SUGAR-BEET 363 



IIS, Q> and the leaves spread out as a flattish rosette on the 

 ground when ripe. 



Knauer's Imperial (Fig. 115, B).—K pear-shaped variety, 

 usually with white flesh sometimes incUned to a roseate hue. 

 The leaves, which have reddish veins, grow more upright than in 

 the former variety and have somewhat crenated and puckered 

 margins. 



Klein-Wanzlebener. — A variety resembling the preceding one 

 but with more spindle-shaped root and green leaves. 



Climate and Soil. — Sugar-beet thrives best in a climate 

 possessing a warm and moderately damp summer, and having 

 somewhat dry, hot months of August and September, during 

 which time the sugar is stored in the root in greatest abundance. 



Climates such as are met with in Southern Europe are too dry 

 and the North is too wet for satisfactory sugar production by 

 sugar-beet. In wet climates the roots are poor in sugar. 



Average seasons in the British Isles are probably too damp 

 for successful cultivation of this crop, although fair yields of 

 roots with good sugar-content have been grown for experi- 

 mental purposes during the last two or three somewhat dry 

 seasons. 



The soil most suited to the crop is a medium loam of good 

 depth containing a considerable proportion of lime. 



Heavy wet clays or very dry sandy soils are not suitable. If 

 farmyard dung is used as manure it is essential that it should 

 be ploughed in during autumn or applied to a previous crop. 

 The quality of the roots is much influenced by a good supply 

 of potash salts especially the carbonate ; phosphates are also 

 beneficial and the yield is increased by an application of nitrate 

 of soda or ammonium sulphate applied in the early stages of 

 growth of the plant. 



Sowing. — The seed is drilled or dibbled in rows about 14 or 

 15 inches apart and the plants are subsequently singled by hand 

 when about a quarter of an inch thick, so as to stand 6 to 8 



