An Effort to Help the Farmer. 247 



Steuben. Chemung, Tompkins, Tioga and Broome. In these 

 counties, 1,113 pounds of ])eet seed were distributed to 417 

 farmers ; and 2 1 one-pound lots were distributed to applicants 

 outside these counties. Thereb}^, 438 farmers were connected 

 with the work, and 1,134 pounds of seed were distributed. Of 

 these farmers, 40 received fertilizers for use on the beets, 45 

 sacks having been used in this distribution. The sugar beet 

 expert visited about 120 of these farmers to arrange in person 

 the preparation for the experiments. Subsequently, he inspec- 

 ted 125 of the growing plots. Aside from this, about 50 com- 

 mercial plantations were inspected. 



Two circulars were issued to the sugar beet experimenters. 

 One (No. 15) explains in detail the methods to be employed in 

 raising the beets. The other (No. 17) gives instruction in 

 methods of sampling, and was accompanied with blanks for the 

 reporting of the results of the work. These circulars will be 

 given to the public in the forthcoming report on sugar beets. 



The chemical work on this sugar beet investigation has been 

 heavy. A total of 490 complete analyses has been made, com- 

 prising determinations of solids, sugar in juice, and purity. 



Experiments are in progress on the feeding value of sugar 

 beet waste. 



The full report of the work of 1897 on the sugar beet was 

 published as Bulletin 143. A bulletin will soon be issued on 

 the work of 1898. 



Fertilizers. — In 1897, 203 farmers cooperated in field experi- 

 ments with fertilizers (see Bulletin 146, p. 639). In 1898, 100 

 farmers were selected to continue the work. In March, a cir- 

 cular (No. 13) was sent to the correspondents, giving specific 

 directions, with diagrams, for carrying on the work. This 

 instruction was supplemented by another and very explicit cir- 

 cular (No. 14), which also included blanks for the making of 

 reports. A revision of Bulletin 129 (" How to conduct field 

 experiments with fertilizers") was also sent to each cor- 

 respondent. 



The 100 experimenters live in 39 counties and 95 postoffices. 

 During the past summer, the fertilizer expert visited 75 farmers 

 at 69 postoffices in 25 counties, and gave specific instructions on 

 the work. 



