EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 



187 



One section was harvested October 20, another November G, and the last on November 

 1G, giving a period of ten days between each of the times of harvest. The results in the 

 table below give the total yield per acre, and the average analysis of the three dates 

 of harvest. The results of fall growth gave us no data for general conclusions as to the 

 proper time for harvesting. There was evidently a material growth of the crop during 

 this period. The fluctuation in the percentage of sugar as modified by the weather 

 conditions which will be shown in a table later on in this bulletin, go to show that the 

 weather exerts a greater influence upon the time when beets may be most profitably 

 harvested than the question of actual growth obtained by delay in this operation. The 

 computed value of the crop as shown in the last column of the table is really the final 

 test of the several varieties. It is interesting to note that the A'ariety giving the 

 highest money value of the final product is next to the lowest in yield of beets to the 

 acre, but owing to its high sugar content, the value of the crop is brought above that 

 of any other kind. The variety giving the second highest money value produces the 

 largest tonnage, although falling near to the bottom in analysis. It is the opinion of the 

 author that this crop of beets was a fair average of what might be expected from the 

 best class of sandy loam soils in central Michigan. 



The seed test in the following table was conducted by Prof. C. F. Wheeler, the 

 Botanist of the Experiment Station, and all the sugar beet analyses given in this bulletin 

 were performed under the direction of Dr. R. C. Kedzie, Chemist of the Experiment 

 Station. 



Besidts of variety test of sugar beets, 1901. 



The price used in determining the money value of the crop in this and all other tables 

 in this bulletin is $4.50 per ton for 12 per cent beets and 33% cents per ton for each per 

 cent above 12. 



DATE OF PLANTING. 



The soil on which this experiment was tried is of a light, sandy loam nature, not by 

 any means a soil that would be selected for the profitable growing of sugar beets. It 

 furthermore has been cropped continuously with sugar beets for the past four years, 

 although annually it has received an application of 500 pounds of fertilizer prepared 

 by mixing one part of nitrate of soda, two parts dissolved phosphate rock, and one 

 part muriate of potash. The field was given perfect care, cultivation by hand tools 



