200 



THE SUGAR BEET. 



The gathering of the roots and cleaning, etc., is fre- 

 quently done by contract at a given sum per hectare. 

 This in many cases gives most excellent results, as the 

 importance of gathering rapidly has been before ex- 

 plained. The estimates, as we have remarked, are by 

 no means general, and the cost of cultivation amounts 

 in France^ to considerably more than might as a general 

 thing be conveyed to the reader's mind. On the other 

 hand, in Germany, it is somewhat less. More time 

 and attention are given to the weeding, etc., and this 

 has proved to be to them most profitable, and they have 

 understood the great problem that too much time can- 

 not be bestowed upon the land. Some few figures we 

 obtained at Magdeburg and on some of the neighboring 

 farms we consider of interest. The most important 

 were from Gross Wenzleben, Klein Wenzleben, Otters- 

 leben, etc. These estimates were according to Ger- 

 man measurements and money, but, when reduced to 

 dollars and cents, we will have : — 



The first ploughing of one acre 

 Sowing .... 

 First weeding . 

 Second weeding and thinning 

 First hoeing and weeding 

 Second " " " 

 Third " " " 

 Harvesting the roots 

 Loading in carts 

 Placing in silos 



out 



$14 80 



' This is owing to the excessive amount of chemical fertilizers that have been 

 brought to notice. 



