SUGAR BEETS AND MANGELS COMPARED. 



73 



nutritive equivalent. If we determine the pounds of plant 

 food taken up per ton of mangels and beets, with their leaves, 

 we would have the following average analysis: 



FOOD TAKEN UP BY MANGELS AND SUGAR BEETS. 



This shows the ash absorbed by growing one ton of mangels to 

 be 38.2 pounds, while with beets it is 34.5 pounds, thus proving 

 mangels more exhausting to the soil than sugar-beets. If we 

 admit that 20 tons of mangels may be grown to the acre, a total 

 of 764 pounds of plant food will be absorbed. If 10 tons are 

 an average yield to the acre for sugar-beets, the ash taken up 

 by that crop will be 345 pounds. Consequently we are not far 

 from correct in asserting that by neglectful cultivation it will 

 take one-half the time to ruin the soil in growing mangels that 

 it does with beets. If, on the other hand, scientific rules of 

 cultivation are practiced when growing beets, the diminution of 

 the fertility of the land need not be dreaded. Beets raised for 

 a sugar factory should, on general principles, have their necks 

 and leaves sliced off before they are hauled from the field where 

 they were grown, then the greater portion of the salts, etc., 

 taken up is returned. Those varieties of mangels raised for 

 stock feed grow nearly as much above as beneath ground, 



