30 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Fertilizers and sugar beets, C. ( ). Townsend ( U. S. Dept. Agr. Rpt. 80, pp. 167- 

 176). — A general discussion on the use of green manure, stable manure, and com- 

 mercial fertilizers in beet culture is presented and results obtained under different 

 conditions with different kinds of fertilizers are reported. 



The climatic conditions are shown by data taken from the monthly weather reports 

 of the stations at Detroit, Mich.; Spokane, Wash., and Omaha, Nebr. The experi- 

 ments were conducted in these localities. A comparison was made of two complete 

 applications, the one consisting of 125 lbs. of dried blood, 100 lbs. of sulphate of 

 potash, and 275 lbs. of South Carolina rock, and the other of a complete fertilizer 

 containing 1 to 2 per cent of ammonia, 4 to 5 per cent of potash, and 8 to 10 per cent 

 of phosphoric acid, applied at the rate of 325 and 200 lbs. per acre. 



The amount received per acre for the beets shows an increase, apparently due to 

 the fertilizer, ranging from 27 cts. to nearly 830. Each application proved highly 

 profitable in two of the experiments and failed to increase the yields sufficiently to 

 pay for the fertilizers used in the two other tests. In one case a low rainfall is con- 

 sidered as accounting for the small increase due to the fertilizers. 



In another series of tests 300 lbs. of nitrate of soda per acre gave a large increase 

 in the value of beets per acre. Applying one-half the quantity just before planting 

 and one-half July 1, gave results a little better than when the entire quantity 

 was applied just before planting. The quality of the beets did not seem to be 

 affected. In studying the effect of different amounts and different combinations of 

 fertilizer elements on sugar beets it was found that good results were obtained in 

 each experiment by using 200 lbs. ot nitrate of soda, 200 lbs. of phosphoric acid, and 

 100 lbs. of sulphate of potash per acre. 



The results also seemed to indicate that the potash had no appreciable effect on 

 the quantity or quality of the beets. None of the salts applied showed any injurious 

 effect upon the quality. In one experiment common salt was applied at the rate of 

 200, 300, and 500 lbs. per acre. The result seemed to indicate a beneficial effect in 

 helping the soil to retain moisture. In some instances there was no effect upon the 

 yield, and in others 200 lbs. seemed as effective as 500 in increasing the tonnage. 

 The heavier application did not appreciably affect the quality of the beets. 



Variety tests with, sugar and fodder beets, J. Hansen and K. Hofmanx 

 (Deut. Landw. Presse, 32 {1905), Nos. IS, pp. 151, 152; 19, p. 163).— The average 

 yields of 11 varieties of sugar beets, each grown on 2 plats, ranged from 43,090 to 

 48,230 kg. per hectare, the best yielder among them being the Friedrichswert variety. 



In average sugar content in the beet the varieties varied from 19.19 to 21.71 per 

 cent in the Friedrichswert and Heine varieties, respectively. In average yield of 

 sugar per hectare Schreiber Zuckerreichste stood first with 9,638 kg., and Rabethge 

 and Gieseke Late Klein- Wanzleben last with 8,661 kg. The coefficient of purity in 

 the different varieties varied from 88.35 in Friedrichswert to 92.61 in Schreiber 

 Klein-Wanzleben. The test with fodder beets also included 11 varieties. 



In productiveness Criewen Eckendorf stood at the head of the list with a yield of 

 79,320 kg. of beets per hectare, and Tankard Mangold, obtained from England, last 

 with a yield of only 38,870 kg. The continental climate, and especially the dry 

 summer, proved detrimental to the 2 English varieties grown in this test. The 

 Eckendorf, Tannenkrug and Leutewitz varieties, given in the decreasing order of 

 yield, ranked next to the Criewen Eckendorf variety in the production of beets. A 

 heavy yield of leaves was not correlated with a heavy yield of beets. 



The percentage of dry matter was quite high, ranging from 11.67 per cent in the 

 Tannenkrug beet to 17.50 per cent in the Substantia Lank variety. In yield of dry 

 matter the Leutewitz variety led with 10,755 kg. per hectare, followed by Substantia 

 Lank and Oberndorf, each producing more than 10,000 kg. These varieties also 

 stood in the same rank and order in the yield of sugar. The percentage of sugar 



