FIELD CROPS. 745 



mature beet as grown in these experiments contained, about 1.1 per 

 cent of ash and the leaves a little more than twice as much. The effect 

 of alkali was to increase the percentage of ash in the roots by about 2 

 per cent of the dry matter. The upper third of the beets was found 

 to contain a higher percentage of dry matter than the other two-thirds, 

 but the dry matter of the lower third was richer in ash than that of 

 either of the other two. The author states that he failed to find any 

 relation between the percentage of sugar and the percentage or com- 

 position of the ash. 



The character of the soil did not seem to affect the composition of 

 the ash which is believed to be very constant; the analyses show the 

 following approximate percentages: Sulphuric acid, 3.5; phosphoric 

 acid, 7 to 9; alkalies, 48 to 52; lime, 2 to 3; magnesia, 6; chlorin, 11.50 

 to 14.50; carbon dioxid, about 15. The ash of the leaves contained 

 from one-third to one-fourth as much phosphoric acid, from 2 to 3 times 

 as much chlorin. a little more lime, about one half more magnesia, and 

 about -iV less alkalis than the ash of the roots. 



Four series of tests were made to determine the effect of some of the 

 salts found in the soil on the germination of different varieties of beet 

 seed. The salts were used separately and in conjunction, in quantities 

 varying from 0.01 to 1 per cent of the air-dried soil in which the seed 

 was germinated. The first series of tests was made with sodium car- 

 bonate, the second with sodium sulphate, the third with a mixture of 

 these two, and a fourth with magnesium sulphate. Seeds were germi- 

 nated in ordinary glass tumblers. It was found that the beet seed 

 germinated freely in soil containing 0.1 per cent of sodium carbonate, 

 but the young plants were injured in soil containing only 0.05 per cent. 

 The influence of sodium sulphate was less marked, but it proved inju- 

 rious when present in larger quantities than 0.8 per cent of the air- 

 dried soil. When both of these salts were present in equal quantities, 

 the action of the carbonate was not influenced perceptibly. One per 

 cent of magnesium sulphate retarded germination, and the presence of 

 sodium salts hastened it. Of the varieties tested in these experiments 

 Vilmorin seemed to be most sensitive to the action of the alkali. 



New Mexico sugar beets, 1897, A. Goss (Neic Mexico Sta. Bui. 26, 

 pp. 71-113, pi. 4). — This bulletin presents the results of culture experi- 

 ments with sugar beets, carried on at the station and in 14 of the 18 

 counties of the Territory. Popular directions are given for the various 

 operations in sugar-beet culture, including irrigation, and statistics 

 concerning the sugar industry are tabulated. 



The average results at the station with different varieties of beets 

 harvested at different dates were as follows : Beets harvested September 

 15 averaged 1.22 lbs. in weight, 11.03 per cent sugar in the juice, and 

 78.8 in purity; beets harvested October 14, 1.53 lbs. in weight, 12.47 

 per cent sugar in the juice, and 79.4 purity; and the beets harvested 

 November 16, 1.71 lbs. in weight, 13.89 per cent sugar in the juice, and 

 77.2 purity. 



