The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-04-12
SUGAR BEET INDUSTRY.

The Secretary of Agriculture has Just
transmitted under date Of April 1>t II
the President for the Information o1
Congress Il very full report ON the pres
ent condition If the sugar beet indus
Try in this country. and of the opera
tons az the Department during the
past season in relation thereto. The
document consists Of TWO parts. the frs
beng Il report from the chemist Of th,
Department. Dr. II. w. Wiley. il
Whicz the history II the industry i
reviewed and giving a full account OF
the seasons operations.
The principal distribution Of sngar
beet seed the past season was made
through the agcnc Of the agricultural
experiment stations, the directors Of
many stations having been appointed
special agents Of the Department for
carrying his method INTO effect. Seeds
We're also sent 10 about ten Thousand
farmers III different parts Of the coun-
try. With full Instructions for planting.
cultivating and >ampl!ng for analysis.
These Instructions We're contained III
Farmers RIlletin No. -. Of which
during the season nearly 10000 cop
les were distributed. Tee samples for
analysis We're sent either TO the agrl-
cultural experiment stations or 10 the
Department Of Agriculture. In all
about 1900 samples were received for
analysis at the Department Of Agrlcul-
ture.
The best results We're reported from
the States Of New York and Michigan.
Other States in which reports were ia
vorable We're Wisconsin. Ohio. Indiana.
Minnesota. Nevada. South Dakota. Wy
onling and Colorado. States giving fair
results We're Iowa. Nebraska. New Jer-
sey and Pennsylvania. In general il
was found that after passing south of
the mean isotherm Of Il degrees +.
for tae three months Of June. July and
August. the results were poor. 1t is
found that the belt of territory in
Guided between the limits of the iso-
thelms of II and 90 degrees may be
regarded rs the basic belt Of the bet su-
gar industry. The best results are obtained
within or north of this belt. other eli
matte conditions being favorable. EN-
IRENE northern limits of sugar beet cuI-
ture are determined only by the advent
of freezing weather.
4 comparison of analytical data with
the thermal area shows a remarkable |
agreement. In States so situated that
their northern portions are in the fiji
voNable thermal area, While their south
ern portions are without, comparison
of the analyses of the beetS grown i'll
the southern, central and northern pOr-
tons of these States shows a regular
graduation of excellence from south to
north.
The conditions Of growing beets under
irrigation have been studied somewhat.
but imperfectly. The data collected.
however. are very reassuring. and lead
to the evident belief that irrigated lands
under proper thermal conditions will
give most excellent returns with beets.
The eport contains not only the an
alytlcal data obtained at the Depart
ment of Agriculture. arranged alpha
hetically by States and counties, but
also Of The data which have been OBJ
tanned at the agricultural experiment
stations during the year. In all in
stances the data obtained at the stations
agreed very closely with those secured
from the same States at the Depart
mcnt of Agriculture. These data from
the experimental stations are c~ollate.l
and studied side 10y side with data
from the same States obtained from thrI
Department Of Agriculture. making a
complete exposition of the results Of in
v~estlgations from all parts of the conn-
try. The collaboration thus secured be
tween The States and the Department
has afforded the best possible results III
? W uilttI tikIl.
Experiments We're also conducted in
the production of high-gradc beets.
Of the higE-grade seeds obtained
at the station at Schuyler during the
continuance Of the work at that point
were found to have sufficient vitality
TO continue their growth. Other high
grade seeds produced from specially
analyzed beets We're procured from Eu-
ropean growers. and. III collaboration
With SIN Of the experiment stations. com
tests were made of these seeds
IN various localities. The stations col
Il bOrating III this work were Tennessee.
kentucky, Indiana. Iowa. Wisconsin
and New York. The best results were
from the stations in Wisconsin,
New York. TIE beets which were
1T the New York station were
carefully selected for physical proper
les, and those which reached the stand
irti OF shape and size We're subjected to
individual ANALYSES and preserved for
he propagation of seeds for the season
II 1898. In all. 300 beets We're found
Q have the requisite qualifications for
he production Of seed. and these hay,
leen preserved during the winter in a
lilo and are to he distributed this spring
o the various stations for seed produce
ION. \ few of them which have ex-
iibited peculiar strains Of excellence
AVE been preserved for the ]pr3duction
II 4 new variety of beets. which it is
proposed to call the American Elite.
heSe bFets gave an average of about
- ounces and an average content Of !
ifSar OF - per cent. The purity OF
mces in similar beets were found to be
lfsout 81. These beets. having shown
ilese remarkable variations from tle
tandard size and sugar quality. arc
fitted to produce a new va
leE OF beetS better suited to Ameri-
an tanners than the standard heets or
europe. It IS the intention Of the De- a
rtmen to endeavor to establish \ va +,
lFy OF heetS Of this kind which shah
ave at least 4 third greater weight :
nan TIE STANDARD sugar beet Of Eu- i
nre without losing ANYTHING in smear 4
ontent or in purity of Juice. The inn ;,
tense advantage of such a variety OF :
'a1t Tor American growers is easily Z