238 



STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



While tlie above elassilieation is not in accordanee wilh any lixed rule, we may 

 assume that a mixture of even parts of sand and clay, or varying ten per cent from 

 equal jiarts. is a sii])eri()r suj^ar beet soil. 



Jiookin^' at the products froiii muck soil and considering the vast areas of this kind 

 ot land in the State, running from black ash and tamarack s\vam])s, with the subsoil 

 only a foot or two from the surface, to the muck deposits going down twenty 

 feet or more, we are confronted with a matter of very great economic imi)ortance to the 

 Michigan farmer. These marsh and muck soils in favorable seasons are es|)eeially 

 adapted to the growth of root crops, but unless there is a liberal admi.\ture of mineral 

 matter, or alluvial soil in the muck, or the subsoil is so near the surface that the beet 

 roots can penetrate it, beets very low in sugar content, only, may be expected. 



Improvement of these soils by fertilizers, cultivation and drainage, and the selection 

 of varieties of beets adapted to such conditions, will form a prominent part of the future 

 experiments with sugar beets. 



TIME OF SAMPLING. 



To determine the effect of fall growth and weather conditions on the sugar content 

 of beets, specimens were carefully collected on consecutive dates the past season and 

 promptly tested. 



The ten days selected for taking the samples covered the period during which most 

 of the beets in the State were harvested for factory purposes. 



October 19. 



" 23. 



" 25. 



" 27. 

 November 



4. 



6. 

 13. 

 15. 

 23. 



Date of sampling. 



Average. 



Per cent 

 sugar. 



14.97 

 15.20 

 14.41 

 14.83 

 14.17 



14.17 

 13.30 

 13.97 

 13.90 

 14.11 



rarity. 



Average 14.313 



Per cent 

 sugar.. 



83. 



83. 



81.8 



82.5 



81.2 



83.5 

 79.3 

 82.3 



78.80 

 81.23 



^ 14.74 



13.89 



81.66 



Purity. 



82.23 



81.03 



The above table shows a general slight falling off in sugar as the season progressed, 

 the first five tests averaging .85 higher than the latter five. 



It was not possible on the particular plot where these beets grew to make a test of 

 the growth during the 37 days covered by the experiment, but the weather and soil 

 conditions during this period were so very favorable to plant growth that it is reason- 

 able to assume that the beets grew in size proportionately more than they decreased 

 in sugar content. 



On a piece of muck ground comparisons in yield were accurately made on seventeen 

 small plots, which resulted in a growth from October 20, when the yield was 10,630 

 pounds per acre, to November 23, when the yield was 13,523 pounds, but in the mean- 

 time the percentage of sugar decreased from 9.53 to 7.75, and the purity from 74.41 to 

 69.29. 



In Ohio,* in 1897, date of sampling by growers showed a gradual increase in per cent 

 or sugar from September 12 to November 18, while by counties the amount of sugar 

 increased, though very irregularly. In 18981 the results from dates of sampling gave 

 very irregular and inconclusive results. 



According to Headden, of Colorado,^, "Beets may remain unharvested, under favorable 

 conditions, without loss of sugar or weight of crop." And, furthermore, "The weight 



* Ohio Experiment Station Bulletin No. 90. 

 t Ohio Experiment Station Bulletin No. 99. 

 i Colorado Experiment Station Bulletin No. 46. 



