22 SUGAR 



by year to this pitch of perfection. The beetroot flowers 

 and seeds in its second year, so there is every opportunity 

 for this process of selection. 



The beetroot plant is sown as early as possible, but 

 not so soon as to run the risk of late frosts. The ground 

 is prepared in the most thorough and scientific way 

 because the crop, to be successful, must have clean 

 land, well broken up, and in good heart as to the right 

 kind of richness. To keep it clean during the growth 

 of the young plant you may see, on a first-class farm 

 in Germany or Austria, a band of labourers hoeing 

 between the faint green lines of the baby plant long 

 before weeds are visible. This is the real way to stop 

 weeds. The germs are turned up and left to die in the 

 hot sun of May and June. If the crop has a nice moist 

 spring, plenty of sunshine in the summer, and a good 

 long autumn, it will be a good one. A dry spring, 

 wet summer, and short, cold autumn, will give a short 

 crop. But, worst of all is drought all through spring 

 and summer, such as they had in 1904. That means a 

 deficiency of more than a million tons of sugar in the 

 European beetroot crop. We want great increases 

 in the cane crops of the world to defend us against 

 such disasters in the future. 



The roots begin to be ready for the harvest in late 

 September and early October, and they are all gathered 

 in by the middle of November. Those that do not 

 go direct to the factory, have to be pitted till the factory 

 is ready for them. The pit is constructed in a scientific 

 way, with proper ventilation, and a good covering. 

 But the factories are so big now that they make short 

 work of it, and have generally finished with their roots 

 by the end of the year. The delivery of the roots to 

 the factory was at one time a sad source of disputes 

 and friction, but habit has pretty well overcome this 



