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Show I' " f BEET CULTIVATION. I 3&me conclusions after j 'W years experience, . ! :V MAS OF WILLIAM WEBB. jfe given to a reporter of the Banner. t "What do you think of raisin beets as , compared' with other crops? At the jreeaent prices it is much better than " '. raising grain and a living can be mado is Ath. I do not think a 15-ton crop can i ISe-raised for $30 an acre. It will coat j? soic than. that na it takes nearly all the ,1' jjear to grow a good crop of beets. ,' What kind of land i3 the inoet sni- Sk. rtxblo? I prefer good, dep loamy soil '- - " ' Wk aitlte beets will grow longer in such i -v vvji. It might contain a little mineral "tV but not too much. They grow well in sonify loam or a light clay soil, the latter vwill not need so much water. f t , H&w would you prepare the land? 1 i k v would advise fall plowing as soon us tho L 4 'Saets are ofTT It should bo plowed when i tho land is dry and go as deep as possible , f ' with a good sulky plow. As poon as I fr'' possible in tho spring it should bo torn ',; ' ' pieces and well pulverised with an H , f', jccioo harrow. This should be done as J, ' aeon as tho weather will permit or it S, . H - -wall get too hard and can't be worked or if f-"4 S'.V tare- to ho worked over after every " I tom. I think this would be best for 1 Wl " ? '"' '' saoat of the land. f !' What about irrigating beets? At lirt f r &?' f Ekccp the wator off as long as possible J I A$A MuL T Bv,;tue uect wiH down' in soarch of , JP 'tfStyfi' raaisture. Some farmers water their I " r " Tcts twice before I do. Later in the W j j cesaon we do-not have too much water, ft, gSHerally, in fact, when a farmer has a 5jd largo acroago it is often hard to get BJ j .eaough waten It will depend on the Hi ' . Bend of land, but it should bo kept moist P i -after tho first watering until about the Vjf ' I saiddle of August when it should cease - "It allow tho beet to ripen which it a 2 .ohould do in from 3 to 5 weeks. Too y . ,M auch soaking will make a rough itnly f J TAefr, If Hie land has been Kept damp Tate watering will not do much harm. L "Ww i ,- What do you think of storeing beets? -i Eean't seo any great advantage either f txx-tho farmer or tho company. The i - , ' beeta will keep as well in tho large pile A aft tho factory as in the small piloa. It "j$ i a hard job to cover them just right eo " i s3J :sk iy Pruvent beating or freezing y . especially during variable weather. s -' 2teo much handling breaks off the little ' I . ' weds and spoils thorn so they are better t " ' " ' ' tored in tho Held than ot hoine. J How about alkali lanu ? Tnero must A I sot be too much alkali in the land. I . don't mind a little mineral In the soil. I ' XL-would prepare this land tho same as f ' I ssy other. I" jvr What is your idea of manuring the , - '' land? I believe in moderation on this E' ' , J jrabject and think you can give the land ' too much. I have raised beets for six I jpara and now have most of my land in R good shape and think 10 to 15 loads an f acre is too much ; 4 or 5 is plenty where if I l the land is up as most of it is. I think I 41 on small patches there is more danger 1 from too much manure than from too 'j1, - much water, for wo do not havo too jU ' much water late in the season but Ws generally havo plenty of manure. I -Jy, t 'Ihwo noticed that whore land is heavily fi& . manured the crop is late in ripening. - Ihavo a piece of land which I might , i ' ,aaako produce 25 tons por acre and they i 3 ' might bo'accpptod by the company, but ' i tnoy Would not bo tho best for making 1 ' -j aiigar. In fact I think a 20 to i crop w -would ho a littlo course. If tonnage ft i alono is tho object thou put on plenty of l f ( innnuic, but tho farmers Bhould consider i both the tounagoandthoBugarcontcnts, J' Sthink 15 tons is a fair avorago for . ( Jarmor and factory, it 'Ife |