THE BEET SUGAR INDUSTRY. 107 
of moisture is the consequence; and when this is excessively low the piotoplasms 
die, followed by alteration in the beet cells, The most desirable temperature for 
silos appears to be 35.6 degrees to 41 degrees F. Avoid all bruises of roots to be kept. 
is a maxim never to be lost sight of in beets that are to be stored. Twist off the 
leaves, but do not attempt topping.’’ We may add that Nebraska experience is 
BEET HARVESTER WITH TOPPING ARRANGEMENT. 
This Nebraska invention failed in practice so far as topping the beets is concerned. No machine, in Europe or Amer- 
ica, has yet been devised that will loosen the beets, lift them from the soil, top them properly, and deliver them at 
side of row ready for factory or silo, The attempt illustrated above should pave the way to some one’s success in per- 
feeting such a machine. 
against the hint in the last sentence, as two handlings of the beets cost more than 
the loss in sugar due to absence of top or necks on beets in silo. 
The system of drying beets has been tried on a small scale in California. In that 
extremely dry and warm climate, the fresh beets when sliced shrink to one-fourth 
their original] weight by loss of water in from three to four weeks’ exposure to air and 
sun. These topped beets contain from 50 to 65 per cent of sugar and can of course be 
‘shipped by rail any reasonable distance. The process has only been tried on a small 
scale and great care had to be exercised to keep the beet chips from fermenting and 
