Deterioration Sugar Beets Due to Nitrates i 19 
solved to such an extent that one is justified in assigning reasons for 
these results except tentatively, which we will not do. We will merely 
state the view which has been suggested or tacitly assumed through¬ 
out, that the quality of our beets, which is the principal object of this 
study, is not poor or even bad because of any lack of plant food, nor 
because of lack of water, nor of fungus diseases, nor of attack of in¬ 
sects, nor of alkali, nor of excessive water, but more probably be¬ 
cause of the bacterial flora of the soil. I have for a long time held 
the view that if it were possible for us to bring about different bio¬ 
logical conditions, we would find a way to produce beets of a good 
quality. I am still of the opinion that a very liberal green manur¬ 
ing which will produce putrefactive changes in our soils gives us the 
most promise of success under our conditions. It was with this 
view in mind that the following experiments were made. These 
experiments were only partially successful, particularly in regard to 
the quantity of green crop produced. Mr. Winterhalter had pre¬ 
viously tried green manuring and was aware of the fact that we 
were likely to be disappointed in this respect and so expressed him¬ 
self. We planted mustard on one plot and took a piece of winter 
wheat for the second one. The land chosen was an adobe, a little 
heavier than that on which the experiments with potash, phosphoric 
acid and nitrogen were made and is a part of the same general 
tract. The stand obtained was good but the mustard came into 
bloom when the plants were only a few inches high and the total 
weight of the green matter plowed under was disappointingly small, 
estimated at 53/2 tons per acre. The beets on both the mustard and 
wheat plots were planted 13 June. The stand considering the char¬ 
acter of the soil was excellent. The variety used was the Original 
Kleinwanzlebener. The irrigation and cultivation was adequate, 
and though the beets were harvested 9 Nov., the plot on which mus¬ 
tard had been grown, yielded 7.9 tons of beets with 16.04 percent 
sugar, 84.96 purity, the wheat plot yielded 9.1 tons, 15.83 percent 
sugar, 83.3 purity. These are factory returns. The shape of these 
beets was all that could be wished though the ground was excessive¬ 
ly hard at harvest time. The following analyses present the 
analytical results obtained with these beets in our laboratory. 
