REPORT OF THE CHEMIST 



137 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



FERTILTZIXG COXSTITLEXTS PER ACRE. 



From tlie practical standpoint of the beet grower, who naturally wishes to know 

 tlio amounts of fertilizing constituents taken from the soil and contained in the differ- 

 ent parts of the beet at the various stages of growth, the data of the concluding tables 

 will prove of interest and value. The results will also prove useful in a consideration 

 of those fertilizers that it may be necessary to employ for the sugar beet crop, and at 

 the same time maintain the soil's productiveness. 



To obtain them we have employed the foregoing data and the weights of the vari- 

 ous parts taken from an equal number of beets at date of collection, the only assump- 

 tion entering into the calculation being that of 10 tons per acre of dressed roots at 

 maturity. 



Weight per Acre of the different parts of the Sugar Beet: Computed on the basis of 



10 Tons of Dressed Eoots, October 19. 



In spite of the large increase in the weight of the dressed roots per acre during 

 the period, September 8 to October 19 (due chiefly to the development of sugar), the 

 total weight of the crop is less on the latter than on the former date. The weight3> 

 respectively, are 21 tons, 461 lbs. on September 8, and 19 tons, 134 lbs. on October 19. 

 This is explained chiefly by the drying out of the leaves; the loss of the weight of 

 water in this. way being greater than the gain in weight of sugar. It may in a small 

 measure be also due to the breaking off and falling away of certain of the more mature 

 leaves. This would not only lessen the weight of crop at this date, but also reduce 

 the amounts of the fertilizing constituents contained in the crop at this period, and 

 thus explain a certain small decrease in weight of potash per acre noticeable between 

 September 8 and October 19. 



It is of interest to observe that of the total weight of crop at harvesting, if the 

 beets are properly * topped ' on the field, practically one-half is removed in the dressed 

 roots. 



In the following tabular scheme the data representing the fertilizing constituents 

 in the crop are given, the figures indicating the amounts (per acre) found in the various 

 parts at the three periods of collection : — 



Fertilizixg Constituents in Beet Crop. Pounds per Acre (Computed). 



