SUGAR BEET 



225 



To grow beet seed special technical skill is re- 

 quired. It is always advisable to know how much 

 sugar is in the beet before it is allowed to mature 

 for seed purposes. It is by patience and industry 

 that it is ascer- 

 tained and be- 

 cause of them the 

 high sugar con- 

 tent of beets has 

 been developed. 

 Chemical ma- 

 nures are neces- 

 sary in growing 

 beets except in 

 the most fertile 

 soils. Phos- 

 phorus and po- 

 tassium are espe- 

 cially important. 

 The use of phos- 

 phatic fertilizers 

 has a tendency to 

 increase the 

 sugar content of 

 the juice. Ex- 

 cept in connec- 

 tion with phos- 

 phorus and 

 potassium nitrog- 

 enous fertilizers 

 should be spar- 

 ingly applied. If 

 used excessively 

 they produce abnormally large beets and the sugar 

 content is low. They should always be grown in 



SUGAR BEET 



The two most commonly grown va- 

 rieties of sugar beet in this country 

 are the Vilmorin Improved and Klein- 

 wanzlebener. The former usually an- 

 alyzes a little higher percentage in 

 sugar, but the latter gives the higher 

 yield. Most of the sugar beet seed 

 used in this country is grown in 

 Europe. 



