230 VEGETABLE GROWING. 



BEET. 



This vegetable has not been grown extensively in 

 the South, but as the transportation becomes cheaper 

 and better, this crop will increase in favor. At this 

 time there are few Florida grown beets on the New 

 York market. They never bring an extra fine price, but 

 the market gardeners of the South must learn to econo- 

 mize and be able to raise standard vegetables at close 

 margins. We are rapidly approaching the condition 

 when high prices for vegetables will be a thing of 

 the past. Beets ship well and are always in demand 

 by the laboring and mercantile classes, hence they are 

 rarely a complete loss. Another consideration is that 

 they make excellent feed for stock. 



SOIL AND PREPARATION. 



Beets want a moist and rather heavy soil. One that 

 would be considered too damp for the usual garden 

 crops will raise a good crop of beets ; of course, a cold, 

 clammy soil should be avoided. Drained land makes 

 an excellent beet field, provided the amount of nitro- 

 gen in it is comparatively small. 



The land should be plowed deeply and harrowed 

 level. 



FERTILIZER FORMULA. 



Nitrogen 4 per cent. 



Potash 9 percent. 



Available phosphoric acid 6 per cent. 

 Use 600 to 1000 pounds of the above formula to an 

 acre. 



When beets are raised for sugar, sulphate of potash, 

 free from chlorin, is used as a source of potash. 



The following ingredients will give the desired 

 amounts of each element for one acre : 



