180 CULTURE OP THE SUGAR BEET. 



The account of coat of culture for one acre at Mr. Hays's estimate may be summed 

 np as follows : 



Seed, 10 pounds at 20 cents $2 00 



Stable manure and applying .. . 16 00 



Artificial manure 10 50 



First plowing 2 00 



Second plowing 1 50 



All harrowing 50 



Planting 50 



First hoeing and thinning 9 00 



Second hoeing — 1 50 



Third hoeing 1 50 



Harvesting 10 00 



Delivering 1£ miles distant 6 00 



61 00 



It will be seen that the methods of culture followed by Mr. Hays are very thorough, 

 and the figures for the cost generous estimates, and deducting the estimated cost of 

 harvesting and delivering, these estimates agree so closely with those given by Mr. 

 Harris that they may be accepted as about correct for the cost of sugar-beet culture 

 in the Eastern States. 



Now the most natural question concerning this matter from the agricultural side is, 

 What will be the profits to the farmer from this new culture ? The estimate may be 

 made from Mr. Hays's crop. With the rows 18 inches apart, and the roots separated 6 

 inches in the rows, there will be 31,680 beets per acre, and they will have an average 

 weight of at least If pounds each, which would be equivalent to a yield of 21 tons 

 per acre. The price for beets delivered at the station being $5 per ton, the money 

 value of his crop will be $105 per acre ; and there will remain, after deducting expenses 

 of culture, a net profit of $44 per acre, which would seem to settle very satisfactorily 

 the question of the profits to the farmer, resulting from this new and valuable crop. 



But it remains for the harvest to determine how far these figures for the average 

 quantity of the crops shall be confirmed, and this and other information we hope to 

 be able to offer in a subsequent report. 



