28O THE FORAGE AND FIBER CROPS IN AMERICA 



certainty that the seed has been grown according to the most scientific methods 

 is of greater importance to the beet grower than the variety. The beet has 

 reached such a high state of perfection as to make the least degree of laxity 

 in its treatment exceedingly dangerous to its qualities." * 



"The essentials of a good variety are large yields, high sugar content, 

 purity of the juice and keeping quality of the beets. The beet should have an 

 even texture, smooth outline, and symmetrical shape. The typical sugar beet 



Golden tankard mangel-wurzel Carter's Windsor yellow globe mangel-wurzel 



should weigh rather more than a pound, contain 14 per cent, of sugar, and 

 80 per cent, of the total solids in the juice should be cane sugar. There is 

 a tendency for the total yield of the beet to decrease with the increase in the 

 per cent, of sugar. Extremes in either direction should be avoided." 2 



348. Adaptation. The beet is adapted to a cool climate and 

 a moist soil. Sunshine is especially desirable where high 

 sugar content is desired, hence the comparatively cool sub-humid 

 sections of the western states have been found especially 

 adapted to the growth of sugar beets. Here the soil moisture 



1 U. S. Dept. Agr., Farmers' Bui. No. 52, pp. 8, 9. 



2 Morrow and Hunt: Soils and Crops of the Farm, p. 265. 



