146 THE SUGAR INDUSTRY. 



METHODS OF CULTURE IN NEW YORK STATE. 



As this state is proving wonderfully adapted to the sugar beet, the culture of the 

 crop has received large attention by the two experiment stations. Hundreds of farmers 

 have conducted tests under Cornell's direction, and many experiments in field and labor- 

 atory have been conducted at both stations. The Cornell work is summarized in Bul- 

 letin 143, from which the following is quoted, to be read in connection with or in com- 

 parison with the methods described in Part Three: 



"The sugar beet is an exacting crop, and persons unfamiliar with the best meth- 

 ods of growing it have much to learn, and will make many mistakes that will cut down 

 the profits. 



"Soil Sugar beets can be grown successfully in quite a variety of soils gravelly 

 loam, sandy loam, loam and clay loam though a sandy loam is usually considered best 

 suited to the crop. Any soil that is well adapted to potatoes will raise sugar beets. While 

 the industry is in its infancy in the state it is wise to select only those soils that are 

 believed to be well adapted, and that are in a high state of fertility, and, so far as pos- 

 sible, are free from foul weeds. 



"Subsoil Sugar beets should have a deep soil with a moderately porous subsoil. A 

 shallow soil with a hard or water soaked subsoil is fatal to the crop. If the soil is 

 not right in these respects it may often be made so by thorough drainage and subsoil 

 plowing. In fact, land that is naturally quite unsuited to beet growing may, by these 

 means, coupled with the growing of deep rooted plants, like the clovers, have its charac- 

 ter so changed in a few seasons as to become excellent beet land. 



"Preparation of the soil The necessity of deep plowing cannot be emphasized too 

 much in this connection. The sugar beet should bury itself in the soil the same as a 

 parsnip, and it will do so if the soil conditions are right. If, however, the sub-surface 

 soil is hard or saturated with water the taproot cannot penetrate into it, or if it does get 

 down fairly well, it cannpt expand freely in the hard soil, but expands in the direction of 

 least resistance, which being upwards the result is a short root, a considerable portion 

 of which grows above the surface of the soil. This form of beet is objectionable not only 

 because the yield is necessarily less than with long, well formed roots, but the beets are 

 very much less valuable for sugar making. 



"It is found that the upper portion of the beet, especially that part that grows 

 above ground, is less rich in sugar than the part growing well in the soil, while this same 

 part is highly charged with impurities that interfere seriously with the manufacture of 

 sugar. 



"The factory people aim to keep the impurities down by requiring that the portion 

 of the beet growing above the surface of the ground be cut off. The aim should be to so 

 prepare the land that the root can bury itself well in the soil. Thus will be secured not 

 only a larger yield, but a smaller percentage of waste in the crown removed. Deep plow- 

 ing is therefore essential, and except where the subsoil is very porous it should be loos- 

 ened up with a subsoil plow. In those localities where sugar beet growing is established, 

 the practice of subsoiling has become general. 



"It is best to plow the land deeply in the autumn, setting the plow to turn up an 

 inch or two of new soil. The action of the winter's frosts will ameliorate this soil and 

 render it fit for crop growing. Follow the ordinary plow with a subsoil plow, breaking 

 up, but not throwing on top, several inches more of the hard soil. The earth should thus 

 be stirred to a depth of 12 to 15 inches. This fall treatment is desirable on sev- 

 eral accounts. It permits the turning up of more new soil than would be safe in the 

 spring. It secures the more complete decomposition of any coarse vegetation that may 

 be on the land. It breaks up the compactness of the soil so that it can receive the win- 



