114 BEET-ROOT SUGAR AND 



beets on the upper surface smoothly and regularly laid, 

 a portion of the earth that was taken from the pit 

 must be thrown against the pile, and a wall of earth 

 be built around the beets two and one half to three 

 feet thick at the base, and gradually diminishing in 

 thickness as the summit is attained. The thickness 

 of this wall depends upon the climate and the soil : 

 if the latter is very light and sandy, a greater thickness 

 will be required than if it were heavier and of greater 

 consistence. The top of the pile, for a width of three 

 or four feet, is not covered with earth until the weather 

 becomes cooler. This open space, however, is pro 

 tected with six or eight inches of straw, which is kept 

 in its place by boughs or sticks. It is better not to 

 put the whole of the earth about the beets at once, 

 but to cover them with only half the quantity at first, 

 increasing the thickness of the covering as the season 

 progresses. As the period for strong frost approaches, 

 the straw covering on the top should be replaced by 

 earth, the outside of the pile beaten smooth with a 

 spade, and put in condition to remain through the 

 winter. A transverse section of the finished pile re 

 sembles a haycock in form. 



The end of the pile from which the beets are first 

 to be taken, should be coated with three or four feet 

 of straw, firmly secured with boards, so that access to 

 the beets may be easily obtained when the ground is 

 frozen hard. 



In putting the beets into silos or pits, great pains 

 must be taken to have all the beets in the pile of 

 one condition ; that is, the beets that will keep best 

 should be put in one pile ; those which will not keep 



