2c 4 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



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passes along, only a slight rippling or undulating motion is ob- 

 served in the rows of beet-tops, but the roots are loosened and 

 cleared of dirt more perfectly than could be done by hand, and, as 

 no roots are broken or left in the ground, a considerable increase 

 in the crop is obtained. Like the beet-cultivator, the digger is 

 steered by a lever at the hind end of the machine, and can be lifted 

 to pass over obstructions and for convenience of travel to and 

 from the field. The beets being raised out of the soil, and the 

 leaves cut off with sword-like knives about one half to an inch 

 above the root, the harvesting is completed by the removal of the 

 roots to the pits or factory. 



These machines are constructed to work with mathematical 

 exactness, and are used in Germany with great success, and ac- 

 complish a very important saving of labor. They have also been 

 experimented with at the Massachusetts Agricultural College 

 with the same results. It is obvious that the smoother and more 

 level the land, the better for cultivation ; but the beet machinery 

 will do good work on rolling and uneven land. The beet-planter, 

 or any part of it, may pass over stones or mounds without inter- 

 fering with its operation, ample provision being made to enable 

 each part to adapt itself to the inequalities of the land. Finally, 

 the crop must be kept free from weeds until harvested, other- 

 wise the root-lifter, which on clean land is a model of simplic- 

 ity and effectiveness, will be clogged and will not work at all. 

 In short, it requires and abundantly rewards careful prepara- 

 tion of the land, punctual performance of the various operations 

 of tillage, and perseverance in destroying weeds. We may say, 

 this machinery is well adapted to the culture of other crops, par- 

 ticularly corn. 



The estimated cost of the cultivation of the sugar-beet per acre, 

 without machinery, on the farm in New England, is about the 

 same as for a crop of onions, corn, or potatoes, and, exclusive of 

 fertilizers, may be estimated as follows : 



Fall plowing $2.00 



Spring plowing 4.00 



Harrowing 2.00 



Marking and planting 1.00 



First weeding and thinning 3.00 



Cultivator with horse, three times 4.50 



Total $16.50 



It would be impossible, within the limits of this article, to de- 

 scribe in minute detail all the approved methods for the manu- 

 facture of beet-sugar ; but an attempt will be made to give a gen- 

 eral idea of the different processes, with a description of some of 

 the ingenious mechanical contrivances introduced during the past 



