yet not in a loose condition. The surface must oe vorked down in good shape, smooth and reasonably free from Lumps « Spring plowed land should be gone over with a roller or cul ti-packer and a harrow immediately after plowing. The tolling, harrowing and dragging should be continued at inter- "vals until planting time, Fall’ plowed land should be gone over with the disc, Harrow’ and drag at intervals until con- ditions are ready tor seeding. ‘Thorough work in preparing the seed ‘bed property will ‘be repaid by a better stand of oy | nr) . » : , , ‘ PO ot | | i beets and by lessening’ the work of weed control after the crop is planted. Beet planters do not work successfully unless the land is well prepared. Thus a good stand and a resulting good yield depend quite largely upon thorough preparation of the soil. In all cases the ground should be gone over with a light drag or weeder immediately preceding the drill. This kills any weeds that may have started and gives the beets an even chance with the weeds which mav come later on. If this drag- ging is not performed, we find that the weeds will have a great initial advantage over the young beet seedlings. Fertilizers Although additional fertilizer is-not always necessary, it does, however, when properly used, increase the profits secured from the sugar beet crop in the majority of cases. The two forms of fertilizers which are most often used with thie crop are barnyard manure and the commercial preparations. There ia quite an overhead labor charge for beets, regardless of the yield per acre, thue any practice whioh materially in- | creases 1 ‘the resulting tonnage would lower the cost of produc— tion: and increase the ‘total profit. On account of this high | labor overhead, 8 proper: application of fertilizer for the | eet crop will in most cases: pay as well, if not better, than Aan many other ‘crops. | cc ee lg a | i bo 7 oo i if fe D Pa : wo, . . 7k . : , : . ‘yo. . . : t , . . , , - eho rot - io - os : . . uy : , + ~a* : . fon : eo ‘ ‘ : . . . to : : ; . . . . os ue . a ’ to ‘ ‘ a sos : - ‘a ' wo wo .. - = ‘ . . . ‘ oo, . : : he . . aye fee : . w Oo’ - ‘ . ° ‘ . . . fos . . 4! . . ‘ ' ‘ . rele . . . ic yO o . . a, 1 . te : ~ hoy, . 1 . . ' toa ft no t ~ o . woe ue . woe - co. . aan . v. 1 ’ . “e _* . ’ . . a r .? : Lk . . toe ‘ 0 . : . wt , a . . Je woe Ds 8 1 . " oo ‘ - De ke . . , . 4d. . . . . —— _ Ps — ¢ oe Barnyard Manure Barnyard manure ig the most common fertilizer used on the farm today. It fille &® need which practically no other single form of fertilizer can obetace. It is very valuable in the production of a good crop. Not only are the. fertil- izing elements furnished by this material, »but also the humus and innumerable very valuable bacteria. It also furnishes a larze amount of food for the bacteria with the result that the plant food is made available for the beets. The best kind to use depends largely upon the time of application. Well rotted manure may be safely and profitably applied ir the spring of planting. Fresh manure should be applied in the spring or fall previous to planting beets to sive the best results. Spring application of fresh manure the year the beets are to be planted is not to be recommended for several reasons: (1) The beet plant is not able to make the best use of this manure as all its fertilizing elements are not immediately available. (3) Heavy applications of fresh manure may cause! short, prongy, low yielding beets. (3) The spring top-dressing of fresh manure, in many cases, t is. also. a top-dressing) of weed seeds. This greatly increases ™ te amount of labor necessary to care : ‘for the orop and in - , some. cases makes such B disdouraging proposition out of it \ " , ’ m . . + me . ¢ : . ‘ .. Soom” wyilh te sO . ve - oo . “ an . : . Se ee . - soy te . 4 . L. oe : ae we, . - . ‘ : . : os , Dieta te A ee we eb St soo a. sro rot ey tf : foe et tao _s. . . , _— « 7 \ ete ae . . = the whole ‘orop, is plowed under. ‘The writer has ‘observed § many, fields where the owner has ie” a spring: or late inter: application of. fresh manure for i Ij. . | bee . 3 . . . mo a _ ra) bee ' . .¢ tet ; . se -. . ’ : oot a -~ aot ‘ . ' oo . 4 “a 77 ‘ . . oo . . . f . . af ‘ ry . E te er as . . ’ id : ref ot, ws : . . 19: beets and has been very much discouraged with the results. The failure to get beneficial results was largely due to the foregoing three reasons. In many cases twenty to twenty-five loads Were applied per acre, and the grower cursed the sugar beet crop because it took all his manure and did not yield a very high tonnage. iIn this case one of the causes for a low yield was the heavy application of manure lying between the furrow slice and the furrow bottom. In most instances the manure was not properly mixed with the soil and it in- hibited the flow of capillary moisture to the furrow slice. “hen the beet tap roct came in contact with large lumps of this material it went no further and instead of developing into a good shapely beet it grew into a prongy, rooty affair of light weight. - The crop folloving the beets receiving this heavy appli- cation of fertilizer, was really the one to receive the most benefit of the manure. Thus in many cases the spring appli- cation of fresh manure is of little value to the beet crop, but in many instances! is the direct cause of a poor crop. ‘The manure is pepe applied by means of a spreader at the Tate: of eight to twelve loads per acre. If it is applied in the spring it should be applied before plowing and disced in © the ground. ‘thoroughly. Light top dressings of weed~seed-free manure may be ‘spplied after plowing and worked in thoroughly. - comnezotel Fertilizers 4 In many Beet Br ing areas farmers would not plant sugar ’ | - : ma we teh ee -7 er - + a béete unless they were able to procure commercial fertilizer - to use with the crop. The reverse, however, is also true in some areas where the soil is of the fertile, heavy type and where large numbers of stock are kept. In no case sheuld it ye understood that commercial fertilizers take the place of barnyard manure, but that it reinforces it. A combination of the two usually gives the best results. The best analysis of fertilizer to use depends quite largely upon (1) the kind of soil, (2) the crop rotation fol- lowed and (3) the amount and quality of barnyard manure used. The area covered by the writer while in the employ of the Menominee River Sugar Company comprised Menominee and por- tions of Delta and Dickinson Counties of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and Marinette, Oconto, Brown, Kewaunee, Ontagamie, Calumet, Winnebago and Manitowoc Counties of Wisconsin. For the purpose of discussion in this article, the three main groups of soils in this area were the sand loams, loams and Clay loams. | The Michigan counties and Marinette, Oconto and parts of Brown, Ontagamie, Winnebago counties of Wisconsin contained - the sand loam soils. Brown, Ontagamie and Winnebago, Kewaunee and Fon Du Lac countips contained the loame. Calumet, Fon Du - «Lac, Manitowoc, Winnebago and Ontagamie counties contained the 7 clay Loans. and, clays.) In the: year 1920), ‘the. writer put. on about fifty fertilizer on | Ahneteeton dtetripatea over the éntire area. In a general | | i re . 0 - . oe ween eis ewe . x - moet : a : 31 way it was a noticeable fact, as observed from one year's results, that the sand loam areas responded best, the loam areas were next and the clay loams and clays, in the major- ity of cases,responded very little. Fertilizers on Sand Loams In the sand loam area, Arthur DeCamp, of Stephenson, Menominee County, secured an increased yield of five tons 211 pounds per acre through the use of 300 pounds of 2-12-2 fertilizer applied in the rows. The effects of the fertil- izer on the beets is clearly shown in Figure 7. The resid- uary effect of this fertilizer the year following on parley is well shown in Figure 8. On the same farm in 1921 one- half the field was given an apcolication of 350 pounds of 2-132-3 and the other half was dressed with fresh barnyard manure. The result 1s shown in Figure 9. The commercial fertilizer, being quickly available, gave the beet plant a quicker start in the spring and this advantage was main- tained throughout the. season. George Bell, Oconto, Oconte County, Wisconsin, on the sand loam type of soil, applied proadcast a 3-12-2 fertil- izer at the rate of 400 pounds per acre and increased the resulting. yield four tons per acre. Twelve tons per acre were secured on. the fertilized and about eight tons on the unfertilized: land (Figs. 10 and 11.). : — Chas. ‘Enuteon, U ee Oconto County, “Wisconsin, - -, 1 . de a — tbplied « a 2 “12-3 fertilizer broadcast at the rate of 400 id | | : it tae ss ore ee SO a ee, Pe toeprrs ay. Fig. 7. A fertilizer test on sandy loam soil. No fertilizer was applied on the right, while on’ the left 200 pounds of g-12-2 fertilizer was applied per acre. Figure & shows the same field one year later, in barley. Farm of Arthur DeCamp, Stephenson, Menominee County, Mich- : | “igan. Picture taken) July 28, 1919. ee haa » pa ct As Sigg Fig. 8. This picture shows the residuary effect of a 6-12-23 fertilizer applied the year previous on beets. No fertilizer was applied on the right, while on the left 3200 pounds of 2-12-2 per acre were applied. This is a picture of the same field shown in Figure 7. Picture taken July 9, 1920. Pi yy 24 Fig, 9.. Fertilizer demonstration on sandy loam soil. Fresh barnyard wanure applied in the spring on the immediate foreground, 350 pourlds of 3-12-2 fertilizer applied on the ‘background. Farm of Arthut DeCamp, Menominee County. | Picture taken July 9, 1930. | Bare pea see Soe } \ i t | hi [: i 4 ) } = be Fig. 10» Fertilizer Semon etee dion on a sandy loam 80il., No fertilizer on the left, while on the right 400 pounds of 2-12-82 fer pilizer! was broadcasted before seeding. Farm of Geo. Bell, O¢onto, Wisconsin. Picture taken July li, 1919, tAlized A beste, bs | Poe) ER, be Z paca , : 7 ef y ‘Kote. the quicker start made by the fer- 285 aa Oe ape tase oe e es ¢ FG 5 Fy jo Big 11. Same (field ishown. in. Figure 10... Picture, Saken 17. days later, shows the leaves on the unfertilized beets starting to. catch up to the leaf growth on the fer- Mtilized:-heetes. ag ty fo ; | og ay “Ot . 27 pounds per acre and secured a yield of 11 tons 752 pounds per acre. On the other half of the field fresh barnyard manuré was the only fertilizer used, the resulting yield vas six tons 24 pounde per acre. A picture of this field taken - July 11, is shown, as Fisure 13. Figure 13 shows another illustration of the effect of fertilizer on this game area. The soil in this case was in a very poor, run-down condition before the treatment was made. This accounts to some extent for the very small, stunted -rowth on the unfertilized area. Yield figures on this field are not given, as tne writer left the employ of the Sugar Company before the harvest was complete. Other similar demonstrations on this type of soil gave results very comparable with the foregoing figures. The in- dications resulting from these tests are that the sandy, loam soils are benefited by a complete fertilizer containing all three main fertilizing elements: nitrogen, phosphorus and — potash, in the ratio of 2-12-22 or 3-10—4. Fertilizers on the Heavy Loams Jerome Briese, Greenleaf, Srown County, “isconsin, co- operated with a very complete demonstration on a soil repre- sentative of ‘the ‘loam area. The results of this demonstra- ‘tion. are given in table 4. Thé results on some of the plots Were not. very consibtant, \the checks, however, ran rather close. It will be noticed. that there is an increase factor entering. in from the ‘firet check on one aide to the 0-16-0 | Ms | | ! dy Saal gee. a Fig. Lge The foreground received an applica- tion of fresh barnyard manure, while the beets on the back-zround received an application of 400 pounds of 2-1242 fertilizer per acre. Farm of Chas. Knutson, duly 11, 1919.. Underhill, Yieconsin, Picture taken ee ee Fiz. 13. Picture taken August 10, 1920. No fertilizer on lower left hand corner, 40C pounds of 2-1044 fertilizer on the right, 400 pounds of 8-19-4 fertilizer and barnyard manure on the upper lef¢ side of the picture. Farm of “illiam Haves, Oconto, Yisconsin. + 1 | : | } 1 es ; oH . pty i Lees 7 ae | # : ee | iv : Hee, Lp | , on the other side. The conclusion one would draw from this deucnefration le that phosphorus way the most essential fer- tilizer ingredient concerned in increased production. Th ie) aVerac?e yleld per acre on this ten acre field vas 16 tons 1742 pounds per acre. "he price per ton for veets that vear, 16580, was $12.50, the avotigs return per acre waz %310.e8¢, | l Fi,ures 14 and 15 snow viess of this field. The following vaole, “o.4, gives in detail the result cof the demonstration, Tayle 4, A gtarhic illustration of the fertilizer demon-— 3i.ation on the farm of Jerome Sriess, Creenleaf, Prown County, “jJeconsin, in lesec: we et ~ see TY 4 =. Check 13 tons 1460 pounds per acre | : | 3—-G=—7 16 =" 480 rn tT : i 3-8-0 16 _ a 56S " 1 nN } 1-6-3 198 " L745 1" " " : Check 15 " 645 =O" Hom -1l0-4 18 " 534 " " tt 6-10-90 16 =" 908 " " " | C-10-4 19 " 1800 " n T , Check (15 " 306 1 n " : |__Qr16-0 eo" 6B One acre plots, | average yield 15 tons 1740 pounds. Adetory:, 7 | E |. 1815 Oats, parte down, seeding top-dressed, 6 to & loads per acre. tete-27- Hay, se 1918. Spring plowed 6 inches for corn. ae Fann pionge 8 og of of: Fe Fig. 14. Fertilizer demonstration on a loam soil. Check plot on the right, 400 pounds of 3-8-7 fertilizer On left. Farm of Jerome Briese, Greenleaf, "isconsin. ‘Picture taken August, 6, 1919. * i reef snd hei ee Steg it 31 ae ie i be t V4 | fh ; | | 33 j { ‘ ‘ Fig. 15. Check plot on right, 400 pounds of 3-10-4 fertilizer on the left. Farm of Jerome Briese. Picture taken August 6, 1919. | ene ge ap 9 3B meee ee -- ree ee ee NN | Another: demonstration on the farm of Jule Van Colater, Green Pay, Srown County, Wisconsin, on the same type of soil as in the foregoing discussion gave very comparable results, wd i az indicated by the following table, No.5. Tz0le 3. Fertilizer dsmonstration on the farm of Jule Var. OOlster, R.F.D. No.9, Green Bay, “isconsin. Gheck ~~ “tone 388 pounds per aore | 0-16-0 10 " 1300 * nom g-13-2 10 " e60 " nom | Check eo" Bm mm nen ow pw Psug tae One-half acre plots. The one distinguishing feature of this demonstration was the serfeot stand secured on adjoining rows both sides of the uwiddle check plot, while on the check plot the rows contained @ rather poor stand. In tis case, therefore, the fertilizer not only furnished wore plant food but furnished it at the proper time to insure a better stand of beets. This ls a V2cy important consideration in sugar beet growing. Other demonstrations on this same type of soil gave very similar results and showed that phosphorus was the elenent most needed. tf a complete £ for rtilizer was to pe used, a 8-13-32 or 310-4 ould be preferred te a higher potas h fer- tilizer, in 66 far as the yield was concerned. Sugar tests sf the beets. from thede plots were not made and so all ob- ‘4 ra rdstes Ose 34 Fig. 16. Demonstration on the facm of Gregory Saat, Appleton, Wisconsin. Mo fertilizer on the right, 400 pounds of 2-13-3 fertilizer per acre on the left. Picture taken August 3, 1920. servations and conclusions were drawn from the farmer's viewpoint or the tonnage yield per acre. ‘Fertilizers on the Clay Loaws and Silt Loams These soils found in the most fertile and richest farm- ing sections of Wisconsin are fatied by the best farmers in the State. livestock fancing predominates as the principal te enterprise. | | z As a general ap: ee -goils in this area responded less the other areas. In many of the demonstrations no increase in yleld was secured, regardless of rate and method of appli- cation and analysis. Acid phosphate seemed to ds most in favor. Results secured in other years may, however, show up differently than they did in 19320. Tne recommendations to be made cn theee soils is an appli- cation of about 150 pounds to the acre in the row at tae time of planting. The analysis of fertilizer to use would, of cuurs?, vary under diffarent conditions, but would be either 0-16-G, 3-12-3 or 3-10-4, Fertilizers on Muck Soils. “ar, Jd. 0, Etaridge of the Oconto Lumber Company, Oconto, Oconto County, “isconsin, cooperated in putting on the only fertilizer demonstration on muck that was put on by the Sugar Company that year. Due +o weather and labor conditions this field was planted late and thus olocked and thinned late, especially was this noticeable on the end of the field con- taining the 0-16-0 plot. So the decrease in yield factor aust be taken into consideration in connection with this dem- onstration, © | | | ! The detailed results are given in Table No. 6. The of- fect of tthe potash is readily Observed from this table. In — faot, ‘potash: sewed to be the controlling element on this type of ‘soil, in BO fax as tonnage was concerned. The fer- | Hiteee giving. ‘the nod economical results was the 0-8—7, 7: : _ | a ns - eR Be jo : Lf Mb . a , : L an i ve ny , : . . : ' . , if . > ' eX, ‘ 4 a ‘ : | ‘ ‘ ' Table 6. 36 The fertilizer demonstration put on by J. I. Etheridge, Oconto Lumber Company, Oconto, “isconsin. Check — $ tons 96 pounds per acre | 2-8-7 9 " 138g" Hom 3-8-9 6 " 136g " moon 0-8- Bo" 54g nom | Check 6" 632 " "oof 3-10~4 6 ses." nooo 2 3-10-05 ABO "oom 0-10-44 " 740 1@ noon Check 4 on 344 =o" nooo | O-15-0 a." 164 " ‘ " | One-half acre plots. ‘yuck Soil . Hetaod of Application In all of the otnervise stated, rorezoinz demonstrations, except wnaere tne commercial fertilizer was applied oroadcast at the rate of 400 pounds per acre and well worked into the soll a few days previous to seeding. It was origin- ally planned to do some follow-up work on residuary effects OF beete and fertilizers, but for various reasons this phase of the work was. not. catried through to completion. It was thought, ih planning these demonstrations, that unger average condi tione better results would be secured from tne broadcast, applications, both from, ;the standpoint of the | eb crop. end. the follpwing crops; and I believe that this su: : 9 tic . , . fas correc t jon 8 all the soils but the heavy clay he i Sk ‘, rit Tee fof, “a. ! cope tts i : a viet . te : : : ‘ . ' “1 , ot ce . . ' « # ’ . . . v . 5 Op , “7, t : . . . ‘ ra ~ G+ : vot ' wae wo Le : a ' ” o. * ' H “ pie ey o tee me. 4 - 4 ‘ . i . . ‘ ORE ea ae oi pn ee MAE ae Nhe eh ee, . 1? bast 1 37 and silt loams, whére the row application seemed best. Broadcast vs Row Applications with the broadcast applications the main advantages are: (1) Gives better residuary results; (2) mixes the fertilizer with the soil, thus avoiding danger of burning the root; and (3) it tends toward a better, more normal root development. In many dry years, where the fertilizer is applied in the row, it does not fully go into selution and thus be in @ form to be used by the roots. Many times J have noticed farmers, mhen plowing out their beets in the fall, plow out the fer- tilizer in about the same condition it was in when applied. The sroadcast application tends to help the beet develop a normal extensive root system (Fig. 33) which is invaluable, especially in dry weather. The roots keep on developing in search of food, while in the row application the food is right next to the root and it does not have to develop as large a root system as in the former case. The main point in favor of the row method is that quick- er and better results may be gained with proportionally small- ex quantities of fertilizer. A relatively light application, 160 to 150 pounds per gore, depending upon the analysis, may be applied at planting | time, to aid in germination and to | 7? give the young. plant a quick start, Many soils that are apt _ to! be. cold and. slow in! ‘the’ epring, doe. the olay and silt ak > roqitre only enough ‘fertilizer to aid in starting the pl ty supplying. such other plant food, as the orop may need oy | fo. oa | from, its own, reserve. | | ae i t 4 : , : . ‘ F uo t eon My ‘ o t . ' 39 The residual effects of the fertilizer application is clearly shown ‘in Firure 6&. Liming Soils that are acid should be given an application of sugar beet refuse lime at the rate of one to three tons per acre or One to two tons of finely ground limestone per sore, This will not only increase tne yield of sugar »eets but will also increase the yield of following crops of clover and al- falfa, thus providing a greater residue of organic matter and nitrogen, improvins both the fertility and structure of the soil. Refuge lime may be secured from the various pugar com—— panies in most cases free of cost. The cost of loading is usually the only charce ttade for car-load lots of 40 to 50 tons. This lime is as sood as can be secured for use in cor- recting soil acidity. On account of its ohysical condition, being somewhat moist and occasionally lumpy, it will not work through a lime distrivuter. Distribution is usually made from the wagon or piles oy means of a fork or shovel, or with a manure spreader. The best time to make the application is in the fail, or. winter hen the SROW is not too deep. dany inquiries ar 2 often made relative to the analysis _ of sugar beet factory refuse Line, and the following table, No. 7, te a report by Professor ‘A. J. Patten of the Michi- gan sgricul tural ‘Sxperiment Station. [. i ba | | ed as : : a oy ‘ . . : - a te ’ . . . . . 6 . . oo 7, . toe . : . Ln . : oe . : . . m7 . ’ . i - . 0 st . a . . Soe . 1, . . “ye . - ney . 4 - wot 0 ‘ > a - : , ee t te ff ' : “ |e \ : j : . ' ' : . ! i : . : be ot . 1 qt. oo ‘ , ’ . 1 ~ ot 1 7 . . - so - fue . _?@ oe | ee Pr : Pe oe ‘t ‘ _ : , ‘ pas e , . i of | . s ' " Taole 7. Analysis of Sugar Beet Factory Refuse Lime. Contents. Sample No. 1. Sample No. 2. cee eee ee eee eees 37.40 per cent |.........-2--e0. Moisture. ... 2... cece cece cee dee eee eee eee te ete eeentes ° cent 70" ba per cont Cigar aa Magactunn Cavbpiate! 000000 49. ‘38 ber cent 238 er cant vencuaaapagttittinstste cscs eeibereneee seen nnn r Phosphoric Acid (P2058)... ---- sonst r tT ‘39 per cent. | 100 ber cent The wide variance in analysis is. dua mainly to the dif- farence in moisture cortent. Sample No.l contained over 37 oer cant water, while Sample No.2 contained practically no moisture. . After the lime has served its purpose in the vdeet factory, in purifying the beet juices, it is washed out of the filter presses with large quantities of water. This thin mixture of lime and water is then run into a settling pond. Refuse Lime taxen directly frou the settling pond is in rather poor phys- ical condition with a great deal of moisture. A few factories have used their power shovel and transferred large amounts of this lime from the settling basin to piles on high ground. After remaining in. these piles for two to five years, the lime has changed from & pasty condition to a drier mealy state, which is. then | in good) shape for distribution on the soil with - a manure ‘spreader, fork or shovel. : In Turope, Where| the sugar beet - ‘industry has thrived for Spout 115 years, the pugar heet gromers are allotted refuse d Time. in proportion to} ‘the -4onB of beets delivered. There is 8 clause 1 an their beet contract providing for their allowance t 5 . . . ‘ : on : ‘ , , ‘ yo eS ‘ , a . . . we , ( . ef et we : ae ts . : atl oe . ‘ - 1 . f° . a . Le yp be es ot : at pe 7 5 . . at i , . st : . . ; : . re a i : 4 soot tas hoot . t , : —— oe 40 of lime. All this refuse lime, at the European factory, is usually oleaned up by three weeks after harvest. Sugar beet refuse lime is a practical and cheap source of agricultural_lime. Most sugar companies in Michigan make no charge for this lime in carload lots. The only cost to the beet grower is the-actual loading charge at the factory and the freight to his station, The lime capacity of cars varies from 30 to :45 tons. Farmers may group together in the nurchase of carloads. Toere are great piles of this material, valuable for the corriction of our sour soils, that are standings, unused, at tie various sugar factories in the state. This waste material if gronerly used would add greatly to our agricultural prosper- lity. Sugar companies also have seach year a few carloads of fine dry air-slaked Lime, which was not used in the purifying process. This lime accumulates from the lime burners. It is ugually in excellent physical condition. Its analysis would be about the same as the hydrated lime purchased fron commer- Clal lime concerns. y In ordering carloads, it is first best to send for a sample, and thus avoid any misunderstanding. af Planting © ‘The seeding of sugar beets needs to be carefully done et seed and ‘the © planter. Proper seeding is the first step . | . 7 1 | We one who ‘thoroughly understands all the requirements of the | | ne | a op ad i | | toward securing a good stand, without which a profitable ton-- nage cannot be grown. A comparatively level, well prepared soil is, of course, the first requisite to proper planting. There are three machines which may be used in ,this work: the 4-row, the 3-row, and the l-row seeder. The particular one to use depends upon the condition of the seed bed and the acreage to be planted. Manv farmers use the ordinary grain drill, equipped with packer wheels, to plant the beets. snouzh of the cups are plugged to give the proper spacing of rows and the packer wheels pack the soil next to the seed and insures its being planted at the proper depth. The machines - may be purchased, either with or without the fertilizer at- tachment. The width of rows recomuended are from a8 to 24 inches. The quantity of seed planted should never be less than 15 pounds per acre. It cannot be too strongly emphasized that plenty of seed should be used to insure a zood even stand of Seets and to reduce the cost of thinning. Great care should be taken to plant at ‘ve proper uniform depth, which is not deeper than one-half to three-quarters inches. The depth de- pends somewhat upon the character of the soil, the deeper Plantings are made: on ees tighter types. Deeper planting than is recommended aboie! is apt to smother the young beet plants. ¥ oo ote | “Planting should begin as early in ‘May as the seed bed can be brought. into condition and is warm ‘enough to cause germin- tion. The, usual Planting period ranges from May 5 to May 20, : . Ae \ 1 F 1 Pe : ‘ { wanting - eee but plantings may be ttade: as late as early June where the early plantings were Impossible or failed. On soil which has a tendency to bake or crust over, the use of @ culti-packer after planting and before the beets are us is recommended. In some cases this is the only means of saving the crop. “nen the soil crust becomes too hard, it is practically impossible for the beet seedlings to break through and as a result are smothered out or come up later after a warm rain. In either instance, if an uneven stand results, the culti-packer helps to remedy the situation. The sugar heet seed is supplied to the contracting grower at cost, by the sugar company. Special effort.is made by these companies to securs seed of high germination from high yield- ing strains which will produce beets of hizh sugar content. Transplanting One somewhat odjectionable feature of sugar beet culture, to some growers, is the extra amount of hand labor necessary to properly care for the orop. Several means of avoiding this difficulty have been suggested. One method was to plant the seed in a bed and then transplant the young slants at about the Tour to six ‘leaf eines The young plants would, of course, be spaced at the proper interval and this do away with block- ing and thinning. : ob Figure ra is a, pioture of a field of beets grown in this aisnner. The beets were planted by means of a cabbag e planter, “tut n no water was: “used, The young beet plants stood the trans- as well, if not better ‘than did the cabbage trans- | ~s | | 43 | planted on an adjoining area. A very good stand was secured V and the orop logked fine throughout the entire growing season. Fig. 17. A five acré field of transplanted heets on my the farm of “m. Lauer, ,Shiocten, “isconsin. hese beets eo vere transplanted on June 35 with a cabbage planter. A very good stand was secured. it was in the fall when the harvest commenced, that the real test began. At that time the disappointment of having & poor crop was evident. A very: heavy percentage (about 75 per cent) of the beet roots were very short and prongy and the resulting yield wap low. The first four or five inches of the beet root was of the normal size, but below this was gate ay ! nothing more’ than a mae, of small, sprangling roots. This Was caused, no doubt, by preaking the tap root of the young j | | " ; bse | I ‘|r , _ ee —e ent io . . - Degen ee te ee ee ee a - - . . Ce a re a + wee s .- as Le : “ +t , -. ve * . . . Le . Loa co . : . my on . . tae ~~ - - ‘ were, not used, | | | ‘seedling ,at the time of transplanting. Where the entire root was taken, the chances were fairly good’ for & more normal root development. Three different fields of transplanted beets were studied by the writer, and each gave very similar results. Cultivation | Careful work with the cultivator will save an enormous amount of hand labor later on. 4 great deal of trouble with the beet labor is caused by poor cultivation by the grower. The cultivation is test acconplished by use of the regular two. os four row »seet ¢ catetvator, Dises or knife weeders and deer toncues snould be used for the first two cultivations. After that remove the disc weeders and use knife weeders and desr tonzues, or deer tongues alone. Duck fest should be used with Care, as thev are apt to cover up the »neets and weeds in the beet row, thus making it very difficult to do the hand work. The first cultivation should cone im-zediately before blocking and thinning, which should be done when the seedling has developed four Leaves. At this time the cultivator should be run as close to the row as is possible without cutting cut the beets. “Rollers: or pul ti~packers are often used with good . tl results after blocking and thinning to smooth over and level off the dirt hoed into the middle of the row in: blocking. In : oo PoE many cases it would: be pearly impossible 40 cultivate immediate- ly after. blocking and. ‘thinning, if the roller or culti-packer ) e cultivated at least five or six times ———,. if The beets ® shopia b —_—t te ee . woe . awe - EL ho So 5 Try a i ¢ 45 - ee for the best results. These cultivations not only aid in clean culture but help to retain the soil moisture. Growers should not be afraid of cultivating too many times. In fact many farmers owe their good beet yields and thus good profits te liberal and careful cultivation. The firat and second nhoeirgs snould be closs to the rows and mav oe fairly deep, nut later cultivations should be shallow, not wore than tro or hree inches deep. If desp cultivaticns are sade at these ates, uwany Tezcding roots of the beet root wiil “s cut off. These rocts interlace near the surface betve2n the rows Hert oa os p . r ae se Vn t?r a00ut a month's grevtn. 4 ee ee Pan panna Se oP a ae js en an ae po 5 beet cultivator on the farm of henry | | \ ; Fig.lé. A fouz r— Lor -Bergnan, Yen Dyne, TA lsc ‘nein. This cicture alse shows the 1 . - ot QO; bs r t tine. f or ‘second £ oe ing Lag $ t Vv, : cy . “f . vp coranes mo : ' ", . feo, oe Fo | : . : . pe my . . an . eo oe os , ° - , a . . ped . ” - - . ' . : . . : . : a . . ly bee ce ‘ oy. oo tone ot / : ys be vee oo : Co et . so . tp. hog 7 0, st oO : aan : : : : 1: 7 : ” , . : ee : : . V.e, , : mt . eon BT, . yt , : fo ot . oy - on , : Moe : Me to. . mo : : hos s : "a - ' . oe ote -. ; Gor fee woe : stot . Megat, o + oe m4 ot | t ce wn : ~. | . . . . an . a . , . : . hoe , . obs wo . - to o ls ‘UA fe ‘ sO Se 4 ‘ , , ae . * . “4 re Pe rr . sO ce 0 OO 3 i ie tae wee . ae foe ee yy a hes oe ao : oot . { Bd. bo ws Loe . pe pone yt eae “. oes . ‘ oY coho \. : “| 4: “le ty a 7 The t, Ne, ‘ te ee ao ve an a jo? . : BGA oe a ee gt ’ DOF Yee ge qi i reat pe |. . co ‘ | te, ote j te vg he ns vas alt mt poe ty te yes a? Od ed oy on a Lk wt AG \ ! , 1 The ground arow whe beets snould net be hilled UL; ~ throw up: just enough soil at the last cultivation to keep the top of the weet fron? reine aresned ty the sun. 4 last cultivatton should be made when the tons practically cover the row. Do not cultivate too deep or too close te the row at this time. A fev leaves wav be broken off, out this slight damage Will be more than offset »y the increased yiel¢ jue te Go the tillage operation. The careful grower cultivates close 1 . “ to the rows early in the season and gets all the weeds ;cssible by means of machinery. “eeds should be thoroughly cleaned out. “locking and Thinning Seets should be »slocked and thinned at about the four leaf Stage. Ylock out the rows with a six or seven inch hoe, leaving bunches of azout ar inch, every eight to ten inches, and then thin out to one plant in ea place, lsaving the nealthiest plant. The best yields of both pest rocts and susar are secured when the plants are spaced a>out ten to trelve inches in the row. Sixteen reets to the tod maxe @ Bcod stand, It is escecialiv imnortant that the plocking and thinning be started and comoleted as soon as possible after ‘the beet plants are large enough to work, Yields are eresatly reduced when this work is delayed. 4 bonus is oftentimes paid the laborer by the grower for an increase in yield over a certain "tonnage per acre. This ie often, an incentive to the laborer of 7 to do better work and tO do it at the right time. “Usually a ‘second a thira hoeing are all that are neces- nis to keep ‘the beet” rows: free from weeds for the rest of po rat | s | ; i | . . 47 | the season. The second hoeing should ce made about ten to fourteen Gays after th inning. a! } Piz. IG. ost of the hand lahor on sugar sesets is done On & contract by regular peet workers. This &® group of such workers on a ten acre beet field at Carney, Michigan. Harvesting The maturity of seets is indicated cy a browning of the lower leaves. The date of harvestinz is set by the factory ~ as @ result of a series of sugar tests on the Deo te taken at intervals in the fall. ‘The process of sugaz anes cture is _ closely associated with the ripening of the veet. A differ- Wee ence of a week or ten ies in harvesting mav mean a very “ i Ls ice great, difference in. the sugar content. Harvesting usuelly | | | nt \ t oe bi ; 48 Piet bel TZ Pig. 20. Nove are sometimes employed to do the hand = labor on beets. This shows a bunch of hovs on the farm of John O'Brien, Fden, “isconsin. begins in late September and continues through the month of October. | A special machine, called the "beet-lifter" is used in harvesting to Sean the Heats in the row. The beets are then pulled by hand, knocked together to remove the dirt and _ thrown into conveniént piles for topping. Reets from six- ‘teen to eighteen rows are thrown into one row of piles. A ‘regular beet topeine knife is used for removing the leaves and egrowns. The crowns are cut off at the base of the lowest leaf. The topped beets are then thrown in piles and covered with ithe’ tops. to prevent excessive losses of moisture. 49 rd ig. 21. &£ characteristic group in the beet field. The company field man, the farmer and the beet laborers. A man and wife can care for twelve to sixteen acres of beets during the season. The following paragraph, taken from “Michigan Special ; he, =A Bulletin No. 106, explains the reasons for careful topping: 7 ie important both to the grower and manufacturer ‘that peets be carefully topped. The crown and leaves of the Bugar beet are relatively high in potash and phosphoric acid, and by retaining them on the land or feeding then on the farm, much of the mineral, fertility contained in the beet crop is ‘returned. . The salts contained in the crown prevent the proper ‘orystalization in the process of sugar manufacture. Consider- ON a ade ae ing this, and the fact that 90 the sugar content of that portion of the beet above ground is low, it is apparent that careful topping must be insisted upon by the manufacturer, fully justified in topping. and he is deducting the amount of tare due to poor - Average yields per acre range from eight to ten tons, good growers frejzuently t - Dut ecure twelve to fourteen tons and ex- ceptional fields yield from sixteen to eighteen tons per acre." Fig. ae. A fairly typical sugar beet worker's house, | for. employment. § i | land and become se | Others remain in the community, ttled invendtente.. ) Many of the workers move to the large cities in the winter purchase | | | | Sl Fig. 33. Figures 23 and |24: Hauling sugar beets to the station has been made easier by installation of unloading divices. These views show two stages in the operation of the Waverly | Beet Hoist at Stephenson, Michigan. A two to five ton load of beets is handled in from three to five minutes. | | { | i ' } ! } Fig. 324. works ader i ‘The conveyor type of beet unlo ss Figs.-25% | | | Orop Rotation! Sugar beets, ae do other crops, give the »vest resulta when they become part of a proper crop rotation system. It is avery valuable crop in the rotation on adapted soils. It has taught many farmers the value and habit of clean culture. It is a real good dependable cash crop. Proper crop rotation aids in (1) maintaining the soil fertility, (2) eliminating weeds and insects, and (3) control- ling plant diseases. Figure 26 shows diseused areas in a beet field caused by Phoma Reot Rot. This field was in beets the precedins vear and the diseased areas the following year: corresponied closely to the piles of tops Tro the penes of the previous year. Thus it is observed that beets planted two vearg in succession on this field are sometimes badly in- Pig, 26. Srop) rotation aids din controlling fungous “. 5 dipeases,. The spots showing Phoma Root Rot were the spots \where the beet leaves and icrowhs were left the fall before, | : after the. crop was hharvesited. ; * ' | i 54 The clean culture given the beets is a great asset on every farm. The writer has observed many pan] fields of quack grass that have been cleaned up by one crop of beets. It is very necessary in quack infested fields to give the field very careful and thorough preparation and frequent cultivations. Blocking and thinning, and hoeing must slso be done well and at the right time. Fic, 37. The potato is an excellent crop to precede ss | sugar beets in the rotation. A seven acre field of potatoes ion the farm of C. J; Bae epee Michigan. | “ ; | Kiegetoctig | ‘Ootations are especially well adapted to ‘Michigan - ‘conditions: Ae). “First yea - clover; 2nd year - corn, beans or potatoes; 3rd year + beets; 4th year - oats, barley or rye, | | 1 {Pan : e “ Lg seeded to clover. [RE SPURS BES a | | { “NY | aS eA Os FS | CB) Firet year - elover; and year - corn,beans, notated, or beets; 3rd year - oats, barley, rye, or wheat, seeded to clover; 4th year - clever; 5th year - beets, corn, beans, or potatoes; 6th year - oats, barley, or rye, seeded to clover. (3). First year - corn, beans, or potatoes; and year - ! beets; 3rd year - oats or barley, seeded to alfalfa; 4th year - alfalfa; 5th year - alfalfa; Sth year - alfalfa. Fig. 26. Clover is a valuahle crop in the sugar beet rotation. “ r : . ” ‘ t rer . . . * " * -,f . . ‘ . | pee ees Soe ey 1 TO : : . . ' a! . . . .; vet ‘ . . ‘ Lila : . aoe . 5)! : Sugar Beet jn America” by F. 8. Harris gives the amount of mineral plant food .removed from the doit by beets and by Other crops. Table 8. Data showing the mineral slements removed from the soil by six of 3 iohigan’ 8 important crops. f . 1 ) Phosphoric Crop. - Yield. Nitrogen. Potash. Acid. Sugar beet8......... 0.0... ce ee ee ees 10 T. 30.0 lbs. 70.0 Ibs. 14.0 Ibs. Potatoes............ cee et cee eens 6 T. 47.0 ‘' 76.5 ‘‘ 21.5 ‘' Wheat. ...... 00... ce ee eee ee 30 bu 48.0 ‘§ 28.8 ‘' 21.1 ‘° Barley...... 0.0... cece ete tee eet e ees 40 bu -48,0 °° 35.7 20.7 ‘' OOte... cr cc ce cc ec ee ee ee tbe eee tee eens 45 bu 55.0 465.1 19.4 O56) 9 | 40 bu 56.0 ' 23.0 21.0 ) As stated previously, tne small srain crop does especial- ly well after the beet crop. Increases in yield of grain fol- lowing beets have long been recognized in Surope and is now being recognized in the beet growing areas of the United States. The following figures are of interest in this connec- tion. The United States Department of Agriculture studied 115 farms and found that following sugar beets, the average yield of wheat was increased from 26.8 bushels per acre, oats were increased nearly 20 bushels and barley 30 bushels per acre. Tae highest yield of rye ever ootained in Menominee Coun- ty, Michigan, Wes a field of Rosen ° rye by Magnus Toberg of Daggett, which, toutowing beets, yielded 42 bushels per acre. The highest yield of spring wheat recorded in the game county [ ! ‘|foLlowing- beets, which yielded 43.2 bushels per acre. In- was produced ‘by nen fwanson, Menominee, with warquis wheat, ( ereased | yields of oats and parley, following beets, were also . ’ . ood ey » . . . nd mo i . t . ‘ ‘ i : i ‘ | e ¢ : . iz Fig. a0. ; i Pe ai oe’? un tN ia ae rio Larger yields of grains are tained when foll owing &@ sugar oeet crop. usually ob- Soring wheat following. beets on the oat of Chas. Sulewsky, Menominee Michigan. | 7 | | I oe wee ‘ iE ; i | \: | if f “ap at Fe til Pd 3) Sa secured in this territory. Soil Is left in Retter Physical Condition The following observations relating to the question,- "hy beets improve the soil? - have been made. These are from "The Soil, Fertilizer and Care Necessary to Grow a Good Crop of Sugar Beets,"-py the writer and publiahed by the Menominee River Sugar Company: "Grain rocts do not penetrate beyond the depth of plow- ing, which was three to four inches in Furope before the be- ginning of Sugar Seet culture and in the United States is but five to six inches where sugar »eets are no aN grown. This thin layer flapped over in pancake fashion, vear after year, is all the soil from which crops ordinarily dray nourishment. The unstirred soil beneath is too compact for srain roots to penetrate, it contains little or no humus, is not aerated, and hence is not fertile. Deep Plowing The sugar ‘eet is a deep rooted plant, and to secure zood results, deep plowing and sub-soiling from eight to ten inches is essential in order to make a eG mellow seed bed so that ie good long root can develop, and thus produce a large tonnage. By breaking up the soil to twice the ustiad depth, the lover soil becomes. aired out and fertile and permits the roots of reals and grasses 'to obtain plant food from twice the usual [Ropab of soil. } } } } } ' ROOT SYSTEM -OF MATURE SUGAR BEET | ONE TON OF ROOTS PER ACRE REMAIN IN TH i ALLER THE ES | BEETS HAVE BEEN HARVESTE THE AIR CHANNELS EXISTING AFTER THE DECOMPOSITION, OF ROOTS PERMITS SOIL AERATION-MAKES PLANT FOOD AVAILABLE. | BEETS ARE NATURAL SUBSOILERS ~ 62 83. Roots Penetrate Boil In preparing a field for neets, the deep plowing increases the amount (of soil that can be used by the crops. But this is not all, within three months after the beets are planted, the plant has sent out great quantities of roots which penetrate — the lower unstirred hard soil to a depth of several feet. These roots are from the size of a hair to that of a slate pencil, and when the ovets are plowed out in tne fall, there is from one to two tons per acre of these fine roots left in the soil. These decay end leave available plent food for the following crops and also leave}? the sub-soil honey-combed Like & sponge with millions of minute channels. Through these chan- nels first the air and then the surface winter moisture pens- trated, and it is tains moisture and deeper cultivation that @ld in increased yields. During the growing sea6on of plants the amount of moisture in the soil regulates the yield to oe cotained and so whatever adds to the conservation and storage of winter moisture in the soil, adds greatly to the yield of the crop. However rich the soil is in plant food, it is of no use unless there is enouga moisture so that tas roots can absorb it. In ordinary plowing and cultivation, the soil beneath tre “top five to, seven inches ie SO compacted that once the surface is full of water the surplus runs away. Beet ‘Tops and Leaves a . f | “Very. few other) forme of roughag @e are as good as beet tops : ‘. - a . : hk =e _a: to ) produce milk, “They are especially stimulating to the dairy | - | ss : . ‘ AT yc - 0 ee ee wee ee : cow. Coming at the tame! in - the fall when pastures are short, they fill an important: place for the dairy farmer who ig Llook- ing for a larger milk yield. In many cases when these tops and leaves are properly cared ad for and properly fed, they more than pay for the hand labor on the beets. To secure the most good from this feed, it should not be pastured off in the field but should be soiled in cunches aout txo fest in height and fed out as needed. They may be ensiled oy running through an ensilage cutter with ar equal amount of stray. They may also be pitted for winter use. Sugar “eet Seed Production Previous to tne “orld Va practically all the sugar veat seed used in the Unitsd Etates was imported from foreign coun- trles,—- Germany supplying the larsest amounts. During the war the supply was pertially cut off and to insure enough seed to pliant the usual acreage, the Sugar ° eat companies started in the seed growing enterprise. The three pictures shown here give some characteristic views of this industry. After the seed beet stalks are out and cured, they are then threshed with a grain thresher with some of the concaves removed. The seed is then recleaned and bagged for spring shipment. _—- oe - 7 j . » 4 oe | . . - a : : ie Fig. 33. A field of Dipy Stecklings on the farm of 4 a Ym. Van Den Heuvel, Seymour, Wisconsin. These nesta are cared for the sane as the regular sugar “oets only they are thinned to 4 plant aperyerour inches instead of every twelve inches. This secures @ smaller beet. These beets Will be pitted in the fall and used as mother seed beets ‘the following spring. | 5 j | | | “ | | ae =e fi i | " i I> ye et i | 1 } | , ( | . t , | 4, A fifteen acre field of sugar beet seed on Fig. 3 the farm of Henry Housman, Seymour, “isconsin, nearly ready for harvest. The mother beets are planted very early in the sprin g in rows 36 inches apart each way. | | F tn } } pa ii | , ed | rs ee ee ae Ca eR ra | sae este oe RE et ES sce gs WAG te Pr We. Van Den Heuvel, Fig.’ 35. Cutting sugar beet seed on the farm of seen on the right foreground | of the picture. seymour, Wisconsin. A shock may be Seed peets ripen: unevenly and so three or four different cuttings Cee de : | Nat pers ‘ must be made to obtain the vest results. ! ; 1 1 } i | | | f ee cae iy qe] aN ot 67 inn