Rocky Ford enterprise., 1915-09-10

United States crippled thru lack of
sugar beet seed, the United States
government has begun a series OF cul-
tural experiments in Colorado, look
ing to solution of this problem.
w. w. Tracy Jr., technologist in
sugar beet Investigations, has been
stationed at Rocky Ford, and has be-
gun work which cannot fail to be one
of the utmost importance to the beet
sugar industry of the nation.
Sugar beet men feel that this work
should have been taken up several
years ago. Had the government fol-
lowed the example of several Europ-
can countries in encouraging the rails
ing OF sugar beet seed, the United
States would not be facing crisis
in beet culture today. As matters
stand, private companies have taken
the lead in this work and are now
several seasons ahead OF the govern
beet seed.
This season the Great Western
Sugar company has approximately
sixty acres of seed beets under cul-
tivation. While this will not produce
seed enough to take care of the acre
age of the company, it is believed
that with the beet seed that is left
from this years planting, and with
the seed that may be obtained from
foreign sources, enough will be Sc
cured to make the company secure
for next year. This company's ini-
tial experiments in beet seed culture
were carried on, as announced some
time ago in the Times, near Billings,
Mont, in the Clarks Fork valley.
This region was selected because it
is peculiarly free from hail :.
Growing beet seed is a long and
complicated process, cntailing much
hand labor. On account of the diff
culties surrounding the successful
growing OF beet seed, the growers in
the United States have been depend
ing on Germany for their supply. The
Great Western Sugar company, while
getting its seed from Europe, iortu-,
nately began its seed raising expert
ments two or three years ago, thus
insuring from 10000 to 10000 pounds
of commercial seed this year. This
seed is being grown in experimental
plots at all the sugar factories OF
the company in Colorado, and every
attention is being given to its cul-
ture.
1t is figured that, even if an ample
supply is not assured, fair crop can
be made certain by lighter planting.
About twenty pounds to the acre is
the average amount of seed now used
in planting operations in Colorado, but
it is believed that this can be cut to
fifteen pounds under the right con-
ditions and fair stand OF bcets can
be secured. The Great Western Sugar
company has corps OF experts in
every factory district, and these men
are always ready to assist the farm
ers with advice about soil conditions
and cultural methods. In this way
the most economical use of beet seed
is insured.
There is no question about produc-
ing beets from the native seed that
will be equal, if not superior, to beets
grown from foreign seed. Extensive
experiments conducted by Hans
Mendclssohn, the Great Westerns
expert at Billings. who was probably
the first man in this country to raise
have shown that the sugar contents
of foreign beets can be exceeded.
The aim, however, in producing SUI
gar beets is not to secure a heavy
sugar content in the individual beet.
but to produce the heaviest tonnage
of high-content beets per acre.
Where beets of high sugar content
have been raised-sometimes the CON
tent ranging as high as 80 per cent
it has been found that the tonnage
has suffered. Where extremely high
tonnage has been secured the sugar
content of the beets has been sacri
feed. The aim is to produce a beet
that has not developed one quality
ut of annfher-1nI h1s
been proved in the experimental work
carried on at the Colorado factories
that this can be done here.
So far as the European situation is
concerned, sugar beet growers in the
United States see little hope. Dis
patches the other day told of German
willingness to export sugar beet seed
to this country, provided Great Brit
ain would allow compensating cx-
port of foodstuffs from this country
to Germany. Great Britain consented
to German exports of beet seed to
| this country but would not lift the
to Germany. Thus both countries
imposed conditions which were i'm
possible of fulfllment and which
brought no relief to American sugar
| beet growers.
There is plenty of beet seed in Ger
| many. evidently, in spite of the war,
The latest report of the international
Association OF Sugar Statistics shows
that the German beet production this
season will be only 3l.9 per cent be-
low normal. The total European
production of sugar bcets this year
will be 274 per cent below normal.
A small amount of beet seed has
been bought in France, but the great
bulk has come from Germany.
1t is understood that Russia has
some beet seed for sale, and this is
being looked up by the department