162 THE SUGAR BEET. 



for sowing in order to fulfil the conditions before 

 spoken of, th^/t is to say, air, heat, and humidity. As 

 a general thing this takes place either in March or 

 April, and varies with the climate and soils, in cold 

 ones later than when milder. It is generally admitted 

 that the duration of the growth should be as long as 

 possible, and for that reason the farmer has every ad- 

 vantage in planting as early as he can. A period 

 should be chosen when the frosts, etc., are no longer 

 to be dreaded. Some farmers are willing to run great 

 risks, and argue even if the young plant is destroyed 

 by the frost there will still remain sufficient time to 

 recommence the sowing, but we cannot indorse this 

 idea, as the amount of grain thus lost would in some 

 cases be considerable. Judgment is the best guide for 

 the practical man to follow. As for asserting that the 

 moment has arrived when for several days there exists 

 an equality of temperature in the ground, or when the 

 total sum of the daily averages, morning, afternoon, 

 and evening, be equal to a determined figure, we con- 

 sider a mistake. The latter, Mr. Walkhoff tells us, is 

 in Eussia 80° E. (212° F.). The observations should 

 commence as soon as the thermometer marks 1° E. 

 (34.25° F.). The thermometer is placed in the ground 

 at a depth of 4 verschocks (7.08 inches), and the ob- 

 servation is made at 6 o'clock in the morning. Evi- 

 dently the roots rarely during their early growth (ger- 

 minating period) attain a depth as great as this, and 

 the hour chosen would lead to many errors. 



