(31) 



These and other natural advantages, together with the 

 results of a small experiment made in Wake county in 1876, 

 induced the Department of Agriculture to institute the ex- 

 periment on a broader field, and with this end in view, they 

 procured from a reliable source a quantity of seed of two 

 kinds : the French or " Vilmorin," and the Silesian or " Im- 

 perial," These seeds were sent out to 100 prominent far- 

 mers, in 34 counties, embracing nearly every variety of soil 

 and climate represented in the State. The following in- 

 structions were sent out wdtli the seeds: 



"Circular to Experimenters in Sugar Beets. 



NORTH CAROLINA, ) 



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, ^ 



Raleigh, April 20th, 1877. ) 

 Sir : — Encouraged by the results of an experiment, made 

 in Wake county last year with the sugar beet, the Board of 

 Agriculture were induced to buy a lot of imported seeds for 

 purposes of experiment in different sections of our State. It 

 is confidently believed, that should a fair test be made the 

 result would show, that here, as in France and Germany, 

 it would be one of the most profitable industries of our 

 people. Nearly half the sugar consumed by the civilized 

 world is made from the beet and it is thought that the 

 adaptability of our soil and climate to its successful culture, 

 would at no distant day, place our State on the list as 

 among the largest producers of this great commercial com- 

 modity. 



With the view of introducing this important industry, 

 you have been selected as a proper person to test it in your 

 county. The following suggestions we ask should be ob- 

 served rigidly, as they are founded on the experience of 50 

 years in Europe, and are indispensable to success. 



Soils. — Newly cleared, heavy clay, wet or salt lands are 



