EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 



203 



SHRINKAGE OF STORED BEETS. 



To test the effect of storing beets in piles in the field, six varieties which were har- 

 vested October 26 from sandy loam soil were on that date carefully weighed, sampled, 

 the entire amounts of each variety ranging from 800 to 1,000 pounds stored in single 

 piles, and covered with beet leaves. On November 27 they were forked into wagons, 

 again weighed and sampled, and returned to the field for storage as before until Decem- 

 ber 31. During the last four weeks of this period the beets were covered with the beet 

 leaves, but as the leaves had become so wilted as to scarcely cover the piles, a covering of 

 four to six inches of clover straw was thrown on and this covered with a layer of soil 

 about five inches thick. At the time the soil was put on the piles, the beets were slightly 

 frozen on the outside, though not to any considerable depth. When the beets Avere 

 removed from the piles for the last time on December 31, they were found to be in per- 

 fect condition. The soil covering them, was frozen so that it required a pick to remove 

 it, but the beets were not frozen at all, the frost having apparently been drawn out of 

 them during the storage. The weights, analysis and percentages of gain and loss for 

 the several periods are given in the following tables. 



Tables showing the shrinkage in weights of sugar beets and changes in sugar content 

 during nine weeks' storage in piles with sufficient protection to prevent freezing. 



Variety. 



Austrian B. A 



Austrian B. G. V 



Russian W. A. C 



Meyers' Elite 



Wohanka E. R 



Wohanka Z. R 



Grand total and averages 



Weights. 



Oct. 2C. 



Pounds. 



817 

 867 

 875 

 930 

 845 

 1,011 



5,345 



Nov. 27. 



Pounds. 



C85 

 745 

 750 

 810 

 770 

 895 



Dec. 31. 



Pounds, 



657 

 722 

 730 

 790 

 725 

 854 



4,655 



4,478 



Loss in weight. 



Total 

 per cent 

 of loss. 



19.58 

 16.72 

 16.57 

 15.05 

 14.02 

 15.52 



*1G. 



Variety. 



Per cent of sugar. 



Oct. 26. Nov. 27. 



Austrian B. A 



Austrian B. G. V 

 Russian \V. A. C 

 Meyers' Elite... 

 Wohanka E. R.. 

 Wohanka Z. R.. 



Averages — 



12.79 

 10.97 

 11.18 

 9.67 

 11.67 

 10.14 



11.24 



14.07 

 14.99 

 15.09 

 13.61 

 15.18 

 14.80 



14.62 



Dec. 31. 



13.20 

 12.60 

 12.50 

 11.60 

 9.10 

 12.50 



11.92 



Per cent 

 + gain 



or — loss 



first 

 month. 



+10.00 

 +36.64 

 +34.97 

 +40.74 

 +30.08 

 +45.95 



*+30.00 



Per cent 



+ gain 



or — loss 



second 



month. 



-6.11 

 —15.94 

 -17.16 

 —14.76 

 -40.05 

 -15.54 



Total 

 per cent 



+ gain 

 or — loss. 



+3.2 

 +14.85 

 +11 80 

 +19.95 

 —22.02 

 -i 23.27 



*— 19.00 *+6.00 



* Computed from averages and not from figures above. 



