CULTURE OF THE SUGAR BEET. 



99 



The composition of the ashes of the leaves and roots referred to 1,000 

 parts green matter is as follows: 



Beets supposed to Beets supposed to 

 contain 10 per contain 15 per 

 cent, sugar. cent, sugar. 



Leaves. 



Boots. 



Leaves. 



Boots. 



Potash 9.23 



Soda 3.23 



Lime ' 3. 50 



Ma imesia | 2. 81 



Chlorine 3.23 



Sulphuric acid 1. 50 



Silica 0.31 



Phosphoric acid 2. 23 



Undetermined i 2. 03 



Total mineral matters I 28. 07 



Total solids 138.0 



Ultrogen 3.3 



2.93 

 0.51 

 0.42 

 0.38 

 0.57 

 0.22 

 0.34 

 0.59 

 0.16 



10.0 

 3.47 

 3.75 

 3.03 

 3.47 

 1.63 

 0.33 

 2.40 

 1.92 



2.66 

 0.45 

 0.38 

 0.33 

 0.50 

 0.19 

 0.30 

 0.51 

 0.13 



6.12 



107. 5 



2.5 



30.0 



140.0 



3.8 



5.45 

 240.0 

 4.0 



From these figures we may easily determine the quantity of the dif- 

 ferent constituents removed by average crops. Supposing the average 

 to be 20 tons of roots per acre, the consumption of the different con- 

 stituents would be, for beets of differing richness, as shown in the follow- 

 ing table : 



In France the general sources of supply of the various nutritive prin- 

 ciples for the restoration of 'those removed by the crops, or to provide 

 those required, are found in stable manure, seed cakes, animal wastes, 

 woolen scraps, sulphate of ammonia, nitrates, superphosphates made 

 from bones and minerals, potash salts, gypsum, and the scums and 

 refuse from the sugar factories. Of all these substances, that which 

 combines in itself in the highest degree all the elements of plant-food, 

 and which is naturally the most economical, is the stable manure pro- 

 duced on the farm, and this being generally the result of keeping cattle 

 to be fed upon the pulps from the factory is one of the sources of real 

 profit to the producer. 



