12 
EXPERIMENTS WITH SUGAR BEETS. 
NAME. 
Moisture. 
Crude 
Ash. 
Fat. 
Alb’min- 
oid 
Nitrogen 
or 
Crude 
Protein. 
Crude 
Fiber. 
Nitrogen,. 
Free 
Extract. 
Silician, poor soil. 
.. 87.17.. 
.. 1.08 .. 
.. .24 ... 
.. .925... 
.. .830... 
...9.75... 
Silician, rich soil. 
.. 86.31.. 
.. 1.28 .. 
.. .27 ... 
..1.77 ... 
.. .68 ... 
.. .9.69... 
Imperial, poor soil.... 
.. 87.88.. 
.. .801.. 
.. .14 ... 
.. .808... 
.. .587... 
...9.78..., 
Imperial, rich soil.... 
.. 89.80.. 
.. 1.234.. 
.. .18 ... 
..1.44 ... 
.. .433.. 
...6.91..., 
Velmorin . 
.. 88.69.. 
.. 1.131.. 
.. .175... 
..1.159... 
.. .618... 
...8.22..., 
The large per cent, of water reduces the feeding 
value of beets very much, there being only about twelve' 
per cent, of dry matter in the beets. The method of 
analysis for feeding value was that described by the 
Association of Official Agricultural Chemists. The 
amount of sugar present was determined by Scheibler’s 
polariscope, which we have found to be one of the best in 
the market. 
CONCLUSIONS. 
1. It is found that there is a greater per cent, of ash: 
present in beets grown on rich soil than in those grown on 
poor soil. 
2. The per cent of iron, aluminum, calcium and 
phosphoric acid present in the ash was greatest in beets 
from poor soil. 
3. The specific gravity of the expressed juice of the 
beet is not a correct index to the per cent, of sugar pres¬ 
ent, as various salts in solution, and often accidentally 
present, produce increased specific gravity when there is 
no corresponding increase of sugar. 
4. An examination of the beet by horizontal sec¬ 
tions shows a somewhat regular increase in sugar content 
from the top downward. 
5. The average per cent, of sugar present in the 
crop of 1889 (9.98 per cent.) was but little less than that 
of 1888 (10.45 per cent), but the greater yield of beets 
per acre, in 1889, more than compensated for the less per 
cent, of sugar present. 
DAVID O’BRINE, Chemist. 
