THE BEET-SUGAR INDUSTRY IN 1920. 49 



The leafhopper, previously mentioned as a carrier of curly-top, is 

 frequently very destructive indirectly. After feeding upon diseased 

 plants it punctures the leaf blades or leaf stems of healthy beets with 

 its slender beak and injects into the plant some substance or organism 

 which exerts a decidedly unfavorable effect upon its growth. 



Among insects working in or near the roots are cutworms, wire- 

 worms, and white grubs, all of which are very destructive. White 

 grubs are abundant in sod land; therefore such lands should not be 

 selected for growing sugar beets. Wireworms and cutworms as a rule 

 are more destructive early in the season while the beets are small. 

 They frequently destroy the stand to such an extent that replanting 

 is necessary. Cutworms come from the surface of the ground and 

 cut off the plants during the night. Poisoned baits, prepared and 

 applied according to directions which will be furnished by the 

 Bureau of Entomology, are practically perfect remedies. Wire- 

 worms usually follow the row of young beets when they have begun 

 their work of destruction, and since they usually remain in a row a 

 second planting should be made in the same direction, so that the 

 rows are parallel and several inches from the original planting, with- 

 out harrowing or disking. If this method is pursued the second 

 planting will often become so large that little wireworm damage will 

 be done. Other remedies, however, are necessary. 3 



The false chinch bug is a serious enemy to seed beets, frequently 

 appearing in immense numbers and working on the growing tender 

 seed stalks and leaves. When present in large numbers it frequently 

 absorbs by suction so much of the vital juices of the plant that either 

 the seed stalks are destroyed or the seed fails to mature. This insect 

 may be controlled in limited areas by the use of contact sprays, such 

 as nicotine sulphate, 40 per cent, or fish-oil soap. The false chinch 

 bug usually makes its first appearance on a small number of plants. 

 Gathering the bugs from these plants and destroying them is very 

 helpful in controlling this pest. 



BY-PRODUCTS. 



The principal by-products connected with sugar-beet growing and 

 beet-sugar production are the beet tops, pulp, and lime. The first two 

 of these have already been considered under live stock. The lime is 

 an important by-product of the mill used in purifying the juice in 

 the process of separating the sugar from the nonsugars in solution. 

 For this purpose limestone is obtained and burned. The limestone 

 should be as pure as it is possible to find it and should be thoroughly 



a Sec Bulletin 123, Bureau of Entomology, U. S. Dept. Agi\, " A preliminary report on 

 the sugar-beet wireworm," 68 p., 23 pis., 9 figs. 1914. (Superintendent of Documents, 

 Washington, D. C, price 25 cents.) 



56<S30°— Bull. 995—21 4 



