PART III. 



CHAPTER I. 



SOILS. GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS. 



One of the principal reasons given by Americans 

 why the beet cultnre has not been introduced into the 

 United States is that our soil is not adapted to it. 

 But never was an error greater than this, and we can 

 justly say that with few exceptions on all land found 

 above latitude 38° the beet will flourish, and with sat- 

 isfactory results, if grown according to scientific prin- 

 ciples. Evidently, over a space of many thousand 

 miles the general composition of the soil both physical 

 and chemical greatly varies. The first is by far the 

 most important, as the latter can be brought with pro- 

 per fertilizers to a given standard. 



Apparently this would not be judicious, as the money 

 thus expended would not be compensated by the re- 

 sulting yield of roots, but the contrary has been the 

 exj^erience of farmers in Europe. , 



In the following pages we will pass in review the 

 most important elements requisite for a soil on which 

 the beet is to be grown, and it is advisable in all cases 

 to adhere to the same ; to those interested it will be a 



