94 FEEDING WITH SUGAR BEETS, SUGAR, ETC. 



these portions of the plant, and allow them to remain and rot 

 on the field without rendering other service than that of supply- 

 ing a portion of certain mineral elements representing plant 

 food which have been absorbed by the root during its develop- 

 ment. The money value of these leaves when used as a fertil- 

 izer is certainly less than that which would be derived from 

 feeding to cattle. Beet leaves and tops contain, it is true, a 

 certain amount of salts which are useful to the soil, but on the 

 other hand many of these mineral substances can be more ad- 

 vantageously utilized by feeding the leaves to cattle and col- 

 lecting the manure; their fertilizing properties are not subse- 

 quently lost by the passage through the animal's body and 

 during the interval the stock has been benefited by receiving a 

 good wholesome green fodder at the very period of the year 

 when it is most relished and is eaten with avidity. A difficulty as 

 regards this question arises here: Experience shows that the best 

 results are obtained by feeding siloed beet leaves during early 

 spring. Experience also shows that barn-yard manure must 

 not be applied to lands during the season of planting. 



If the tiller is anxious to return to the soil the salts the 

 manure contains, he must cultivate that year some other crop 

 than beets upon it; otherwise the resulting roots would very 

 probably be refused at the factory owing to their low coefficient 

 of purity. When beet-sugar factories are located near populous 

 centers, beet leaves may render excellent service for dairy cows. 

 Under such circumstances farmers should depend upon their 

 own fertilizers rather than on those from cities, which are 

 mainly made up of organic matter. 



Composition of Chemical analysis of this residuum demonstrates that the use 

 leaves and tops. o f b ee t leaves, etc. , may become a vital question during those 

 years when the beet harvest has been unsatisfactory. 



While such analyses vary under different conditions, it is very 

 important to give what may be considered an average. Their 

 composition, according to Dr. Herzfeld, is as follows: 



