Show T 10 IRRIGATE BEETS rp Land Must Be Prepared for Water Water Water Wa Wa- ter by Ridging the Rows Care Is Necessary in Arrangement of of Distributing Laterals Distributing Laterals So That Water Water Water Wa Wa- ter Will Not Need to Flow Too Great Distance By my ALVIN Colorado Agricultural Agricultural Agricultural tural College When the condition of the sugar beet crop crop makes it unwise to longer withhold the water the land must be prepared for irrigation by ridging the tho rows This is done by regular ditchIng ditching ditching ditch ditch- ing shovels which come as regular attachments attachments attachments at at- to the beet cultivators The process of ridging has been varIously variously variously va va- va- va called caned ridging ditching and furrowing In some few localities the ditches are logged out so that a smoother ditch results enabling the Irrigator to better control the flow of water This is done by dragging a log down the ditch or or furrow In the Arkansas valley vaHey a ditching sled is sometimes used to both make the ditch and to smooth the bottom A sled is made of hewn logs or 6 by 6 timbers sharpened at the bottom and having a ditching or furrowing shovel attached to the front end of each runner The shovels do the furrowing and the runners which are are 3 to 4 4 feet long log og out the furrow The ridging should be quite heavy so that a strong ditch will be formed between the rows This will not bo bovery bovery bovery very difficult if the cultivation has already already already al al- al- al ready performed a part of the ridging If the cultivation has been shallow the ground may be so hard and dry under the shallow soil mulch that the ditching shovels will not furrow deep enough in spite of the best effort to todo todo todo do so In this case the soil soll should be opened and broken up by br a deep cultivation cul cul- with a small tooth cultivator After such a cultivation the ditching may be successfully done With the land properly ridged and the crop advanced to the proper state of root growth everything is ready for irrigation In Care is necessary In Inthe inthe the arrangement of the distributing laterals so that the water yater will not need to flow too far An extremely long flow will unduly wet the upper or receiving ends of the rows before the lower or discharging ends have received enough water When all is ready the water is turned Into the ditches between the rows The flow should be regulated so as to prevent surface flooding On heavy land the head may be much less than on sandy sandyland sandyland sandyland land as the soil son takes water more slowly The first watering should be given m more re painstaking care than need be given any subsequent irrigation Every effort should be employed to prevent over irrigation If conditions permit deep thorough cultivation should follow the first irrigation as soon as the surface has dried Over-irrigation Over for the first water application seems to be more opt apt to injure the crop than too heavy irrigation applied later When enough water has bas been added to supply the capillary capacity of the soil irrigation irrigation irrigation tion should stop Soil filled with water water wa wa- wa ter tel to the saturation point loses all its air may result on the heavier lands which will almost entirely entirely entirely en en- stop further growth Then a soil too wet produces a watery beet of low sugar sugar content and frequently very low purity In order to ripen the beet bee properly should cease at least a month before harvest time If the irrigation has been properly managed the soil son will contain water enough to properly carry the crop for this length of time |