Los Angeles herald., 1890-06-16
THE SUGAR BEET.
This Soil and Climate its Natural
Home.
BY MIR. RICHARD GIRD.

BY MIR. RICHARD GIRD.
The discovery or, to say the least, the
proof of the fact that under the condi-
tions OF soil and climate that exist on the
Chino ranch and, think, in Southern
California generally, sugar beets grown
during the growing season of one year
are preserved in a dormant state in the
ground, without change, all winter, or
until the next growing season, or for
period of six months after maturity, as
demonstrated by me on the Chino ranch
during the past sixteen months in the
most careful and scientific manner is of
such Importance and so much at variance
with the statements and experience of
the German and French beet-growers
that it has not only excited my surprise
but especially appealed to my under
standing for reason therefor, which |
believe have found in the nature of the
plant itself working out the perpetuation
of its own existence (the first law Of
nature), which may be supplemented by
man but never transgressed. The ma
tural home of the beet is in the south of
Europe, or in the territory bordering on
the Mediterranean sea, region where
the ground does not freeze, but where
the soil becomes and remains for months
sufficiently cold to keep dormant the
beet root, which for the first year of its
life is only a root whose functions has
been to secrete, prepare and lay up nu-
triment in the form of sugar (hydro-car-
bon), to be used in the second year for
the production of seed--the final stage
of the plant growth-when, having full
filled its requirements, it dies and the
seeds are scattered.
ha Al o1 Init
result of natural conditions of the soil
and climate of its native land. In trans
planting the beet to the north of Europe,
where, to enable it to seed, it is neces-
sary to dig the roots and protect it all
winter from the frost and to replant in
the spring, it's natural conditions of
growth have been changed and its per-
petuation only made possible by the
help of man. 1t is therefore reasonable
to suppose if a spot can be found where
the plant will follow the natural routine
of its growth that there it will reach,
under the fostering hand of man, its
greatest perfection.
The Importance of this natural pre-.
servation of the beet root in dormant
state IN the soil where it has grown con-
sists mostly in the advantage to the
manufacturer and grower of not having
to dig the beets until they are needed
for use, thus saving not only the trouble
and expense of storage but enabling the
factory to continue in operation for
eight months in the year as we'll as of
allowing the agriculturist to continue
| planting for four or five months and to
harvest from seven to eight. These
advantages can be appreciated by the
growers and manufacturers in Europe,
where the climate limits their opera
tions to less than half of this time.
There has been mass of statistical
information gathered to prove, and
which no doubt does prove, that only in
cold climates and with a certain monthly
rainfall can the sugar beet industry sue
ceed, while experiments have proven
quite the contrary-that neither cold
winter nor rain is necessary, and that
only limited or small amount of mois-
ture in the ground is sufficient to bring
the beets to perfection.
The above is an illustration that it is
safer to be controlled by first principles
than to depend on limited experience no
matter how carefully correlated. II Chino
Champion.