188 THE SUGAR BEET. 



adhere but slightly to the stem. The stalks of the vari- 

 ous roots will run into these ; this fact alone greatly 

 diminishes the yield. Some authors advocate the cut- 

 ting of the stems or stalks from the roots and leaving 

 the latter to remain on the ground as a manure for the 

 coming year. This makes a poor fertilizer, as the roots 

 contain large amounts of mineral salts, etc., besides 

 which insects are attracted by these, depositing their 

 eggs in the interior; the resulting larvae are likely to 

 do much harm to the general crops the coming season. 

 Whatever be the principle adhered to, the stalks are 

 tied in bundles and placed in vertical position in the 

 *sun to complete the drying. Now comes an opera- 

 tion which requires some skill, and has for eifect the 

 ridding the seed of the small stems.^ The stalks are 

 beaten and dried on the floor ; or can be separated by 

 hand with a sort of comb having teeth of steel or wood ; 

 in this manner they can be classified according to their 

 size.^ It is estimated that each beet furnishes about 

 100 to 250 grammes of seed, and the yield per hectare 

 (two and a half acres) varies from 900 kilog. (1980 

 lbs.) to 2000 kilog. (4400 lbs.), according to the va- 

 riety and method of planting. It has been proved 

 that 100 kilog. (220 lbs.) of roots will yield about 25 

 kilog. {55 lbs.) of seed. 



• See " Sowing the Seed," for the advantage of the above. 



* See " Seed Variation according to Size." 



