146 THE SUGAR BEET INDUSTRY 



on the sugar values if not repeated too often. Repeated 

 freezing will ruin the beet as the thawing of the beet 

 releases a part of the sap and sugar that it carries. 



The topping is done with an ordinary knife, the opera- 

 tion being to cut off the top of the beet so that all the 

 green sprout is removed. If the topping is not done close 

 enough the weigher will deduct a percentage for tare on 

 account of the fact that the green top does not contain 

 any sugar values. The beet need not be cut square across 

 but just close enough to remove the green sprouts. After 

 the beets are topped they are thrown into convenient piles 

 where they await loading for transportation to the fac- 

 tory. Generally the order is sent to the grower just 

 when the factory desires him to start getting in his beets. 



In reference to the yields that may be expected it may 

 be said that the yield will fluctuate in proportion to the 

 care given the crop. One farmer having just as good 

 land as the man across the road may only get a third 

 of the yield owing to his slipshod methods of cultivation. 

 In figures the minimum is close to six tons to the acre 

 and the maximum is about 40 tons. The average may 

 be close to 18 or 20 tons to the acre and at the contract 

 price of say $5 per ton for 16 per cent beets you can 

 figure the profits for yourself. This is not taking into 

 consideration any of the indirect profits which accrue 

 from this crop. Briefly speaking it may be said that time 

 and again it has been shown that when beets re-rotated 

 once each four years with oats, corn and wheat, it in- 

 creased the yields of the other crops a considerable per 

 cent. Just why, is a story in itself. 



Probably the cheapest fertilizer that you can get for 

 beet land is the tops after they have been cut off the 

 beets. Leaving the tops on the ground to rot through the 

 winter and then plowing them under in the spring will 

 be found to give a good coat of fertilizer and one that 

 will be strong enough to nurture the crop. Stable manure 



