THE BEET-SUGAR INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES. 41 
in drying the pulp is to make it easier to handle. About 30 per cent 
of the weight is lost in drying and when dried it can be shipped 
long distances. It should be soaked for several hours before it is 
fed to stock. 
Number of live stock to keep. — It is apparent that there should be 
a suitable ratio between the number of live stock and the available 
tops, pulp, and other feed on the farm. As stated above, animals 
can not be finished for the market on the beet by-products, and unless 
other feed is available it will not be advisable to purchase animals 
for feeding purposes with a view to turning them on the market 
later. If the farmer is provided with dairy cows, it is advisable to 
furnish them with one or two feeds of tops or pulp each day. The 
tops, when cured or pitted, will keep for several months; the pulp 
when left in a large pile will not spoil for feeding purposes, except 
in a thin layer on the surface. If the tops or the pulp are fed heavily 
to dairy cows, a distinct increase in the flow of milk marks the top 
and pulp-feeding period, and there will generally be a distinct falling 
off in the flow of milk when this feed is discontinued. Since the 
supply of tops and pulp is limited, it is better to continue the feeding 
over a longer period, giving a smaller amount to each of the animals 
daily. The tops and pulp should always be fed in combination with 
other feeds in order to make a balanced ration. 
LABOR PROBLEMS. 
One of the most serious problems oil many of the beet farms is that 
of labor. The difficulties in connection with the labor question as 
related to sugar-beet culture are due to the fact that a part of the 
work must be done by hand and is tedious and, furthermore, the 
labor in connection with this crop is not continuous. For example, 
there is a period in the spring when considerable labor is required 
for the blocking and thinning of the beets, as shown in Plate III, 
figure 1. The work during midsummer is light, consisting of a little 
hoeing. In the fall there is another increase in the labor require- 
ment, due to the harvest, followed by the winter months, when little 
or no field work in connection with this crop is done. The need 
for labor at harvest time is apparent, as the beets must be harvested 
promptly when they are mature. The reasons for pushing the beet 
harvest are several: Fall rains may set in and cause the roots to 
deteriorate in quality, the roots may be frozen in the ground if har- 
vest is delayed, the mill must have sufficient roots to operate con- 
tinuously, and the farmer must get the beet crop out of the way in 
order to do his other fall work. The question of securing and hold- 
ing the necessary labor for the handling of this crop has been one of 
the serious problems in sugar-beet growing in this country. Beet 
