344 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



stored-up plant food exists in most arable soils, and that by making it 

 available and conserving the moisture by frequent level culture the 

 average yield for the State can be largely increased. They also empha- 

 size the necessity of keeping the foliage healthy. 



The sugar beet : Culture, seed development, manufacture, and 

 statistics, H. W. Wiley ( U. S. Dept. Agr., Farmers' Bui. 52, 2>P- 47). — 

 The theoretical beet-sugar belt of the United States — a zone of vary- 

 ing width, through the center of which passes the isothermal line of 

 70° F. for the months of June, July, and August — is shown upon a 

 map. Descriptions and illustrations of the best varieties of sugar 

 beets are given. 



With regard to moisture, it is stated that the best soils are those hav- 

 ing good drainage and good capillarity. Warm autumnal showers induce 

 a new growth, thereby diminishing the sugar content of the beet crop. 



The author states that soils which produce good crops of corn, wheat, 

 or potatoes will, under proper cultivation, produce good crops of sugar 

 beets. The following shows the amounts of nitrogen and ash constitu- 

 ents removed by 1,000 lbs. of entire plants: 



Fertilizing constituents in 1,000 pounds of beets and beet leaves. 



Potash 



Phosphoric acid 



Magnesia 



Nitrogen 



Total ash 



Iioots. 



Leaves. 



Pounds. ! Pound*. 



3. 3 6. 5 



.8 1.3 



.5 3.0 



1.6 3.9 



7.1 18.1 



As the leaves contain considerable quantities of these constituents, 

 it is thought best to leave them upon the field. 



Barnyard manure is recommended to be applied one or two seasons 

 before the sugar beets are grown, as fresh applications reduce the sugar 

 content. Heavy nitrogenous manures injure the quality of the beet, not 

 so much by decreasing the sugar content as by increasing the percentage 

 of nousugars. 



The growing of sugar beets in rotation is considered desirable, and a 

 rotation of wheat, beets, clover (one crop of which is cut for hay and 

 the second crop plowed under), and potatoes is recommended. 



The author recommends late fall plowing at least 9 in. deep and sub- 

 soiling to the depth of or 7 in. more. Thorough surface cultivation 

 should be given before planting, which should be done as early as pos- 

 sible, as early-planted beets give a larger yield and a higher content of 

 sugar than late planted beets. The operations of planting, cultivating, 

 and harvesting are described in detail and illustrations given of suitable 

 implements. 



An estimate is made of the cost of growiug beets with land at $75 

 per acre, labor at $1 per day, and the distance to the factory not more 



