(15) 



from the soil by beets, are Potash, Phosphoric Acid, Mag. 

 nesia and Nitrogen. As the amount harvested difters with 

 the soil and other circumstances, we will therefore employ 

 for our calculations following, the mean proportion of these 

 four substances present in 1000 lbs of beets and bett tops, 

 as determined by analysis : 



1,000 lbs of 

 Roots Leaves 



CONTAIN : 



Potash 3.9 lbs. 6.5 lbs. 



Phosphoric Acid 0.8" 1.3 " 



Magnesia 0.5 •' 2.7 " 



Nitrogen 1.6 " 3.0 " 



Ash 7.1 " IS.l " 



We see from this table, by noticing the proportion be- 

 tween roots and leaves, that the removal from the soil 

 by the leaves is so considerable, that it should receive cpiite 

 especial consideration in the calculation, when the tops are 

 not returned to the field immediately after the harvest. 

 The latter proceeding is to be urged all the more, since on 

 most beet farms there is a deficiency of fodder, and it is a 

 temptation to replace the loss in fodder by feeding the tops. 

 From this standpoint, the wide spread custom of paying for 

 pulling the beets by giving the tops to the laborer for his 

 work, is an evil which should be striven against. It is pretty 

 certain that a full compensation to fields so treated carmot be 

 effected. 



"The removal of potash can be easily reckoned, as in the 

 following illustration, for example, and thereby we can 

 show what return of potash is needed, if the field is to con- 

 tinue to produce plants containing potash. In one distillery 

 in France, which is, to be sure, rather exceptional in the 

 enormous business it does, over 82,000 lbs. of molasses per 



