FIELD CEOPS. 343 



cussed separately and the results set forth graphically. In the Upper Gila district 

 where this work was carried on, beet seed may be planted from a))out Fel)ruary 1 

 to October b5. Autumn plantings endure the winter if the beets have attained a 

 certain size before the cold weather comes. In one instance a plat seeded September 

 6, on whicli the leaves were about 10 in. long, was not seriously injured bj' cold 

 weather uj) to January, while a planting made September 15 on the same ground 

 was partly destroyed by frost. On all plats the weight of the beets increased until 

 al)out the first week in August. The influence of water on tonnage was shown where 

 one-half of a plat received an extra irrigation on August 7, the average weight of the 

 beets being increased 1.1 oz., but the quality of the beets was lowered. Tlie average 

 sugar content of the beets June 5 and 6, was 10.6 per cent; June 20, 11.82 per cent; 

 July 2-6, 12.29 per cent; July 19-21, 12.27 per cent; August 3-13, 13.16 percent, and 

 August 27-31, 12.58 per cent. A shortage of water seemed to decrease the percentage 

 of sugar. "These facts indicate that drought causes the beets to curtail sugar pro- 

 duction in favor of maintenance of structural growth." Early planting is recom- 

 mended to enable the beets to be comparatively mature before the hottest weather 

 sets in. The purity of the juice was quite variable, increasing from May 23 to 

 June 20, when the beets were growing rapidly, and decreasing after that period when 

 the growth was lower. May 23, the average purity was 71.9, and June 20, 83.1, 

 while the latter part of August it had fallen back to 81.25. The results obtained 

 on a plat grown at the station showed a yield of 4,901 lbs. of total sugar j^er acre. 

 These beets had been planted December 26 and attained fair size before the arrival 

 of hot weather. 



Sugar beets, "W. P. Headden {Colorado Sta. Bui. 63, pp. 31). — This bulletin is 

 a review of the work with sugar beets carried on at the station up to the present time 

 and reported in the station bulletins. These bulletins have been previously noted. 



Experiments -with sugar beets, J. D. Towar {Michigan Sta. Bui. 188, pp. 97-107, 

 fig. 1). — The experiments reported in this bulletin, including tests of various kinds 

 of soils for sugar beets, an experiment on the time of planting beets, and distance, 

 fertilizer, and variety tests, were conducted in 1900 on soils ranging from sand to 

 loam. The results show that clay loam soils produce the largest tonnage and the 

 highest percentage of sugar. The tests on muck soils indicated the possibility of a 

 high percentage of sugar, but most pure muck soils produce beets so low in sugar 

 content that they can not be profitably worked. This season seed planted between 

 May 10 and 24 gave the most profitable yield, but the author considers any time 

 between the last week in April and the last of May as suitable for planting in that 

 latitude. Planting in rows 21 in. apart increased the yield 5 per cent as compared 

 with i)lanting in rows 18 or 24 in. distant. The results of experiments made to deter- 

 mine whether sugar beets exhaust the soil show that beets after potatoes or beans 

 gave a 1)etter yield than beets grown after beets. Fourteen varieties were tested dur- 

 ing the season, giving an average yield of 14.08 tons per acre with 13.63 per cent of 

 sugar in the juice and a purity of 81.30. Austrian Special Kleinwauzlebener No. 5 

 produced the greatest value of crop per acre. Germination and vitality tests of the 

 seeds of the.se different varieties were made and the results recorded. Austrian Spe- 

 cial B. G. V. produced 166 sprouts from 48 seed balls, while Simon Le Grande C No. 

 27 grew only 126 sprouts from 72 balls, but low germination did not seem to affect 

 the yield, for the ])est yielding varieties were by no means those which gave the 

 highest percentage of germination. 



Fertilizer tests with various applications were begun in 1899 and the fertilizers 

 api)lied in both seasons were practically the same in quantity and quality. Stable 

 manure applied early in the winter gave the largest yield of beets and the lowest per- 

 centage of sugar, but it proved to be the most remunerative fertilizer. When applied 

 the day before plowing the field, the percentage of sugar in the beets was so low that 

 the use of home-mixed fertilizers was more profitable. In no case did the use of 



