New York Agricultural Experiment Station. 431 



(7) Effect of fertilizers in growing sugar beets. A complete 

 fertilizer was prepared and distributed by the Station and was used 

 at the rate of 500 lbs. and 750 lbs. an acre. 



(a) The application of fertilizer increased the yield in all but 

 two cases. With 500 lbs. the crop increased an average of 3,874 

 lbs. ; with 750 lbs., the yield increased 5,264 lbs. an acre. 



(b) The application of 500 lbs. of fertilizer did not affect the 

 average percentage of sugar in beets. With the larger applica- 

 tion the sugar increased in 4 cases and decreased in 13 cases, the 

 average decrease being 0.5 per cent. 



(c) The coefficient of purity was affected little by fertilizers. 



(d) The use of 500 lbs. of fertilizer increased cost of beets about 

 $6 an acre; of 750 lbs., about $9 an acre. The use of 500 lbs. de- 

 creased the cost of beets 22 cents a ton, which was not farther de- 

 creased by increased amounts of fertilizer. 



(e) The use of 500 lbs. of fertilizer an acre proved more eco- 

 nomical than the use of larger amounts. 



II. SUMMARY OF RESULTS OF ALL ANALYSES OF SUGAR BEETS MADE 



IN 1898. 



The Station analyzed 343 samples .of sugar beets which gave an 

 average percentage of 14.2 of sugar, with a purity coefficient of 85. 

 Results from 33 counties are given. 



III. SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS RELATING TO SUGAR BEETS. 



Experiments were carried out on the Station farm and also on 

 the farm of Mr. E. E. Dawley at Fayetteville to study (1) the effect 

 of using different amounts of commercial fertilizers varying from 

 500 lbs. to 2,000 lbs.; (2) the effect of using 20 tons of stable 

 manure per acre; and (3) the effect of growing beets at different 

 distances in the row. 



(1) The effect of using different quantities of commercial fer- 

 tilizer is discussed under six headings : 



(a) Increased yields of beets were given by applying 500 lbs., 

 1,000 lbs. and 1,500 lbs. of fertilizer, but the use of 2,000 lbs. gave 

 less yield than did the use of 1,000 lbs. 



