The topped beets are then loaded into wagons or railroad cars and transported to the factory, at which point they are carefully weighed. In this country most of the beets are raised by farmers and sold under contract to the factories, at so much per ton, so that the determination of the exact weight and sucrose content is important. For the season of 1915 the average price paid to the farmers for beets was $5.67 per ton. On arrival at the factory a certain number of beets are taken from every wagon- or car-load, and these represent a fair average of all the beets of that particular delivery. They are sent to the laboratory and their exact weight ascertained, after which they are trimmed of all adhering roots, leaves and parts of the crown, if not properly topped in the field. Any remaining soil is carefully brushed off and the beets thoroughly cleaned. They are then reweighed and the difference between this and the first weight is the tare. This difference represents a certain percentage of the total of the sample beets weighed, and that small percentage is deducted from the gross weight of the total load. In this way the exact net weight of beets delivered by the farmer is determined and he is paid according to this net weight. The sugar content of the beet and the purity of the juice must now be ascertained, for the price paid the farmer varies according to the amount of sugar the beet contains. As in the case of weighing, sampling and polarizing raw cane sugar, representatives of both parties—the farmer and the factory—are present when all weights are taken and tests made. There are several different methods for determining the percentage of sugar in the beet and the purity of the juice, but the following gives a fair idea of the general practice.