110 



CULTURE OF THE SUGAR BEET. 



The best time for sowing is considered to be the last week in April 

 and the first fortnight in May, when the temperature should range from 

 50° to §0° Fahr., for at this temperature the seed will germinate most 

 surely and most rapidly. The germinating faculty is materially in- 

 creased by immersing it in water at 120° Fahr., and the beets produced 

 are often richer in sugar on account of this treatment. 



Messrs. Champion and Pellet* give the following results of an experi- 

 ment in growing seeds soaked in water and those not soaked : 



Date. 



Average 

 ■weight. 



Per cent, 

 sugar in 

 beets. 



No. 1, normal seed . 

 No. 2, soaked seed . 



August 31 



September 16 . 

 September 20 . 



August 31 



September 16 . 

 September 29 . 



Grama. 

 400 

 4C0 

 580 



500 

 580 



16.4 

 13.4 

 17.0 

 16.9 

 14.9 

 17.2 



Besides this, the beets produced with soaked seed had a better form 

 than those from normal seeds. 



Various solutions have been suggested to be employed for soaking 

 the seed, among others water slightly acidulated with nitric acid. Hum- 

 boldt suggested very dilute chlorine water, but Duchartre showed that 

 this was of no value. 



In many sections of France and Germany the juices flowing from the 

 manure heaps are used for this purpose. They are diluted with an equal 

 volume of water, and the seeds immersed in them for 48 hours. The 

 seeds are after this time taken out, mixed with ashes, and passed over 

 a screen. After this treatment they may be put in bags and kept in a 

 cellar or other cool place until needed. When ready to be sown they 

 must be quite dry on the surface, in order that they may not adhere to 

 each other in sowing. Other solutions for the purpose have been used 

 in France and Germany, the values of which, Basset t states, range in 

 the order in which they are named: 



1. Mixture of urine and water in equal parts. 



2. Purin, or manure juices, pure or dilute, for which may be substi- 

 tuted ordinary water in which has been macerated guano, fowls' or 

 pigeons' dung, so as to obtain a solution of a density of 1.015 or 1.020. 



3. Solution of nitrate of potash of 5 per cent. 



4. Solution of phosphate of ammonia of 2° B. 



5. Solution of superphosphate of lime 2 per cent. 



6. Solution of 2 to 2.5 parts chloride of lime in 100 of water. 



7. Dilute acid solutions of 1 to 1£ per cent., prepared only with hydro- 

 chloric, sulphuric, or phosphoric acids. 



* La Bettrave a Sucre. 



t Guide Pratique du Fairicant de Sucre. 



