Sugar Beets. 
35 
higher percentage of this acid in the ash of beets grown on the 
manured ground indicates that the cultivation has an influence 
upon the amount of this component of the ash, tending to increase 
it. On page 48, Bulletin 46, is given an analysis of the ash of a 
sample of Kleinwanzlebener beets grown in New Mexico, in which 
we have less than 4 per cent. (3 336 per cent.) of phosphoric acid, 
showing that ash from the same variety may have a varying 
composition, due to differences of soil, and it may be that the lower 
phosphoric acid in the Vilmorin ashes, given in the table, is due to 
this, and not to variety, for these samples were grown on different 
plots in 1897 and 1898, while the Kleinwanzlebener samples were 
grown on the same plot, one half of which, however, had received a 
dressing of manure. The percentage of chlorin shows the greatest 
change as a result of the cultivation and continued cropping. In 
1897 the ash of the Kleinwanzlebener beets* contained 12.599 per 
cent, of chlorin ; in 1898. grown on the portion which had not been 
manured, the ash contained 11.857 per cent., and the ash of the 
beets grown on the manured portion contained 10.752 per cent. 
The highest percentage of chlorin found in the ashes of the Zehrin- 
gen variety, in 1899, was 9.464 per cent., while the Kleinwanzle- 
beners showed only 5.699 per cent, chlorin present in the ash. 
These last two samples were grown on soil which had not at any 
time received a dressing of manure. These percentages indicate a 
decrease in the amount of chlorin taken up by the beets, as the soil 
conditions are improved. There has been, at the same time, an. 
improvement in the quality of the beets. In 1897 the Klein¬ 
wanzlebener variety showed 11.76 per cent, sugar, 76.0 purity ; in 
1898, 13.97 per cent, sugar, 84.6 purity ; in 1899, 15.34 per cent, 
sugar, 80.8 purity. For two years, 1897 and 1898, the percentages, 
of sulphuric acid, phosphoric acid, lime and magnesia remained, 
almost the same. In 1899, however, the percentages of lime and 
magnesia increased by about 1 per cent, in each case. Previous to> 
1899, the highest percentage found for the magnesia was 5.74 per 
cent., but in 1899 it reached 7.25 per cent., an increase of 1.5 per 
cent. In the case of the lime, the highest percentage found, in 1897 
and 1898, was 2.826 per cent.; in 1899, 4.106 per cent.; also an 
increase of nearly 1.5 per cent. These samples were grown on the 
same plots, and were of the same variety of beets. The changes 
observed are toward a closer agreement with other analyses than 
heretofore. These percentages do not establish permanent changes, 
but do show the tendency which the continued cropping and culti¬ 
vation of this soil has to modify its effects upon the mineral matters 
taken up by the plants. The tables giving the percentage of sugar 
and the coefficient of purity for these crops show a decided im¬ 
provement in the three years covered by the experiments, and the 
analyses of the ashes show the tendency which manuring, 
