ENEMIES OF THE SUGAR BEET. 287 



the action of water, and also sulphuric acid nearly 

 concentrated. 



The causes of the above may generally be attributed 

 either to the too fi-equent planting of the beet on the 

 same soil, thus causing- an exhaustion of alkaline ele- 

 ments,^ or the want of a sufficient volume of oxygen. 

 The disease brought about by the first cause is but 

 little to be dreaded in America for the present, as our 

 soil, in the greater number of cases, unlike the foreign, 

 contains too much of the above chemicals, and, as we 

 have before stated, the beet should be planted with 

 caution ; preliminary experiments being necessary. 

 The second cause of disease we consider the most to 

 be dreaded in the United States, the want of suffi- 

 cient oxygen, caused b}^ bad drainage. On the greater 

 niuuber of farms in Europe at the present day, when 

 the circumstances require it, a most excellent system 

 of drainage exists. In America the importance of 

 this does not yet seem to be understood. 



The soil most to be dreaded is the one containing 

 fragments of roots, either of beets planted the year 

 previous or of trees. 



Different degrees of fermentation take place, ab- 

 sorbing the oxygen from the surrounding air, and re- 

 placing it by carbonic acid. The nourishing elements 

 the plant requires no longer exist, and the consequence 

 is it is suffocated and dies. 



The fig. 80 shows a beet growing where the end of 



' See " Choice of a Soil." 



