Supplement I. Nitrate of 



Soda for 



Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, Sugar-Beets 



Bulletin 179. 43 



Sugar- Beet Investigations. 



By J. D. Towar. 



Abstract. 



Coarse manure applied some two ^, . 



months before sowing the beets resulted in . , . 



some increased yield and beets of a normal A . . . c 



c } Authorities Say. 



percentage or sugar. 



Carefully prepared home mixed fertilizer gave higher 

 yields and better beets than stable manure. 



Nitrate of Soda in combination with other elements 

 generally increased the yield with a normal per cent of sugar. 



But in every case Nitrate of Soda gave higher yields than 

 sulfate of ammonia. 



Wood ashes and salt increased the yield of beets 

 only slightly. 



One ton of air-slaked lime per acre increased slightly 

 the yield of beets on the uplands without affecting the 

 percentage of sugar. 



On muck land one ton of air-slaked lime per acre in 

 combination with other fertilizers decreased the tonnage 

 eleven per cent, and reduced the sugar content from 9.64 

 to 7.68 per cent. When lime was applied alone on muck 

 land, increased applications increased the tonnage of beets, 

 but decreased the percentage of sugar. 



Early planting gave larger yields and slightly higher 

 percentage of sugar. 



Clay loam soil produced the largest tonnage and the 

 highest percentage of sugar, followed by other soils in the 

 order below, except that the tonnage on muck is next to 

 clay loam; sandy loam, sand clay, muck. 



Throughout the period of growth there was a slightly 

 greater development of leaf on the plots receiving lime than 

 on those under similar treatment, though unlimed ; while 

 to the credit of Nitrate of Soda was earlier germination 

 and a decidedly greater development of the plants all through the 

 first half of the season. 



