36 



EXPEEIMENTS WITH SUGAE EEETS. 



These were sown with a Planet Junior drill in rows 16 inches apart on land 

 adjoining that on which the experimental plotfl of turnips were grown. The soil 

 was of the same character, and had received a coating of manure, about 18 to 20 

 tons per acie, early in the spring of 1890. They were sown on the 13th of May and 

 pulled on the 18th of October. The yield per acre of the several varieties has been 

 calculated from the product of two rows 66 feet long, a method of estimation which 

 is fairly reliable for the purpose of comparing varieties, but one which usually figures 

 up a larger yield than can be got where such roots are grown by the acre. The 

 proportion of suga- contained in each has been determined by the chemist of the 

 Experimental Farms and the particulars will be found in his report appended. Seed 

 ■of thi'ee of the varieties was kindly supplied by M. Musy, Esq., of the Beet Sugar 

 Works at Farnham, Que., and one by Wilfred Skaife, Esq., of Montreal. 



Esq., Farnham. 

 Musy, Esq . . . 



Seed from M. Musy, 

 Red Top (Rennie) 

 Seed I.B.I.O. from M. 

 Prize Nursery (Carter) 



Seed I.B.D. from M. Musy, Esq 



White Sugar Beet (Buist) 



Seed C.P. 2 P.A. from M. Musy, Esq 



White Silesian Green Top (Rennie) 



Seed from Wilfred Skaife, Esq., Montreal. 



Silesian (Landreth) . . .*. 



Imperial (Bruce) 



Vilmorin's Improved (Pearce) 



White Silesian (Steele) 



Imperial (Landreth) 



EXPEEIMENTS WITH CAEEOTS. 



Of carrots there were two sets of plots sown in rows 16 inches apart, adjoin- 

 ing the experimental plots of mangels, on soil ot the same character and similarly 

 treated. The yield per acre has been calculated in the first series from the results 

 obtained from two rows, each 66 feet long, and in the second series from one row, 

 132 feet long. Such a calculation, as already explained under "Sugar Beets," is of 

 value when comparing varieties, but is not always a i-eliable basis on which to found 

 expectation where large quantities are grown. The first set of plots were sown on 

 the 1st of May and pulled on the 16th of October; the second were sown on the 8th 

 of May and pulled on the 23rd of October. 



In these experiments as well as in those of the mangels and sugar beets, the 

 yield per acre has, no doubt, been much influenced by the short distance (16 inches) 

 between the rows, whereas last year, they were put 2 feet 6 inches apart. At 16 

 inches many of the larger sorts of mangels were somewhat crowded, and 18 inches 

 would probably be a better distance for these. In either case the rows would be too 

 close for horse cultivation, but if the land is clean they can be conveniently worked 

 with a " Planet Junior " cultivator. Whether the extra yield will more than com- 

 pensate for the additional cost of hand labor has not yet been determined. Great 

 variations are seen in the results obtained from the duplicated plots, showing that 

 such tests would require to be repeated many times, under varying conditions, before 

 they could be accepted as a reliable guide in the choice ot varieties. 



