802 



The Cultivation of the Sugar-beet. [jan. 



between the rows, and between the plants in the rows. In 

 no case was it found that the rows were more than 18 inches 

 apart, and in some cases the distance from plant to plant in 

 the rows was as little as 8 to 9 inches, and seldom more than 

 10 or 12. In this way, by limitation of the amount of nitro- 

 genous manure, and growing the plants close together, over 

 luxuriance was avoided, and ripe roots, with a high percentage 

 of sugar and low amounts of nitrogenous and saline matters, 

 were obtained." 



The conditions thus outlined, however, are by no means 

 generally applicable in England. For example, in the 

 Cambridge experiments conducted in 1905, yields of 18 and 20 

 tons per acre contained respectively i8'6 and 18 per cent, 

 of sugar in the roots, and the crop was grown on light loamy 

 soil on ridges 27 inches apart. 



Cultivation. — The cultivation of sugar-beets is similar to 

 that required for mangolds. The soil should be well prepared 

 for the crop, which in general follows a cereal. The stubble 

 should be ploughed to a depth of 10 or 12 inches in October 

 or November, the special objects in view for sugar-beet being 

 to ameliorate the soil, conserve moisture in the subsoil, and 

 destroy weeds. Where such deep ploughing is inadvisable 

 owing to the risk of turning up a poor subsoil, then a sub- 

 soiler may follow or be attached to the plough in order to 

 break the land as deeply as possible. The ploughed stubble 

 is now left to the ameliorating influences of the winter frosts, 

 and in spring" an endeavour is made to obtain a well-worked 

 mellow seed-bed. Strong loams may need a second plough- 

 ing in spring, but generally speaking, cultivating and 

 harrowing will be sufficient to provide a well pulverised seed- 

 bed, and in dry seasons the Crosskill roller will do good 

 service. When possible there should be an interval between 

 the general preparation and the final harrowing in order to 

 encourage weed seeds to germinate, the seedlings being then 

 destroyed before the sugar-beet seed is sown. 



The Choice of Seed. — It is of great importance in the case 

 of sugar-beet that the seed sown should be of the best, and 

 of a variety yielding a high percentage of sugar. According 

 to Schribaux, good "seed" (the "seed" of commerce consists 

 of one to three or more true seeds embedded in a woody 

 capsule or fruit) should contain no more than 15 per cent, of 



