Beet Raising and Community Welfare 253 



crops and to cause a general improvement in the agricul- 

 tm^ of the section. 



INCREASES CROP YIELDS 



Statistics ^ show an increase in the yield of crops in 

 every country where the raising of sugar-beets has been 

 introduced. This is not due to any plant-food added to 

 the soil by the beet plant, for it adds none, but is the re- 

 sult of the good tillage methods necessary to successful 

 beet-culture. The fleshy tap-root of the beet penetrates 

 deeply into the soil, which it loosens and allows to be- 

 come thoroughly aerated. Any tendency to the formation 

 of a "plow sole" is overcome, and there is a thorough 

 mLxing of the soil and the upper subsoil. 



Beets require deep plowing in preparation for the crop ; 

 they are given constant cultivation during the growing 

 period ; and at harvest time the land is stirred deeply in 

 removing the beets. This cultivation is paid for by the 

 beet crop, but it also improves the condition of the soil 

 for the crop that follows to such a marked degree that the 

 yield is decidedly increased. 



Pure sugar takes no fertility from the land ; conse- 

 quently, if all of the by-products of the beet-sugar indus- 

 try are returned to the land, its fertility can be maintained 

 readily. With most other crops, the marketable part 

 contains large quantities of the mineral plant-foods. Of 



* A great many figiires on this subject have been compiled by 

 Truman G. Palmer and published in his pamphlet entitled 

 "Sugar at a Glance'' — U. S. Senate Document No. 890, 62d 

 Congress (1912). 



