Nitrate Of 



Soda for 



Sugar- Beets 



26 



SUMMARY. 



Sugar-Beets for Profit, 



Abstract of Dr. Maercker's foregoing Lecture. 



A1 t1 r^. The somewhat popular idea that certain 



Almost all Kinds c ., c r , , 



of Soils Suitable ^ es f solls , are necessal 7 for Profitable 

 for Sugar-Beets. Sugar-Beet culture seems to have no foun- 

 dation in fact. Almost any type or soil is 

 suitable for sugar-beets, so long as moisture and tillage, and 

 the necessary plant food are supplied. Even heavy clay soils, 

 ~ .. by systematic liming, may return regularly 



r very satisfactory sugar-beet crops. Sugar- 



beets require a warm soil and sub-soil; that 

 is a soil free of stagnant water both above and below the 

 surface. In practice this means a soil well drained, if not 



t^ j r\ naturally, then artificially. Drainage alone, 



Good Drainage . rr -c \ _r 



N c ssit 1S not sl clent > however, if the conditions 



are such that the soil is apt to become 



cloddy; on these soils lime must be used freely, broadcasted 



f T P f . in the early spring. With the soil mellowed 



Use of Lime. 7 . J , v , . 



by lime and proper drainage, we come to 



the next essential in the profitable culture of sugar-beets 

 deep cultivation. If soils are at all heavy, they should 



Deep Cultiva- be fe " , P lowed - and even cross plowed the 



. roughly turned soil left to the action of the 



j, , winter weather. The crop requires a deeper 



r ,. tilth than other crops, as it seems to have 



Indispensable. little P ower of s ;l . burr ?, wi "g on its ^n 

 account, especially in soils at all compact 



naturally; yet, a well-proportioned tap root seems to be 

 one of the conditions of a high sugar content. Not only 

 must the soil be deeply worked in its preparation for plant- 

 ing, but it must have continuous and thorough cultivation 

 during the growing season. The earth mulch must be 

 maintained, and the soil kept free of weeds and surface 



