Show Irrigation of Or Sugar Beets eef A Paper read before the Wednesday Evening Club by Geo L. L Ono One who has given givon this subject close attention comes to know ow tho the important part water plays In the growth and development of or the sugar beet jeet The beet gets its food in liquid form orm from the soil thru Its fine hairlike hairlike hair- hair like Ike rootlets after atter it has been made soluble by the action of ot water I together with other agents which work for the benefit of man when conditions are aro favorable While water is so essential to plant life Ife it can be utilized ant only when present in the soil soli in such quantities as nature requires too little or 01 too much existing in tho the soil for Cor too long ong a 0 period at any particular time timen In n the tho plants plant's development may retard re- re ard tard its growth to such n an extent that it t will materially effect the crop and reduce the returns It is Important therefore that wo we understand fully the tho requirements of ot nature In this respect if It we would i get the returns from our lands that we ve should Our soils receive this moisture thru hru natural and by artificial means that hat is thru the falling of at rains and snow now and by irrigation There are three kinds of at water present in soil coil gravitational water capillary water and hygroscopic wa- wa ver er Immediately after a rain or an gravitational water or that hat which will move under gravity I Is s present In the soil soli where it remains remains remains re re- re- re mains until It works Itself downward downward down down- ward into the subsoil or until It Is removed b by natural or artificial down I drains Capillary water the usual 1 supply for the growth of at plants It Itis Its I Is s the normal average the visible water wa- wa ter er er content of at the soil It is the remains remains remains re re- re- re mains of at gravitational water which Is s left lett behind In the upper soil and hel held 1 as ns films around soil particles and In the finer ner openings It Is the capillary water that gathers up the I valuable plant food scattered all about In the soil and brings it withIn with with- In n easy reach of at the fibrous roots for I plants used usell for Cor food and growth Capillary water is found in inter- inter spaces paces of the soil While Its natural direction would be downward because because be- be cause of ot gravitation I it really moves n n the opposite direction since the of or the drier driel is pulling particles greater great great- er Hence a capillary water water wa- wa ter er constantly moves mo from Cram moist regions to others loss 1035 moist The surface surface sur- sur face ace of at the land being boing warmed by the sun and dried b by the air soon loses its ts moisture thru evaporation e and calls calla to the tho lower depths for more and in this way replenishes its normal normal normal nor nor- mal supply By Dy this principle soluble plant food tood that hat either existed in the subsoil or that hat was carried there by gravitational gravitational lonal water is now brought upward Into nto the surface areas arens where the plants plant's feeding roots grow to be he used when needed The minimum moisture content of the he soil is known as hygroscopic wn wa- wa ter er It need not be consi considered ered in this vapor as It has very little to do with the he subject under tinder discussion When tho the spaces pore-spaces of at the soUal soil soU ar al' atti filled fille with water the soil BOU Is la sat Bat Ever Every bit of at air has hns be been on driven U out and for the time being he the toll soil Is la dead hi lt I 1 tyro If it the tho soil joll has Jean been properly properly prop prop- erly the tho excess water will beU bo be 1 U moved ed b by gravitation and by 11 cail ca- ca caMri ri il iu tty rhe The soil oU will then be In It fit condition to contribute Its share sharo sharon i In n i the crop production for tor air au you O iii if it tood food root development Is 19 tc t tr h be c hat had i ih Iti a iP as as water The he amount of at water waler that soil holds will wm depend upon several se things the the following being of at first import t importance ance 1st rho Tho nature and type of soil and subsoil sandy soils receive and give off oft water freely freel while the clay claymile I soils mile take talo and give off ott slowly 2nd The he nature of ol the subsoil the act similar to the surface soils oils 3rd The amount of at humus Inthe in inthe the he soils Where there is no humus present the water content Is less since the tho air lh spaces are less In number num- num I bOl ber jor and less able to hold moisture Much humus In the soil enlarges the wafer voter holding capacity A soil th that t is well supplied with humus and in a n high state ot of cultivation cultivation cultivation holds holets Its maximum quantity of ot water Since water escapes rapidly thru evaporation It ft is 18 that the tho surface of ot the tho soil be well cultivated os that this loss will bo be reduced to the he minimum thus enabling the tho soil soH soilo to o hold Its water longer loner In selecting a piece of ot land for beets I would advise picking one that contained as much humus as blo lo to Insure e a n good moisture holding holding hold- hold ing ng capacity This land lanel should if possible be plowed in the fall tall and allowed to lay open open to tie open to the winter storms an and absorb as much moisture as possible when this Is la insufficient to get the effects of the tho winter freezing which Is so no beneficial to o tho tha soil ROU It should hoult be supplied by latO IU 16 tall fall or at winter tr lu-ia lu Irrigation |