18 



D. M. FERRY & CO., DETROIT, MICH. 



SUGAR BDBT 



A MORE extensive planting of the Sugar Beet would cer- 

 tainly prove a great improvement to American agricul- 

 ttu-e. Careful consideration either through observation 

 in the feeding yard or a study of the results obtained by ex- 

 periments in feeding definite quantities of known chemical 

 composition, will convince any one that the use of a propor- 

 tion of foods of the digestive qualities of beet, turnip, 

 squash, etc., is essential to the most profitable feeding of 

 either fattening or growing stock, and on the majority of our 

 farms such food can be most practically and profitably pro- 

 duced in Sugar Beets. 



Considering that we are the largest consumers of sugar 

 in the world and our soil and climate are as favorable as any 

 to the growth of the Sugar Beet, it is hardly thrifty for us to 

 send abroad one hundred million dollars annually to pay for 

 sugar wloich we might produce so profitably at home. A fac- 

 tory for the profitable extraction of sugar from beets costs 

 at least $200,000 and requires the product of 2,000 to 5,000 acres 

 of land to keep it in operation, so that the first step towards 

 the establishment of such a factory should be to ascertain if 

 an abundance of roots of suitable quality can profitably be 

 produced in the vicinity, and this can only be done by a large 

 number of farmers each planting a few for experiment, which 

 would not be a costly one, for the crop would be worth all it 

 costs, for feeding purposes, besides demonstrating whether it 

 would be wise to establish a sugar factory in the vicinity. 

 CAII The best soil for Sugar Beets is' a rich, friable 



'''vIL • • • sandy or clay loam. They cannot be profit- 

 ably grown on a tenacious wet clay or a very sandy or 

 excessively hard and stony soil. Rich mucky soils will 

 often give an immense yield of roots which though excellent 

 for feeding are of little value for sugar making. Most farm 

 lands capable of producing a good crop of corn or wheat can 

 be made to grow a good crop of beets. 



lii A |\| 1 1 p p Sugar beets do much better when the soil has 



iTlrlliUnL • • • been made rich for a preceding crop than 

 when the fertilizers are applied the same season. The use of 

 rank, undecomposed manures, or such as contain a large 

 amount of nitrogen, will result in large coarse roots of little 

 value for sugar making. If the condition of the ground neces- 

 sitates the use of a fertilizer the current season, the greatest 

 care should be taken to have it evenly and thoroughly mixed 

 with the surface soil. 



Cppn There is no crop where the quality of the seed 



'^^'-■' • • • used is of greater importance than this; inferior 

 seed cannot by any amount of skill in cultivation be made to 

 give a satisfactory crop. A great deal of most patient and 

 skillful labor has been expended in establishing and develop- 

 ing strains of beets which are adapted to sugar making, and 

 only by the use of the best seeds of a suitable strain is pro- 

 fitable sugar making possible. 



PIANTINn <)nft '^^^ great secret of successful and econ- 

 I Lr^li I llivl ailU omical culture of beets is thorough pre- 

 nilTIVATINn Paration of the soil before planting. 

 V/ULI IfAll IliU The seed should be planted as soon as 

 the soil can be gotten into good condition, which is not likely 

 to be before the middle of April, and the seed should be in before 

 the last of May. We plant in drills twenty to thirty inches 

 apart, dropping from 12 to 20 seeds to the foot, which will 

 require from 10 to 15 pounds of seed to the acre. It is very 

 important that the seed be well covered with not to exceed 

 one inch of soil pressed firmly over it. As soon as the young 

 plants have started sufficiently to make the rows visible they 

 should be cultivated and the field should receive constant 

 attention so as to keep the surface soil loose and destroy the 

 starting weeds. When the beets are about two or three inches 

 high they should be thinned so as to stand six to eight inches 

 apart in the row, and cultivation should be discontinued as 

 soon as the roots have commenced to form. Often a crop is 

 injured by late cultivation which starts the plants into fresh 

 growth when they should be maturing and developing sugar. 

 Sugar beets ripen and become fit for harvesting as distinctly 

 as do potatoes or corn, and they indicate that they are 

 approaching this condition by the outer leaves turning yellow- 

 ish and the top seeming to decrease in size owing to the 

 curling of the central leaves. They should be gathered 

 and stored when ripe or mature, for if left they may start 

 into fresh growth which lessens the proportion of sugar. 



The three best 

 varieties especi- 

 ally adapted to 

 sugar making are 



VILMORIN'S 

 IMPROVED, 



KLEIN 

 WANZLEBEN and 



FRENCH VERY 

 RICH . . . 



f rencb . . 

 Very Rich 



A variety with 



large, long roots, yielding from four- 

 teen to twenty tons per acre and 

 containing from fourteen to sixteen 

 per cent of sugar. The roots are be- 

 low the surface and the green leaves 

 are upright in growth. The hardiest 

 and easiest grown. Pkt. 5c; Oz. 10c; 

 2 Oz. 10c; H Lb. 15c; Lb. 35c. 



Vilmoriiis 

 Improved ♦ ♦ . 



In general the most desirable beet 

 for the sugar factory is the one contain- 

 ing the largest percentage of sugar. In 

 this variety we have one of the richest 

 sorts in cultivation, not only that, but it 

 will do better on new lands, suffer less 

 from an excess of nitrogen, and will 

 keep the best of any. In size it is me- 

 dium or a little below, yielding from 

 ten to sixteen tons peracreand contain- 

 ing from sixteen to eighteen per cent 

 of sugar. It grows below the surface, 

 and the green leaves are smooth edged 

 and spreading. Pkt. 5c; Oz.lOc; 2 Oz. 

 10c; ^ Lb. 15c: Lb. 35c. 



, Klein . 

 ?Xlanzleben 



A little larger than 

 Vilmorin's Improved, yielding 

 from twelve to eighteen tons 

 per acre and containing about 

 the same amount of siigar. It 

 grows below the surface and 

 the green leaves are rather 

 large and spreading with wavy 

 edges. A little hardier and 

 easier grown than Vilmorin's 

 Improved. Probably the best 

 sort for the experimenter to 

 use. Pkt. 5c; Oz. 10c; 2 Oz. 

 10c; ^Lb. 15c; Lb. 35c. 



The foluowinq Three varieties are especially Adapted for Stock Feeding: 



LANE'S IMPROVED IMPERIAL SUGAR. This is a larger, 

 coarser beet than the French White Sugar, more hke Mangel 

 Wurzel in character, but the white flesh is so much sweeter 

 and more tender, that they are liked by some for table use. 

 Pkt. 5c; Oz. 10c; 2 Oz. 10c; % Lb. 15c; Lb. 35c. 



FRENCH YELLOW SUGAR. Grows to a large size, roots 

 half long, yellow and sweet. Excellent for stock feeding. 

 Pkt. 5c; Oz. 10c; 2 Oz. 10c; ^ Lb. 15c; Lb. 35c. 



FRENCH WHITE SUGAR RED TOP. Formerly used for 

 sugar making but the smaller, richer sorts have largely taken 

 its place for this purpose. The numerous green leaves are 

 quite erect and the elongated egg-shaped root is tinged with 

 red at the top, and contains about twelve per cent of sugar. 

 It is very hardy and productive, yielding about twenty tons 

 to the acre. A most desirable sort for stock feeding. Pkt. 5c; 

 Oz. 10c; 2 Oz. 10c; % Lb. 15c; Lb. 35c. 



WE >VILL SUPPLY 5 LBS. OR MORE OF ANY OF THE ABOVE SUGAR BEETS by Express or Freight at Purchasers 

 Expense AT 25 CTS. PER LB. 



