154 The Sugar-Beet in America 
hauled. If hauling is delayed, the pile should be covered 
with tops to prevent evaporation of moisture, which 
amounts to considerable weight on a hot day. Care 
should be taken that tops are not mixed through the 
pile of beets, as they are very troublesome later on at the 
mill. 
MECHANICAL HARVESTER 
Many attempts have been made to secure machines 
for the digging and topping, but these machines have 
not been widely used in the past. It seems, however, 
that at present machines are available to do as good 
topping as can be performed by hand and more quickly 
and at much less expense. Many of these are being 
manufactured and it is hoped that hand-topping may soon 
be relegated to the past. If these machines are entirely 
successful, the labor question in sugar-beet raising will 
be greatly simplified. 
There are two general types of harvesters: one that 
tops the beets and leaves the root in the ground to be 
lifted with another implement; after the tops have 
been raked into windrows, the ordinary lifter is used. An 
attachment that is fitted to the lifter has been devised 
and its use facilitates the lifting process. This attach- 
ment also removes most of the dirt that would otherwise 
attach to the root. 
The other type of harvester first lifts the beet and 
then tops it. This type of machine is fitted with equip- 
ment that delivers the roots in piles at one side, or with 
an extension of the delivery carrier, the roots are elevated 
directly into a wagon that is driven alongside the har- 
