224 Repout on Crop Pkoduction of the 



The relation of crystallizable sugar to the total solids in 

 solution in the juice of beets is known as the coefficient of 

 purity. 



It is generally taught that the percentage of sugar in beets 

 and also the coefficient of purity are materially influenced by 

 the kind and amount of fertilizing material which is used in 

 growing the crop. Growers are especially cautioned against 

 planting beets on laud freshly fertilized with stable manure and 

 against heavy nitrogenous manuring with chemicals. It is 

 stated that past experience has shown that beets raised where 

 a generous application of farm manure is made in the spriug 

 are inferior for manufacturing purposes, and it is suggested 

 that while a large application of nitrate of soda may not cause 

 a diminution of the sugar content it may so lower the coefficient 

 of purity as to lessen materially the proportion of available 

 sugar. 



In 1898 experiments conducted by this Station in growing 

 beets with the use of farm manures and with commercial fertil- 

 izers in varying quantities gave results in apparent conflict with 

 prevailing views.^ These results have led to the continuation, 

 during the past three years, of experiments of a similar char- 

 acter, the outcome of which is presented in this bulletin. 



THE EXPERIMENTS. 



GENERAL PLAN AND CONDITIONS. 



The experiments were planned with reference to comparing 

 the composition of beets grown with commercial fertilizers and 

 those grown with stable manure applied in the spring just before 

 planting. Check plats have also been used in order to ascertain 

 how the beets would grow without the application of any 

 manure whatever. All the experiments have been conducted 

 on the Station farm, excepting in the year 1898, when one set 

 was carried out on the farm of F. E. Dawley, Fayetteville. 



Excepting the year 1899, when texture conditions were 



' N. Y. Agrl. Expt. Sta. Bui. No. 155. 



