SUGAR 427 



generally, and the best adapted to sugar production. The French, Siberian, Imperial, and 

 many other varieties are used to a greater or less extent for this purpose; but the Silesian, 

 although not as rich in saccharine matter as some others, being a vigorous grower, will pro 

 duce more sugar to the acre, and is therefore more extensively cultivated in France and Ger 

 many, than any other kind. 



Cultivation, Harvesting, Storing, etc. The most approved methods of cultivat 

 ing, harvesting, and storing beets have been previously given in the department treating of 

 Roots and Esculent Tubers, and as the cultivation of the crop used for sugar production is 

 very much the same as that for other varieties of beets, a repetition will be unnecessary in 

 this connection. The soil should not contain a large proportion of mineral salts, neither be 

 too wet, or of a clayey nature. An excess in nitrogen, as well as the general effect of soil 

 and manure on this crop, will be seen by the following, which is an abstract of experiments 

 made at the Paris Academy of Sciences, with a view of examining the influences of soil and 

 manures on the size and saccharine quality of sugar-beet: 



Holes were bored in the sides and bottoms of a large number of tubs, and in each was 

 placed a layer of gravel, to allow water of irrigation to drain off. The tubs then received 

 various kinds of artificial soils pure sand, limestone, and clay, exempt from potash. Beet- 

 seed was sown in May, procured from the Aisne, where it produces roots containing 11 to 1 3 

 per cent, of sugar. The manures employed, either separately or mixed, were sulphate of 

 ammonia, nitrate of potash, nitrate of soda, chlorides of potash and soda, superphosphate of 

 lime, guano, rasped horn, and stable-manure. Irrigation was generally with the ordinary 

 water of Paris, but sometimes with distilled water, in order to avoid the salts of the common 

 water, and sometimes with water containing chemical manures. The leading points in the 

 results were as follows: Roots are capable of attaining a weight of 1.4 pounds to 1.6 pounds 

 in artificial soils wholly devoid of humus, provided they are regularly watered and supplied 

 with chemical manures; while, in the absence of such manure, if the artificial soil be merely 

 watered with distilled water, the roots will hardly attain an ounce in weight. Nitrogen, in 

 the form of nitrate of soda or of potash, or of sulphate of ammonia, etc., favors increase of 

 size of root, but is liable to injure the saccharine quality of the crop. Beets growing in a 

 well-manured soil, and having combined nitrogen within reach, tend to form albuminous sub 

 stance at the expense of the sugar. Beet- roots containing less than 10 per cent, of sugar are 

 often found to contain twice as much nitrogen as those which have a saccharine richness of 

 15 to 16 per cent. On the same principle, in certain soils, beet-roots will exhibit but little 

 sugar, not because the soil has become impoverished, but because, on the contrary, it is too 

 rich in nitrogen. Beet-roots grown in artificial soils, and watered with chemical manures, 

 are found to reach as high as 18 per cent. 



In order to obtain mature roots, which is a matter of great importance, since the full 

 amount of saccharine matter is only obtained when perfectly matured,. the best cultivators 

 of the sugar-beet plant early, and avoid stimulating manures, which would have a tendency 

 to produce roots of undue size and late maturity. 



Deep plowing is essential for this crop, in order to give the large roots room to develop 

 entirely beneath the surface of the soil. Shallow plowing will cause them to grow partly 

 above ground, which injures the quality for sugar production. The portion grown in this 

 manner not only contains no sugar, but furnishes acids which will lessen the quantity of sugar 

 contained in the other portion of the root. The harvesting should always be done before 

 the appearance of the frost. 



The leaves should also be cut close to the crown, when grown for the manufacture of 

 sugar, while if any portion of the beet grows above ground, that should also be cut off with 

 the leaves. This being done, the roots may be taken at once to the factory. Bruises and 

 wounds by careless handling should be avoided, as this induces fermentation, and deteriorates 



