Omaha daily bee., 1899-06-25

growing sugar beets depends on the total
amount of alkali salts present in this upper
stratum and soil with marked alkali efiores-
cences at the surface may be perfectly capa-
BILE of profitable sugar beet culture.
Perfect Conditions with Irrigation.
While the arid area on which beets can
be grown without irrigation is probably con-
fined almost exclusively to the coast valleys
Of California, where the soil is of that tex
ture which allows subterranean moisture to
reach the rootlets, the successful commercial
production OF sugar beets in Utah and New
Mexico has opened up a new and extensive
field for the extension of the sugar indus
try over large areas suited to irrigation in
the western and southwestern regions of the
United States. 1t is certain now that Colo
RADIO, Utah, New Mexico, Idaho and Arizona
may become great sugar producing states,
not excluding other areas in the arid region.
California has already set the pace of prog
ress and the other arid states will not be
slow to follow. The high cost of good irri-
cation renders it imperative that the areas
under culture be devoted to a crop which is
capable of producing a more valuable yield
than is afforded by cereal culture OF all
the home markets for our domestic agrCu
tural products, there is none so insistent nor
so expansive as that for sugar With an an
nual consumption of 100000 tons and with
a certainty Of rapid increase, the demand for
sugar promises to be the salvation OF Ameri-
can agriculture.
Can Compete with the World.
The northern parts of our eastern and
middle states and the states OF Oregon and
Washington have at least an equal chance
for the successful production of beet sugar
with the fields of France and Germany.
The irrigable parts OF the great southwest,
ii is believed, have advantages of soil and
climate which will enable them to enter
into competition even with the Hawaiian
| islands and Cuba TO be able to control
the moisture in the soil is a matter OF prime
importance to the beet grower, In the arid
| region the beet can be left to mature at
the proper time by Withholding the water
Subsequently there is no danger of loss due
! to second growth so easily induced by late
warm autumnal rains. In a dry soil the
| beet can endure without damage low tenn
perature, which would prove quite disas-
| trous in a wet climate. More complete ma
| turity may be thus obtained, and a more
| lesurely harvest. In fact, it Is stated there
| is no staple crop which can compete with
/ the sugar beet in demanding the favora-
| BILE attention OF those interested in irriga-
! tion. 1t is estimated that nearly 100 900 900
4 acres or land IN the arld regions OF the
United States may eventually be irrigated,
being nearly one-ffth OF the total area of
the country OF this area perhaps 10 per
cent are capable Of easy and speedy irriga-
| tion.
| The building OF some OF the storage reser-
! voirs by the government under the river
and harbor appropriation, as advocated by
/ Senator Warren and others in congress last
! winter, sites for which have already been
| officially surveyed and reserved would re-
claim enough land and open 1t to settlement
to supply the entire 800 900 worth OF
sugar for which the United States now
sends annually to Germany and France, thus
! enTiching The farmers of those countries at
the expense of our own.
One million acres planted to beets would
yield, under extensive culture, a quantity
q. sugar sufficient. with the Louisiana prod
ucts, for domestic consumption With this
great sugar production and the possibili-
ties for stimulus TO dairying and feeding
opened up through the use Of the byproducts
OF the beet after the sugar has been ex-
tracted. there is nowhere in sight a more
promising prospect for agricultural develop
ment than in the production OF sugar beets
On irrigated lands.