994 Report on Crop Propvuction oF THE 
The relation of crystallizable sugar to the total solids in 
solution in the juice of beets is known as the coefficient of 
purity. 
It is generally taught that the percentage of sugar in beets 
and also the coefficient of purity are materially influenced by 
the kind and amount of fertilizing material which is used in 
growing the crop. Growers are especially cautioned against 
planting beets on land freshly fertilized with stable manure and 
against heavy nitrogenous manuring with chemicals. It is 
stated that past experience has shown that beets raised where 
a generous application of farm manure is made in the spring 
are inferior for manufacturing purposes, and it is suggested 
that while a large application of nitrate of soda may not cause 
- a diminution of the sugar content it may so lower the coefficient 
of purity as to lessen materially the proportion of available 
sugar. 
In 1898 experiments conducted by this Station in growing 
beets with the use of farm manures and with commercial fertil- 
izers in varying quantities gave results in apparent conflict with 
prevailing views.1 These results have led to the continuation, 
during the past three years, of experiments of a similar char- 
acter, the outcome of which is presented in this bulletin. 
THE EXPERIMENTS. 
GENERAL PLAN AND CONDITIONS. 
The experiments were planned with reference to comparing 
the composition of beets grown with commercial fertilizers and 
those grown with stable manure applied in the spring just before 
planting. Check plats have also been used in order to ascertain 
how the beets would grow without the application of any 
manure whatever. All the experiments have been conducted 
on the Station farm, excepting in the year 1898, when one set 
was carried out on the farm of F. EK. Dawley, Fayetteville. 
Excepting the year 1899, when texture conditions were 
™N. Y. Agrl. Expt. Sta. Bul. No. 155, 
