The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1897-05-07
A NEBRASKA INTEREST.
Points on Growing Sugar Bee,s and Theii
Conversion Into sugar.


eerning the culture of sugar beets ano
the manufacture of beet sugar is con
| tanned In a bulletin just issued by the
| department of agriculture. The
| author is Prof. III. w. Wiley, formerly
director of the department sugar beet
| experiment station in Nebraska. Be-
ing thoroughly acquainted with the in
ception and growth of the industry in
this state, gives distinct local interest
to the statistics and deductions con
tanned in the bulletin.
One of the remarkable facts shown
by the statistical tables in the bulletin
is found in the information they con
tain showing that the sugar beet has
been able on demand to supply the re-
markable deficiency in the worlds
| sugar crop produced by the Cuban war.
In three years the supply of sugar fur
| nished by that island has fallen from
200, 900. 900 to about 100, 600 tons, and
yet there has been no appreciable de-
1icit noticed in the total sugar produc.
ton of the world.
The theoretical beet sugar belt is
illustrated with a map showing a zig
gag isOthermal line crossing the states
of New York, Ohio, Indiana and
Illinois. 1t reaches the highest point
at st. Paul, Minn. Thence it extends
in southwesterly direction until it
enters the state of South Dakota,
where it turns again northwest and
reaches its highest point in Dakota
just above the fifty fifth parallel of
latitude, where it crosses the Missouri
river. The isothermal line then turns
almost due south, turns westward
through Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah
and California. Extending a distance
of 100 miles on each side of this
isothermal line" says the bulletin, lis
belt which, for the present, may be
regarded as the theoretical beet sugar
area of the United States. There are
doubtless many localities lying outside
of this belt, both north and south, in
which the sugar beet will be found to
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 70 degrees +. in
the summer, however, must not be re-
garded as the only element of temper
ature which is to be taken into consid-
Grafton. In those localities where the
winters come early and are of unusual
severity will be found greater difficult
ties in the production of sugar from
the sugar beet than in those localities
where the winters are light and mild,
although the mean summer tempera-
ture of both localities NAV be repre-
sented by 20 degrees +. As an illustra-
ton of this difficulty may be cited
northern Nebraska and South Dakota,
w no nfn, ~,f
ity, and southern California. where
there is scarcely any winter at all
although conditions of temperature
must be taken into consideration in
selecting sites for beet sugar factories.
yet IN addition to the thermal condi-
tions must also be studied those of
rainfall The sugar beet requires a
certain amount of moisture in order to
produce its normal crop. The moisture
must be derived either from precipita-
ton in the usual way. by irrigation, or
else the soil must be of that particular
quality which will allow subterranean
moisture to reach the rootlets of the
plants. Soil of this latter kind ap-
pears to exist in many localities in
California, where beets are grown
almost without rain. The porus and
sandy soils adjacent to many of the
western rivers, such as the Platte
river in Nebraska and the Arkansas
river in Kansas, also appear to furnish
a sufficient amount of subterranean
moisture to produce a good crop in con-
nection with the rainfall. of which,
however, but little is expected in
those localities during the sum
mer months. Where there is little
subterranean moisture, and where irri-
cation is not practicable, the endeavor
should be made to secure localities
for the growth of the sugar beet where
an average summer precipitation CT
from two to four inches per month
may be expected. There are many
conditions of agriculture. however un-
der which the beet becomes quite in
dependent of extremes of precipita-
ton. The beet may thrive with very
little rainfall or with a great deal, If
properly cultivated in a suitable soil.
1.-The sugar beet does not require a
particular kind of soil for it's proper
production. In general. soils are des-
cribed for practical purposes, as clavey.
sandy, loamy or alluvial soils; all of
these soils will produce beets. The
black prairie soils also have been
found, with proper cultivation. to pro-
duce excellent beets. Generally, the
least favorable soils for the sugar beet
are stiff clay. which is cultivated
With difficulty and readily packs under
the influence of hard rains or hot suns,
and virgin soils or those especially
rich in organic mstter or alkaline
salts. Perhaps the best soil may be
described as sandy loan; soil con-
tanning happy equilibrium between
organic matters, clay and sand.
In general it may be said that any
soil which will produce good crop of
Indian corn, wheat or potatoes will,
under proper cultivation, produce
good crop of sugar beets. The soil on
which sugar beets are grown, however.
should be reasonably level, and, this
being the case, it should be we'll
drained. Natural drainage on level
soil being somewhat deficient. it is ad-
vantageous that tile drainage be
2racticed. 1t would be difficult to
grow sugar beets on level land with
out good drainage, especially in a rainy
season."