102 



CULTURE OF THE SUGAR BEET. 



2. In soils provided with potash it (the manure B) is advantageously replaced hy 

 the manure P,* which differs only in the substitution of soda for potash. 



3. These two manures should be applied at the rate of 400 pounds per acre upon 

 soils in good condition and without stable manures. 



4. Stable manure, applied at the rate of 20 to 25 tons per acre in the same year that 

 the crop is grown, constitutes a bad condition, which it is prudent to avoid. It is bet- 

 ter to reduce the stable manure to 10 or 12 tons and supplement it with a suitable ad- 

 dition of chemical manures. Thus putting the minimum of salts, particularly of pot- 

 ash, at the disposition of the roots, a better quality will be obtained. 



5. If stable manure be applied at the rate of 10 to 12 tons per acre, which rate it 

 has been found advisable not to exceed, the manure F without potash should prefera- 

 bly be employed at the rate of 200 pounds for good soils and of 400 pounds for poor 

 soils. We thus avoid excess of potash, and establish between the useful elements an 

 equilibrium favorable to the crop. 



6. If fossil phosphates have been added to the stable manure after the method sug- 

 gested by Baron P. Thenard, the manure F may be replaced by nitrate of soda at the 

 rate of 260 pounds per acre for good soils and a maximum of 350 pounds for poor soils. 



7. In no case should salts of potash (nitrate, sulpbate, or chloride) be added to stable 

 manure, which is always sufficiently rich in this element. 



From these and later experiments Mons. Joulie concluded, in general, 

 concerning nitrogen of various compounds in its relation to the beet root 

 and the influence upon its sugar content, that the nitrogen of the nitrates 

 is more effective than that of ammonia, which in its turn is more valuable 

 than that of organic matter. 



This difference in the elements of plant-food has also been noticed and 

 determined by other workers, who have arrived at conclusions quite as 

 marked as those of Joulie just given. Pagnoul t states that experiments 

 made at Arras and elsewhere lead to the following conclusions concern- 

 ing the use and abuse of nitrogenous compounds : 



1. Abuse of all nitrogenous compounds, nitrates, stable-manures, seed-cake, &c, is 

 always injurious to the quality of the beet. 



2. Excess of nitrates by application before sowing is less injurious than excess of 



* The conclusions of Professor Joulie will be better understood if reference is made 

 to the following table, showing the composition of the fertilizers, made according to 

 his various formula? : 



t Journal des Fabricants de Sucre, 1878, October 13. 



