16 
Bulletin 58. 
contained 15.23 per cent, of sugar; a sample of the same variety, 
harvested November 2, contained 15.12 per cent, of sugar. These 
samples, harvested thirty-five days apart, show almost exactly the 
same percentage of sugar, and the coefficient of purity is also quite 
the same, i. e., 83 and 81. 
§ 22. The varieties grown by the Farm Department remained 
almost constant from October 3 to October 22, only one of the three 
varieties showing any material gain, and in this case a. gain of only 
one per cent. I infer that this difference in the deportment of the 
crops of the two years was due entirely to the season, and not to 
either the cultivation or to the soils. There are three different soils 
and nine varieties of beets included in this comparison; five of the 
varieties of beets were grown on our alkali soil and the four others 
on two different soils. Our soil caused no deviation in this respect, 
and the conclusion of the preceding years, i. e., that the alkalized 
condition of our soil produces no effect upon the development of the 
beet, is corroborated. The statement, however, that the maturing 
of the beet represents an increase, that is, a sudden increase, 
amounting to from 2 to 3.5 per cent., now seems to be an extreme 
variation. The following table showing the results obtained during 
the season of 1899 strengthen this view; the greatest increase being 
1.1 per cent, from October 10 to 24, and we find no further change, 
though the experiments were continued until November 10 : 
