116 CULTURE OF THE SUGAR BEET. 



Along the bottom of the ditch and through the middle of it is made 

 a small trench to convey any water that may percolate through the 

 walls or through the roots. Before the beets are placed in the trench 

 the bottom is covered with poles, or in any other convenient manner, to 

 keep the roots off the bottom and provided for free circulation of air 

 under them and drainage of water. Straw is often used for this purpose, 

 but is considered bad because it is subject to packing and decay, and the 

 latter will, of course, be communicated to the stored roots. They are then 

 packed in the trench and covered with straw or leaves and finally with 

 earth. The depth of covering must be determined by the climate. In 

 the case of permanent walled trenches, which amount in reality to elon- 

 gated cellars, I have seen them covered with a very thick thatch of straw, 

 proper openings being provided for the necessary ventilation. In this 

 way the roots may be preserved throughout the entire winter. If they 

 should by accident be frozen they should be preserved in this condition 

 until they are worked. Indeed this condition constitutes one of the 

 modes of preserving them where a sufficiently low temperature may be 

 maintained to keep them in this way unchanged without an opportunity 

 for thawing, and is recommended by some authorities. In sections 

 where excessively cold winters prevail it might be found a very conven- 

 ient method for the purpose. 



Desiccation may be practiced where the method of diffusion or macer- 

 ation has been adopted as the means of extracting the juice. It has 

 the advantage of preserving the beet perfectly, with no danger from 

 variations of temperature if the product be kept free from moisture or 

 a moist atmosphere. They are also in the most favorable condition for 

 ready transportation to any distance. 



For the purpose of drying, the roots are cut in slices, and in warmer 

 elimates placed in the sun, but in ordinary climates they are dried in 

 ovens by artificial heat. The method has the disadvantage of requiring 

 a double expenditure of fuel in evaporation, *. e., for the removal of the 

 water of vegetation and the water of diffusion employed for extraction 

 of sugar. 



We see therefore that the experience of French growers and scientists 

 proves that to secure the greatest profit from the culture of the beet the 

 following points must be observed : 



Choose well-drained permeable soils, not overcharged with nitroge- 

 nous organic or soluble mineral matters. Choose the best qualities of 

 seed. Give preference to smaller seeds. The best beets for all purposes 

 are long, tapering, and smooth; do not grow out of the ground; are of 

 moderate size and are dense and heavy. Plow deeply and as frequently 

 as may be necessary to make the soil mellow. The more it approaches 

 that of a garden in physical condition the more favorable it will be for 

 culture of the beet. 



Be careful in choice of manures to be employed. Bemember that 

 insoluble and not easily assimilable nitrogenous organic compounds, 

 before they can be of use to the crop, must be thoroughly disintegrated 



