244 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



An acc-oiiiit is given of experiments in sngar-beet cultnre undertaken by the station. 

 The results were not (jnite satisfactory and no conclusions are drawn. 



Sugar-beet experiments, C. L. Penny {Delaware Sta. Rpt. 1901, pp. 76, 77). — 

 This year experiments in growing sugar beets were undertaken by the station for 

 the first time. Sample beets to the number of 393 were produced by 29 growers. 

 The results with reference to the w'eight of the sample beets, their sugar content and 

 purity are tabulated and briefly discussed. Owing to inadequate attention given to 

 the crop the results are not considered decisive. 



Sugar-beet experiments in 1901, J. D. Towar (Michigan Sta. Bui. 197, j^p. 

 117-144, fig>i. 6). — In a test of 8 varieties, Austrian B. A. produced the highest 

 value of crop per acre, amounting to $59.69. This same variety showed a sugar con- 

 tent of 13.51 per cent in the beet, being the highest in the test. The average sugar 

 content of all varieties was 11.91 per cent and the 2~>nrity 79.8 i>er cent. A seed test 

 to determine the numljer of sprouts from 100 seed balls was made in connection 

 with this experiment, and the results are reported. 



A report is given on an experiment carried on for three successive years with 

 beets planted on different dates. Planting on May 8 gave the highest yield of sugar, 

 and the yields decreased as the planting departed from this date, although there 

 was but little difference in the results from planting on May 8 and May 1. The 

 author believes that the time of profitable planting is not very limited, and that 

 planting may be done as early as the middle of April if the ground can be properly 

 prepared. Planting after May 20 gave decided ilecreases in the results. In some 

 cases early i)lanted beets were attacked by leaf blight which lowered the sugar con- 

 tent, while varieties planted later thus escaping the disease and growing continuously 

 throughout the season gave better returns. Early planting gave no indication of 

 early maturity. 



A distance of 18 in. between rows gave better results than 21 or 24 in. The value 

 of crop per acre from the 21-in. rows was only $2.21 less, and owing to the greater 

 facility in cultivating wide rows, the author considers 21 in. a favorable distance. 



The results for three seasons, and their averages, obtained in experiments with 

 maximum, mininuxm, and normal amounts of several fertilizing elements are 

 re])orted in a table and briefly discussed. The normal application consisting of 200 

 l))s. each of nitrate of soda and muriate of potash and 400 lbs. of dissolved phosphate 

 rock per acre, gave nearly as good average results as an application containing 800 

 lbs. of dissolved phosphate rock. As a rule, double applications of the different 

 elements gave no appreciable gains over the normal application, and omitting an 

 element entirely resulted either in a small crop of beets or a low sugar content. The 

 results of another test with excessive amounts of fertilizing elements in addition to 

 the normal fertilizers were in favor of increasing the nitrogen, the yield being 

 greater and the jiercentage of sugar higher. The general results favored nitrate 

 nitrogen as compared with ammonia nitrogen. In a soil test the average increase in 

 yield from nitrate nitrogen over organic nitrogen was 18 per cent, and the average 

 quantity of sugar produced for three years in a special comparative test was 2,,394 

 lbs. per acre for nitrate nitrogen and 2,154 lbs. for anunoniacal nitrogen. "The 

 general conclusion [from soil test experiments with fertilizers] is that for the best 

 results no single element or 2-element fertilizer will do as well as our complete fer- 

 tilizers, and that stable manure increases the tonnage but does not increase the 

 total number of pounds of sugar in a similar proportion." In another comparison 

 of barnyard manure with other fertilizers the manure produced the lowest average 

 percentage of sugar, although the tonnage was nearly the highest. 



The exhaustive effects of the sugar-beet crop were observed by comparing results 

 obtained on fertilized and unfertilized plats. The decrease in yield on the unferti- 

 lized plats as compared with plats receiving annually a normal application of fertili- 

 zers was 1.25 ])er cent the first year, 11.25 per cent the second year, and 13.85 per 

 cent the third. 



