[Illustration: PREPARING THE GROUND.--PLOWING AND HARROWING WITH A
CATERPILLAR ENGINE.
Sugar beets require deep plowing, ten to fourteen inches, or twice the
usual depth. When using horses, farmers are inclined not to plow deeply
enough to secure maximum results, and some of the factories have put
in power plows which turn six furrows and harrow the land at the same
time. They plow and harrow the land of beet farmers for $2.50 per acre,
which is about one-half of what it costs the farmers to plow equally
deep with horses. The traction engines also are used for hauling train
wagon loads of beets to the factory. In some localities farmers are
banding together and purchasing engines for plowing and hauling beets.
The outfit illustrated above costs about $4,500.]
[Illustration: DRILLING THE SEED.
Beets are drilled in rows, usually eighteen inches apart, 18 to 25
pounds of seed being drilled to each acre. Practically all the beet
seed used in America is grown in Europe, principally in Germany, but it
has been demonstrated that superior seed can be produced in the United
States. Sugar-beet seed growing requires five years of the utmost
skill, care and patience, from the planting of the original seed to
the maturing of the commercial crop which is sold to the trade. The
factories contract for their seed for three to five years in advance,
sell it to farmers at cost price, and deduct the amount from the
payment for beets.]
[Illustration: HOW THE BEETS ARE GROWN