D. M. FERRY & GO'S DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE. 



19' 



ftUGAR BEET 



In general the most 

 desirable beet for the 

 sugar factory is the 

 one containing the largest 

 percentage of sugar. In this 

 variety we have one of the 

 richest sorts in cultivation, 

 and moreover it will do bet- 

 ter on new lands than any 

 other variety, suffer less 

 from an excess of nitrogen, and 

 will keep the best. In size it is me- 

 dium or a little below, yielding 

 from ten to sixteen tons per acre, 

 and containing, under favorable 

 conditions, as high as eighteen per 

 cent of sugar. Tlie beet grows be- 

 low the surface. The green leaves 

 are smooth edged and spreading. 

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



^Lb. 15c; Lb. 35c. 



Klein 



Sugar Beets are desirable not only for the manufac- 

 ture of sugar, but are invaluable for stock feeding 

 and table use. They are deservedly popular both on 

 the farm and in the small garden. No one that raises 

 beets of any kind should fail to plant at least a trial 

 bed. Our list comprises the be.st strains on the market. 



^£% W I The best soil for Sugar Beets is a rich, friable sandy or clayey 

 ^\^M^M^ loam. They cannot be profitably gi-own on a tenacious wet 

 clay or a very sandy or exce.ssively 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 mak- 

 ing. Most farm lands capable of producing a good 

 crop of corn or wheat can be made to grow a good 

 crop of beets. 



||a A lUVinE Sugar beets do much better when the soil has been 

 "* ■** ^^ '-' "^ ■^ made rich for a preceding crop than when the fer- 

 tilizers aie ajjplied 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 necessitates the use of a fertilizer the current season, the 

 gieatest caie should be taken to have it evenly and thoroughly mixed 

 w ith the surface soil. 



^Cpf) There is no crop where the quality of the seed used is of greater im- 

 ^*-'*-'*^ portance than this; inferior seed cannot by any amount of skill in 

 cultivation be made to give a satisfactory yield. A great deal of most patient and 

 skillful labor has been expended in establishing and developing strains of beets 

 which are adapted to sugar making. It is only bij the use of the best seeds that 

 profitable sugar making is j^ossible. 



I>lnM|-|MA eitlffi The great secret of successful and economical culture 

 ■^■••■■•-•■■•J Cllltl of beets is thorough preparation of the soil before 

 C*'|||'^I^a^|mX ^^^ planting. The seed should be planted as soon as the 

 ^^***^* » ^•'-■'■jj ^*' soil can be gotten into good condition, which is not 

 likely to be before the middle of April, but the seed should be in before the last of 

 May. "VVe plant in drills twenty to thirty inches apart, dropping 

 from twelve to twenty seeds to the foot. This will require from 

 ten to fifteen pounds of seed to the acre. It is verj^ important that 

 the seed be well covered with not to exceed one inch of soil pressed 

 firmly over it. As soon as the joung 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 thej' 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 ma- 

 turing 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 yellowish 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 successful cultivation of beets rich in sugar 

 requires rotation of crops, however rich and good the soil may 

 appear to be. 



Wanzleben 



A little larger than Vilmorin's 

 Improved, and containing about 

 the same amount of sugar. Its 

 yield of beets is from twelve to 

 eighteen tons per acre. The beet 

 grows below the surface. The 

 green leaves are rather large and 

 spreading w^th wavy edges. A lit- 

 tle 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. 36c 



French White 

 Sugar Beet. 



B[[JS ^or Stock reeding 



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 tmged with red at the top, and contains about twelve per cent, of 

 sugar. It is very hardy and productive, vielding about twenty tons to the 

 acre. A most desirable sort for stock feeding. 



Pkt. 5c; Oz. 10c; 2 Oz. 10c; h Lb. 16c; Lb. 36c. 



LANE'S IMPERIAL SUGAR. This is a larger, coarser beet than the 

 French White Sugar. It is more like Jlangel Wurzel in character, but the 

 white flesh is much sweeter and tenderer. It is sometimes used for the 

 table. Pkt. 6c; Oz. 10c; 2 Oz. 10c; H Lb. 15c; Lb. 35c. 



FRENCH YELLOW SUGAR. Grows to a large size: roots half long, yel- 

 low and sweet. Excellent for stock feeding. 



Pkt. 



Oz. 10c; 2 Oz. 10c; ^ Lb. 16c; Lb. 46c. 



rrench 

 Very Rich 



A variety with larg«, 

 long roots yieldingf rom 

 fourteen to twenty tons 

 per acre, ami often con- 

 taining as much as 

 eighteen per cent . of 

 sugar. The roots are 

 b e 1 o w the surface. 

 The green leaves are 

 upright in growth. The 

 hardiest and easiest 

 grown. 



kt. 5c; Oz. 10c; 

 2 0z.lOc: ^»Lb.loc; 

 Lb. 35c. 



We will supply 5 Lbs. or more of Klein Wanzleben, Vilmorin's Improved and French Very Rich Sugar Beets at 

 35 cents per pound, by Express or Freight, at Purchaser's Expense. 



