CULTUEE OF THE SUGAE BEET. 35 



sections in which the industry has secured firm footing and has become 

 a source of profit to those engaged in it. But before proceeding to the 

 discussion of the records we desire to call attention to the notions con- 

 cerning the conditions found by observation to be most favorable to the 

 crop both as to the production of quantity and of quality. 

 In this connection Briem* considers that — 



The temperature of the soil should be at least 50 : F. at the time of sowing. A 

 warm month of May favors germination. A dry hot July makes the roots run to seed ; 

 rainy August gives weight ; dry September increases the sugar, while a wet Septem- 

 ber produces the opposite effect. From May to the middle of June should be warm 

 and tolerably moist, with a day temperature of 60 : to 65 : F. June and July should be 

 relatively cool and rainy, with a day temperature of 65- to 67 ; F. August and Sep- 

 tember should be warm and relatively dry with an average temperature of 64.5- to 

 67.5- F. October cool and fresh with an average temperature of 47. ? : . 



The snm+ of degrees of heat required for production of sugar is di- 

 vided as follows, in round numbers: April, 1,370: May, 1,840; June, 

 1,980; July, 2,110: August, 2.030 ; September, 1,810; October, 1,530— 

 total, 12.730 degrees Fahrenheit in seven months. 



Basset % gives figures for sum total of degrees of heat required for 

 production of sugar which do not vary much from those of Briem. 



Dr. Kohlrausch § says : "Among the labors and studies having in view 

 the Law presiding over this plant (tLve beet-root) the meteorological con- 

 ditions are with this regard well worthy of attracting our closest atten- 

 tion." 



Dr. Joseph Hanaman has just published the results of observations 

 of 1877 at the station of Lobositz, of which he is director. The tem- 

 peratuie and the atmospheric conditions were very favorable in 1877. as 

 well for the normal development of the plant as for the formation of 

 sugar. Thus the year 1877 may be counted upon as one of the best of 

 the last decennial periods. The last months of growth were eminently 

 proper to facilitate maturation of the roots, the saccharine content and 

 purity of which were exceptional. The month of September was con- 

 stantly dry, except toward the last days, and the nights were cool. 



Dr. Hanaman says: "The influence of the temperature explains the 

 exceptionally high polarizations and remarkable polity of the beet of 

 1877. Lobositz beets of that year varied in richness between 13.51 and 

 15.64 per cent, of sugar, with a quotient of purity of 80.1 and 02.7." 



The observations of Hanaman correspond with those of Deherain, 

 who. by comparing the yields obtained in his experiments of 1875, 1870, 



* Journal des Fabricants de Sucre, October 23, 1878. 



t This is determined by multiplying the daily average of temperature by the num- 

 ber of days in the month. 



{ Guide Pratique du Fabricant de Sucre. 1872, vol. i, p. 419. 

 $ Journal des Fabricants de Sucre, 1S7S. March 27. 



