CULTIVATION OF SUGAR-BEETS. 381 



A careful attention to deep ploughing is highly recom- 

 mended, provided the subsoil is of fit quality. The soil 

 should never be ploughed less than eight inches : from ten 

 to sixteen inches, or deeper, is desirable. Wherever deep 

 ploughing is undertaken for the first time, it is done in 

 the fall, and the lands are to be well manured immediately 

 afterwards. 



To increase the efficiency of this treatment, a well-consid- 

 ered four-years' course of rotation of crops is adopted. Not 

 more than one-fourth of the entire area of lands under culti- 

 vation is at any time planted with beet-roots. The selection 

 of crops for the rotation is made with a view to benefit the 

 physical and chemical condition of the soil, and to favor 

 economy in fertilizers. The preceding crop is considered 

 of particular importance. As wheat grows well in richly- 

 manured soil, it is the prevailing crop upon first-class lands ; 

 rye and barley are chosen in less favorable circumstances. 

 Green fodder, or leguminous plants, as clover, &c, are raised 

 from time to time, to aid in the mechanical preparation of 

 the soil, and to help enrich the land by increasing the mass 

 of organic plant-food. 



MANURING LANDS FOR SUGAR-BEETS. 



Stable-manure is the basis of the whole system of manur- 

 ing : commercial or artificial manures are relied on only as 

 supplementary. For this reason, sugar-beets are usually 

 raised as a second crop in the rotation, giving a chance for a 

 thorough disintegration of the stable-manure : the effect of 

 the latter is supplemented the next spring, and previous to 

 planting the beet-seed, by a special commercial manure. 

 The condition and composition of the soil naturally control 

 the whole system of manuring. As soils will differ in both 

 respects, practical experience does not show that any one 

 manure will answer under all circumstances. We know what 

 kind of manure has a good effect, and what has a bad effect, 

 on the sugar-beet, as far as the percentage of sugar, and 

 its final extraction, are concerned. The production of sugar 

 being the main object, the point on which the money-value 

 turns, the farmer has to ' consult the interest of the sugar 

 manufacturer. Large crops of watery sugar-beets are not 

 economical, where, as in Germany, the beet-root is taxed. 



