154 The Sugar-Beet in America 



hauled. If hauling is delayed, the pile should be covered 

 with tops to prevent evaporation of moisture, which 

 amounts to considerable weight on a hot day. Care 

 should be taken that tops are not mixed through the 

 pile of beets, as they are very troublesome later on at the 

 mill. 



MECHANICAL HARVESTER 



Many attempts have been made to secure machines 

 for the digging and topping, but these machines have 

 not been widely used in the past. It seems, however, 

 that at present machines are available to do as good 

 topping as can be performed by hand and more quickly 

 and at much less expense. Many of these are being 

 manufactured and it is hoped that hand-topping may soon 

 be relegated to the past. If these machines are entirely 

 successful, the labor question in sugar-beet raising will 

 be greatly simplified. 



There are two general types of harvesters : one that 

 tops the beets and leaves the root in the ground to be 

 lifted with another implement; after the tops have 

 been raked into windrows, the ordinary lifter is used. An 

 attachment that is fitted to the lifter has been devised 

 and its use facilitates the lifting process. This attach- 

 ment also removes most of the dirt that would otherwise 

 attach to the root. 



The other type of harvester first lifts the beet and 

 then tops it. This type of machine is fitted with equip- 

 ment that delivers the roots in piles at one side, or with 

 an extension of the delivery carrier, the roots are elevated 

 directly into a wagon that is driven alongside the har- 



