CULTURE OF THE SUGAR BEET. 



109 



The method of preparation followed in practice by M. H. Vilmorin is 

 as follows: Begin plowing in November and break up the land eight or 

 ten inches, and follow this with a subsoil plowing to a depth of <sght or 

 ten inches more, so that the ground will be thoroughly stirred up to a 

 total depth of at least fifteen inches. During the progress of this work, 

 and as far as possible, the artificial fertilizer employed is distributed in 

 the furrows before subsoiling. The ground is then left in the rough con- 

 dition consequent upon plowing, and after that is twice plowed in 

 spring, in February and April. It is finally prepared for sowing by 

 harrowing and rolling. 



M. Champonnois considers it of advantage to prepare the ground in 

 ridges before sowing, especially in working very shallow soils, in order 

 to provide depth for the long tapering root, and put the ground in bet- 

 ter condition for the circulation of air and water. He claims for his 

 method of culture that it is less costly than the ordinary method, and 

 gives a better quantitative and qualitative result. In his experiments 

 he obtained forty tons of beets per acre having an average richness of 

 18.50 per cent, and a coefficient of purity above 83. 



The results of his experiments in 1878 do not seem to be as good as 

 those obtained in previous years, as shown by the following table : 



No. 1. 



Product per acre (tons) 



Density of .juice 



Per cent, of sugar . : . . . 

 Quotient of purity 



28, 300 

 6°. 17 

 11.37 

 (39.70 



No. 2. 



40, 450 



5°. 43 



9. 01 



G6. 09 



No. 3. 



22, 500 

 6°. 75 

 14. 90 

 83.94 



No. 4. 



11, 725 



16.91 

 86.0 



OBSERVATIONS. 



No. 1. 



No. 2. 



No. 3. 



No. 4. 



Seed, four kinds ; richest, 

 12j per square meter; 

 fresh manure two months 

 before sowing ; earth 

 beaten slightly on April 

 23, and alter the beets had 

 four leaves; complete ma- 

 nure, 200 pounds per hec- 

 tare ; culture given regu 

 larly. 



Same culture and care ; 

 four kinds of seeds 

 productive of weight; 

 at November 1 beets 

 were in full growth 

 duo to kind of ma- 

 nure and time of its 

 application ; beets 

 short and rooty. 



Manure 'well rotted ; 

 plowed in ridges ; well 

 beaten by rolling; ma- 

 nure-residues of elu- 

 tion containing salts 

 and nitrogen of mo- 

 lasses ; culture regu- 

 lar thro'out entire 

 growth. 



No manure plowed in ; 

 chemical manure, 625 

 pounds per acre, 

 worked in ; sowed 

 late ; culture con- 

 tinued throughout 

 vegetation; quality 

 good ; quantity want- 

 ing, explained by late 

 sowing. 



However, in this matter of preparing the soil, as in all others, it ap- 

 pears that the grower, while following the general principles enunciated, 

 must be guided by his own judgment and the character of the soil with 

 which he has to deal. 



Sowing is generally effected by means of a drill especially designed 

 therefor, but any drill that will deliver the seed regularly and in suffi- 

 cient quantity will satisfy every purpose. The forms employed in 

 France vary with the different inventions, but the spoon drill is the most 

 common. 



