. Bulletin of the Department of Agriculture. Agriculture; Agriculture. GROWING FIELD CROPS IN SUGAR-BEET DISTRICTS. 5 Some of the crops studied can be grown without the practice of irrigation in the semiarid climate of Colorado. However, to reach the maximum yield it is necessary to irrigate. There are other crops which can not be grown at a profit except by irrigation. Sugar beets are never grown in this region without irrigation, and cantaloupes and cucumbers are not commercially profitable without it. Beans, po- tatoes, and small grains are grown on both irrigated and nonirrigated land
. Bulletin of the Department of Agriculture. Agriculture; Agriculture. GROWING FIELD CROPS IN SUGAR-BEET DISTRICTS. 5 Some of the crops studied can be grown without the practice of irrigation in the semiarid climate of Colorado. However, to reach the maximum yield it is necessary to irrigate. There are other crops which can not be grown at a profit except by irrigation. Sugar beets are never grown in this region without irrigation, and cantaloupes and cucumbers are not commercially profitable without it. Beans, po- tatoes, and small grains are grown on both irrigated and nonirrigated lands at a profit, with the average production per acre much greater on the irrigated areas. Precipitation and the seasonal distribution of rainfall are much the same for the two valleys. Fortunately, the major portion of the an- nual rainfall occurs during the growing season. There is a some- what heavier rainfall in the months of March, April, and May in the South Platte Valley than at Kocky Ford. (See Table II.) This with the slightly increased temperature of the Rocky Ford district accounts partially for the fact that it is customary there to irrigate immediately after or previous to planting some crops. (Fig. 2.). Fig. 2.—Watering sugar-beet seed for germination, showing an example of row irrigation. The furrows must be well made, and careful attention should be given to the running of the water. The furrows are made as the seed is planted. The Greeley and Fort Morgan growers do not practice spring irriga- tion, as there is, as a rule, sufficient precipitation or stored moisture in the soil to germinate the seed and start the crops. Some rains which fall during July, August, and September do not benefit the crops greatly; in fact, they may do serious damage by forming a heavy crust or by causing the crop to lodge. Many of these rains come in heavy showers, when the run-off is great, and others in light showers which do not penetrate the soil. The average being very low, the
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