The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1897-07-24
THE SUGAR BEET.

THE SUGAR BEET.
The remarkable opportunities for
the extension of profitable agricultural
industries in this country through the
medium of the sugar beet are duly set
forth in farmers bulletin on the SUBJ
ject by II. w. Wiley. Experience has
shown that the sugar beet reaches its
highest development in north temper
ate latitudes. AS u result of years of
careful experimen tation, it may be
said that as far as temperature alone is
concerned the sugar beet attains it's
greatest perfection in a zone of vary
ing width, through the center of which
passes the isothermal line of 20 degrees
F. for the months of June, July and
| August.
This isothermal line. for the United
States, begins near the city of Now
York and passes up the Hudson river
to Albany: thence, turning westward,
| it runs near Syracuse and passes in a
southwesterly direction, touching the
shore of Lake Erie near Sandusky, o.:
| turning then in q northwesterly direc-
tion. it enters Michigan and reaches
| its highest poinJ in that state near
Lansing: then going in asouthwesterly
| direction, it enters the state of Indiana
near South Bend, passes through
Michigan. City: then in q northwesterly
| course continues through the cities of
hicago and Madison: reaching its
highest point near ST. Paul; thence it
| extends in southwesterly direction
until it enters the state of South Da-
| kota. where it turns again northwest
and reaches its highest point in Dakota
just above the forty.tifJh parallel OF
latitude, where it crosses the Missouri
river. The isothermal line then turns
almost due south, following very close
longitude until it leaves the state of
Nebraska near the northeast corner of
Colorado. Passing in southwesterly
direction through Colorado, it reaches,
at Pueblo, almost to the one hundred
and fifth degree of west longitude,
whence it passes in slightly south
easterly direction into New Mexico,
turns to the west and crosses the one
hundred and fifth degree of longitude
at about the thirty-second degree of
latitude; then turning westward, it
passes in very irregular line through
the states of California, Oregon and
Washington.
Extending distance of 100 miles on
each side of this isothermal line Is q
belt which for the present may be re-
garded as the theoretical beet sugar
area of the United States. There are
many localities lying outside of this
belt in which the sugar beet will
thrive, but this will be due to some ex-
ceptional qualities of the climate or
soil and not to any favorable influence
of higher or lower temperature. A
mean temperature of 20 degrees F.
in the summer, however, must not be
regarded as the only element of tenn
perature which is to be taken into con-
sideration. In those localities where
the winters come early and are of
unusual severity will be found greater
difficulties in the production of sugar
from the sugar beet than in those To-
calities where the winters are light and
mild, although the mean summer tenn
perature of both localities may be
represented by 10 degrees F. AS an IL
lustration of this difficulty may be
cited northern Nebraska and South
Dakota, where the winters are of great
severity, and southern California,
where there is scarcely any winter at
all.
The mean summer temperature of
these localities is about the same, but
the continuation of a semisummer
temperature through the winter in
Southern California greatly fayors the
growth and manufacture of beets. In
Enorthern Nebraska and South Dakota
che beets, which are to be manufac-
tured during the winter time, have to
be protected by expensive silos. In
southern California and other places
similarly situated the beets can be
protected without any covering or at
most with only slight covering of
leaves or straw. The season for plant
ing in mild climate is also longer.
For instance, in southern California
planting can commence as early
as January and continue till June,
thus giving a beet crop coming
continuously into maturity from the
1st of August to the lst of December.
In other localities the planting must
be accomplished in short time, say
from the 10th of May till the lst of
June. Before the first of these dates
the ground will be too cold for plant
ing, and after the second the season
will be so late as to prevent the matur-
ity of the beets from frost. When the
field is properly ploved and subsoiied
in the late autumn, the farmer will be
able to take advantage of the first
favorable opportunity in the. spring to
prepare the surface of the soil and
plant the seed.