94 



CULTURE OF THE SUGAR BEET. 



in the results of experiments made by Mons. EI. Yilmorin at Verriers, 

 according to Prof. Deherain's suggestions. 

 With reference to the type of beet to be chosen, Mons. Demiatte* says : 



The nature of the soil and method of culture being known, the form should change 

 with the nature of the soil ; should be long and tapering in deep sandy or alluvium 

 soils ; short and more obtuse in shallow soils like that near Arras, where the thick- 

 ness of the arable layer will not exceed 6 inches. But whatever be the type chosen 

 the top of the mother beet should not protrude from the soil more than one-fourth its 

 total length. 



With the facts and figures presented, which have all been worked out 

 in France by careful experiment and investigation, no further comments 

 on the different French races will be necessary. The selection of varie- 

 ties for cultivation can best be left to the reader. We believe, however, 

 it will be of interest, and we shall, therefore, conclude the consideration 

 of this subject by giving the names and addresses of several of the lead- 

 ing producers of seed in France who made exhibition of their products 

 in the late Paris Exposition of 1878, with short notices of the character 

 of their exhibits. 



Desprez pere et fils, Capelle. — The varieties produced are No. 1, white 

 or pink, containing 15 to 18 per cent, sugar, requiring deep, rich soil, 

 plenty of manure, and excellent culture ; yields 16 to 20 tons per acre. 

 No. 2, white or pink, 12 to 15 per cent, sugar, for ordinary soil, fertil- 

 zing, and care ; yields 20 to 25 tons per acre. No. 3, 10 to 12 per cent, 

 sugar for inferior soils and cultures ; yields 25 to 30 tons per acre. 



Simon-Legrand, Auchy. — Different varieties containing 12 to 20 per 

 cent, of sugar ; some varieties of special selection containing from 20 

 to 23 per cent. 



L. Dervaux- Tiled, War gnies-le- Grand — Cultivates seed by special 

 method of selection depending upon taking specific gravities of cylin- 

 drical samples cut from the roots and immersing them in saline solutions 

 of given strength. 



Brabant freres, Onnaing — Cultivate seed of special variety bearing 

 their name; claimed to produce 21 tons per acre, of beets of average 

 richness of 14.88 per cent, of sugar. 



Vilmorin, Andrieux and Co., No. 4 Quai de la Megisserie, Paris — Pro- 

 duce seed from five varieties, given in the table below, showing the in- 

 dustrial value of each variety. 



Yield, per acre long tons.. 



Sugar, per gallon of juice pounds. . 



Sugar, per acre do 



Sugar, per long ton of beets 



Approximate industrial yield per acre . . 



33. 117. 



1.12 



8,437 



149.6 



4.468 



16. 639 



1.63 



5,601 



290.4 



3.095 



French races. 



30. 121 



1.24 



8,754 



182.6 



4.893 



C 



30. 049 



1.20 



8,595 



173.8 



4.739 



23. 360 



1.30 



7,029 



222 2 



2.308 



* Journal des Fabricants de Sucre, February 19, 1879. 



