388 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



The harvesting of the sugar-beet root begins when the 

 outer leaves turn yellow and dry, which, in different seasons 

 and localities, may vary from the fore part of September to 

 the first of October. Pulling off the leaves, even in part, 

 at any preceding stage of the growth of the plants, is 

 seriously objected to, for it affects most decidedly the final 

 yield of sugar. Nature, in its wonderful economy of matter 

 and force, always provides for the continuance of species 

 under the most advantageous conditions, storing up in some 

 of the organs of plants, under the influence of a favorable 

 summer temperature, a maximum of such compounds as will 

 enable them to develop their organs for propagation almost 

 independent of outside assistance. The flowers, and subse- 

 quently the seeds, draw upon the food accumulated in roots, 

 stalks, and leaves ; and the seeds themselves again store up 

 an amount to enable the embryonic germ to provide itself 

 with such organs as will fit it to fulfil its mission in the pro- 

 duction of a new plant. Sugar is 'undeniably one of those 

 substances which are required to support the beet-root plant 

 in this last stage of growth. 



The amount of sugar in the sugar-beet is largest when the 

 root has just attained its ripeness ; subsequently, it dimin- 

 ishes gradually in consequence of advancing growth. To 

 preserve undiminished the maximum percentage of sugar till 

 the time of manufacture is somewhat difficult. There is no 

 such thing in nature as absolute rest. If it were practicable 

 to keep the beet-root frozen from the beginning to the close 

 of the manufacturing season, it might prove to be the most 

 efficient mode, so far as the preservation of sugar is con- 

 cerned. The manufacture of the sugar begins usually in 

 the latter part of September ; and the beet-roots are daily 

 carried in such quantities from the fields as the factory can 

 dispose of. Those varieties, like the Vilmorin beets, which 

 do not keep well in the pits over winter, are first gathered 

 and worked up. As soon as frost becomes imminent, all the 

 roots are gathered after the removal of the leaves, which 

 operation is carried on upon the fields. They are then 

 buried in suitable pits without loss of time. The beets are 

 raised out of the soil by means of forks, and the leaves cut 

 off with sword-like knives about one-half to one inch from 

 the root. To cut off the top of the beet-roots from those 



