THE BEET. 191 



of beets. In forming this reservoir, the dirt should 

 be thrown out on both sides, so that when the beets 

 are placed therein the earth may easily be heaped 

 over them. A coat of dirt three inches thick, is suf- 

 ficient. Be particular that this pit or reservoir be lo- 

 cated where the springs cannot rise. Occasionally 

 the beets should be examined, for one rotten one may 

 ruin a large quantity. Some cover the beets with 

 straw, but this practice is condemned, as the roots are 

 more apt to ferment or rot. 



When first taken up, be careful not to suffer the 

 beets to lie long exposed on the ground to moisture 

 and air. They are equally injured by both extremes 

 of heat and cold, and even when subjected to a tem- 

 perature, if damp, of 56 degrees of Fahrenheit, the 

 vinous fermentation will ensue, and a loss of sugar 

 be the consequence. So, on the contrary, the beet 

 freezes very easily, so much so that large quantities 

 have been known to freeze when the tliermometer 

 \vas only two or three degrees below the freezing 

 point. When once frozen, it is entirely useless to 

 attempt to thaw them for the purpose of making su- 

 gar, for they are then found to be but a black and rot- 

 ten mass. So hard are they when frozen, that the 

 instrument is blunted w r ith which it is attempted to 

 cut them. 



PRODUCTION OP SEED. 



, 



The seed of the beet are only produced the second 

 year, being, as was observed before, a biennial plant. 



