746 



EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



The beets in the samples from the 14 counties averaged 1.83 lbs. in 

 weight, 14.46 and 13.74 per cent sugar in the juice and the beet, respec- 

 tively, and 77.9 in purity. Fourteen samples from San Juau County 

 gave an average of 16.46 per cent of sugar in the juice and 81.3 purity, 

 the beets averaging 2 lbs. in weight. The samples from Taos County 

 showed an average sugar content in the juice of 17.42, a purity of 80.7, 

 and an average weight per beet of 1.17 lbs. 



On a series of plats at the station beets were harvested and analyzed 

 each month from September to March, inclusive. " The beets did not 

 attain their full sugar content until the middle of November, and . . . 

 The sugar content remained practically constant from that time until 

 the middle of February. In Marc!) the sugar had begun to decrease, 

 due, doubtless, to the fact that the beets had started to grow." 



Analyses were made of beets varying in weight from ^ to 9J lbs. It 

 was found in general that the sugar content and the purity decreased 

 as the size of the beets increased, ranging from 16.2 per cent sugar and 

 82.2 purity in the ^-lb. beets to S.8 per cent sugar and 66.2 purity in the 

 9f-lb. beets. 



Fifty well-formed beets, dug November 18, were divided into 5 equal 

 lots, kept at an ordinary room temperature and analyzed at different 

 periods, to study the effect of drying. The results are given in the 

 following table: 



Sugar content and purity of ■sugar beets as affected by drying. 



Analyzed after harvesting. 



days. 

 6 days. 

 15 days 



21 days 

 28 days 



Increase 

 in sugar 

 content. 



Per cent. 

 0. 



11.2 

 22.7 

 28.5 

 33.5 



It is stated that 15 tons of sugar beets per acre remove from the land 

 105 lbs. of potash, 30 lbs. of phosphoric acid, and 60 lbs. of nitrogen; 

 and that 30 bushels of wheat per acre remove in the grain and straw 

 28 lbs. of potash, 23 lbs. of phosphoric acid, and 45 lbs. of nitrogen. 



The importance of the right amount and the right distribution 

 of -water in crop production, F. H. King ( Wisconsin Sta. Rpt. 1897, 

 pp. 216-231, figs. 9).— Experiments with supplemental irrigation at the 

 station during 3 years have shown that as a rule the natural supply of 

 water (rainfall) is not sufficient for the maximum yields of the ordinary 

 farm crops. This article summarizes the results of experiments along 

 this line on barley followed by clover, potatoes, and corn. 



Barley. — In the experiments with barley in 1897, the rainfall of 5.81 

 in. was supplemented by 4.16 in. of irrigation water (2.32 in. applied 

 June 17 and 1.84 in. applied July 9). The results indicate that the 



