REPORT OF MR. N, WOLVLRTON 



317 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



EXPEKIMENTS WITH SUGAR BEETS. 



Eight varieties of these roots were tested this year. Of these only three are recom- 

 mended for use in the manufacture of sugar, viz., Vilmorin's Improved, Wanzlcbeu 

 and French Very Rich. All the varieties are, however, particularly useful as food for 

 stock. We find young animals relish them better than either mangels or turnips. 



The first plots were sown on May 23 and the second on June 9. The early sown 

 plots gave the largest returns in every instance. All were harvested on October 8. 



The estimate of yield per acre has been made from the product of two rows each 

 66 feet long. The soil was a black sandy loam fertilized with ten loads of well rotted 

 manure per acre. The previous crop was potatoes. 



Repeated chemical analyses of sugar beets grown here would indicate that their 

 growth in Manitoba for the profitable manufacture of sugar is doubtful. For full 

 information on this point the inquirer is directed to the reports of Mr. F. T. Shutt, 

 Chemist of the Dominion Experimental Farms, Ottawa. 



Sugar Beets — Test of Varieties. 



Q 



a 



Name of Variety. 



Danish Red Top . . . 



R jyal Giant 



Improved Imjierial.. 

 Red Tot) Sugar ... 

 Dani.^h Improved... 



Wanzlehen 



French Very Rich . . 

 Vilmorin's Improved 



26 

 22 

 21 

 20 

 20 

 16 

 16 

 15 



Yield per acre. 



1st Plot. 



Tons. Lbs. 



800 

 1,672 

 1,824 

 1,448 



920 

 1,792 

 1,264 



624 



Bush. Lbs. 



880 

 761 

 7.30 

 690 

 682 

 563 

 554 

 510 



12 

 24 



48 



12 

 24 

 24 



2nd Plot. 



Tons. Lbs. 



24 

 21 

 19 

 20 

 20 

 15 

 18 

 15 



1,6.32 

 240 



1,072 

 392 

 656 

 624 

 168 

 96 



827 

 704 

 651 

 673 

 677 

 510 

 602 

 501 



Bush. Lbs. 

 12 



12 

 12 

 36 

 24 

 48 

 36 



experime:^ts with potatoes. 



The uniformly large yields and excellent quality of potatoes grown here prove 

 the remarkable adaptability of Manitoba soil and climate to this valuable tuber. 



The sandy loam soil chosen for these plots received about ten loads of well rotted 

 manure to the acre and was ploughed deeply in the fall and spring. 



The Colorado Beetle appeared on a few hills, but one application of Paris green 

 destroyed them all. 



The yield was not equal to the phenomenal yield of 1905, but was large and the 

 quality was very fine. The following eight varieties have averaged, for five years, 

 over 500 bushels to the acre : — ■American Wonder, 545 ; Dreer's Standard, 533 ; Late 

 Puritan, 533; State of Maine, 529; Uncle Sam 522; Empire State, 517; Money 

 Maker, 516; Maule's Thoroughbred, 504. 



The potatoes were planted May 21, in rows three feet apart, with the sets about 

 one foot apart in the rows, and were dug October 2. There were no rotten ones and 

 very little scab. 



