219 72 20 py 1 3 219 r72 920 Dpy 1 1 I ^ JITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE BULLETIN No. 995 Contribution from the Bureau of Plant Industry WM. A. TAYLOR. Chief Washington, D. C. W October 14, 1921 THE BEET-SUGAR INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES IN 1920 By d^Or^'^OWNSEND, Pathologist in Charge OflRce of Sugar- Plant Investigations CONTENTS Page 1 Beet-Sugar Mills in the United States Soil 7 Subsoil S Topography 9 Climate 10 Sugar-Beet Stand 13 Water 19 Dtainage 22 Seepage 24 Soil Fertility 26 Crop Rotation 30 Competing Crops 32 Farm Equipment 35 Beet By-Products and Live Stock . . . Labor Problems The Successful Grower Diseases Insects By-Products . . . . Roads Contracts Area Competition Sugar-Beet Seed Publications of the United States Depart- ment of Agriculture Relating to Sugar and Its Production Page 41 42 44 45 48 49 50 51 54 55 57 WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1921 ^ :d (:$ ^ ' '/ UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE yU^-^'^-T'^ BULLETIN No. 995 Contribution from the Bureau of Plant Industry WM. A. TAYLOR, Chief jrU^'^^jt. Washington, D. C. October 14, 1921 THE BEET-SUGAR INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES IN 1920. By C. O. Town SEND, PathoJofiist in Charge, Office of fiu(jar-Plant InrestifKitions. CONTENTS. Page. Beet-sugar mills in the United States^ 1 Soil , 7 Subsoil 8 Topogi-aphj- ;: Climate 10 Sugar-beet stand 13 Water 10 Drainage 22 Seepage 24 Soil fertility .26 Crop rotation .'!0 Competing crops 32 Farm equipment 35 Page. Beet by-products and live stock 41 [Labor problems 42 The successful grower 44 ■ •ni'scas.es '.:■__ 4r> Injects 4S By-products 40 Roads .">0 Contracts . 51 Area comp+'tition 54 Sugar-beet seed 55 Publications of the United States Department of Agricultuie relat- ing to sugar and the production.. 57 BEET-SUGAR MILLS IN THE UNITED STATES. In the United States in 1919, 9S beet-sugar mills were standing- and e(iuii3ped for extracting and refining- sugar from beet roots. The oldest one of the mills noAv standing was built in 1870 at Ah^arado, Calif. During the summer of 1919, 4 of the 98 mills had been ei'ected and equipped for the campaign of 1919-20, C> additional ones Avere built ancf equipped for the handling of the 1920-t21 crop, and two others are iii i)rocess of construction, making a total of lOG beet- sugar mills now standing. (Table I.) 56830° — Bull. 005—21 1 BULLETIN 995, U. S. DEPAETMEISTT OF AGEICULTURE. Table I. — American beet-sugar mills in 1920. Location. State. California. Nebraska. Utah California. do.... Wisconsin Utah California. do.... do.... Colorado. . Michigan . do.... do.... do.... do.... Colorado. . do.... Ohio Mii;higan . do.... do.... Colorado. . Utah Colorado.. ....do.... Michigan . ....do.... ....do.... ....do.... Utah Idaho .... Michigan . ....do.... ....do.... Colorado. . ....do ....do.... Wisconsin ....do.... Idaho ....do.... Utah Michigan . Illinois . . . Colorado. . ....do. ... Wisconsin Colorado.. ....do.... ....do.... Montana.. Kansas . . . CaUfornia . Minne.sota Colorado. . Iowa California. Nebraska. Ohio Nevada... Ohio Utah CaUfornia.. ....do ....do Idaho .... Ohio ....do Indiana. . . Utah ....do Wyoming. ...".do..... Town. Alvarado Grand Island Lehi Chino Los Alaniitos Menomonee Falls . Ogden Oxnard Betteravia Spreckels Grand Junction . . . Holland Bay City Alma West Bay City.... Caro Rocky Ford Sugar City Fremont Marine Citv Bay City.." Lansing Loveland Logan Greeley Eaton. CarroUton Mount Clemens. . . Croswell Sebewaing Garland Idaho Falls St. Louis Menominee Owosso FortColUns Windsor Longmont Chippewa Falls.. . .Tanesville Blackfoot Sugar City Lewiston BUssfield Riverdale Lamar Sterling Madison Brush Fort Morgan Swink Billings Garden City ; Hamilton City Chaska Las Animas Waverly New Delhi (Santa Ana). ScottsblufT Paulding Fallon Findlay Elsinofe Anaheim , Huntington Beach Dyer (Santa Ana). Burlev Toledo Ottawa Decatur Payson Layton Sheridan Lovell Date of erec- tion. 1870 1890 1891 1891 1897 1897 1898 1898 1899 1899 1899 1899 1899 1899 1899 1899 1900 1900 1900 1900 1901 1901 1901 . 1901 1902 1902 1902 1902 1902 1902 1903 1903 1903 1903 1903 1903 1903 1903 1904 1904 1904 1904 1905 1905 1905 1905 1905 1905 1906 1906 1906 1906 1906 1906 1906 1907 1907 1908 1910 1910 1911 1911 1911 1911 1911 1912 1912 1912 1912 1912 1913 1915 1915 1916 Name of company. Capacity." Origi- Pre«- nal. ent. Tons. Alameda Sugar Co 500 American Beet Sugar Co 350 Utah-Idaho Sugar Co 300 American Beet-Sugar Co 400 Los Alamitos Sugar Co 3.50 Wisconsin Sugar Co | 500 Amalgamated Sugar Co 350 American Beet Sugar Co 2, 000 Union Sugar Co 500 Spreckels Sugar Co 3, 000 HoUy Sugar Corporation 350 Holland-St. Louis Sugar Co 350 Michigan Sugar Co 600 do 600 West Bay City Sugar Co 500 Michigan Sugar Co 600 American Beet Sugar Co 1, (XK) National Sugar Mfg. Co 500 Continental Sugar Co 350 Independent Sugar Co 350 Columbia Sugar Co 400 Owosso Sugar Co 600 Great Western Sugar Co 1, 000 Amalgamated Sugar Co 400 Great Western Sugar Co 700 do 600 Michigan Sugar Co 800 Mount Clemens Sugar Co 600 Michigan Sugar Co. . .•. 600 do 600 Utah-Idaho Sugar Co 700 . .... .do fiOO Holland-St. Louis Sugar Co 500 Menominee River Sugar Co 1, 000 Owosso Sugar Co 1, 000 Great Western Sugar Co 1, 200 do 600 do 600 Chippewa Sugar Refining Co 600 Rock County Sugar Co 600 U tah-Idaho Sugar Co 600 do 700 Amalgamated Sugar Co 600 Continental Sugar Co 600 Charles Pope, Chicago 350 American Beet Sugar Co 400 Great Western Sugar Co 600 United States Sugar Co 600 Great Western Sugar Co 750 do j 600 HoUy Sugar Corporation i 1, 200 Great Western Sugar Co ; 1, 200 Garden Cit v Sugar & Land Co ... ' 1, 000 Sacramento VaUey Sugar Co. Minnesota Sugar Co American Beet Sugar Co Iowa Sugar Co Southern CaUfornia Sugar Co. Great Western Sugar Co Columbia Sugar Co Lahontan Valley Sugar Co. Continental Sugar Co Utah-Idaho Sugar Co Anaheim Sugar Co Holly Sugar Corporation Santa Ana Sugar Co Amalgamated Sugar Co Toledo Sugar Co Ohio Sugar Co Holland-St, Louis Sugar Co. Utah-Idaho Sugar Co Layton Sugar Co Sheridan Sugar Co Great Western Sugar Co 600 600 700 400 600 1,200 700 500 600 .500 500 750 600 400 1,000 600 700 500 500 600 600 Tons. 800 500 1,200 1,100 900 600 1, 000 3,000 1,200 4, .-.0 ) 700 500 1,400 1,400 900 1, 200 1, 800 .500 600 600 1, 500 800 1,950 700 1,050 1,200 900 600 750 850 900 900 600 1,200 1,300 2, 150 1, 150 2, 3.50 600 700 800 900 800 1,000 500 500 1, 050 600 1, 100 1, 200 1, 200 2,000 1,000 700 800 1,000 500 600 2,000 900 500 900 750 1,200 1,200 1,200 700 1,500 700 800 750 600 900 600 " Number of tons of beets that may be sliced each 24 hours. b Rebuilt in 1879, 1887, and 1889. c Acquired by the Holly Sugar Corporation. 79 SO SI S2 s:j Si S5 Si) S7 88 S9 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 lOG THE BKET-ST^GAR INDUSTHV IX l'.»2(). Tabt.e I. — Ainericiin hcvt-xu(i(ir iiiilla in 1920 — Continued. Location . State. Idaho Nebraska — Utah do do Idaho Utah do Colorado Nebraska Iowa California Utah do Idaho CaUforiiia.. . Wyoming. . Wasliingtoii Utah do do Washington Idaho Washington Nebraska... Idaho Michigan . . . Iowa Wisconsui . . Utah Colorado do Town. Twin Falls Gering Spanish Fork West .Tordaii Brigham Paul Smithlk'ld Delta Brighton Bayard Mason City Manleca Moroni Cornish Shollev Trat-y Worland Yakima Springville Centerfield Hooper Sunnvside Rigby Toppenish Mitchell Whitney Mount Pleasant. Belmond Green Bay Honev^■ilie Delta Fort Lupton — Date of erec- tion. 1910 1916 1916 1916 1916 1917 1917 1917 1917 1917 1917 1917 1917 1917 1917 1917 1917 1917 191S 191. s 1919 1919 1919 1919 1920 1920 1920 1920 1920 1920 1920 1920 Name of company. Amalgamated Sugar Co Great Western Sugar Co Utah-Idaho Sugar Co ....do do Amalgamated Sugar Co do Utah-Idaho Sugar Co Great Western Sugar Co do Northern Sugar Corporation. Spreckels Sugar Co People's Sugar Corporation.. Amalgamated Sugar Co Utah-Idaho Sugar Co Alameda Sugar Co Wyoming Sugar Co Utah-Idaho Sugar Co Spruigvllk'-Mapleton Sugar Co . Capacity. Origi- Pres- nal. ent. Tons. 600 1,000 7.50 500 500 500 500 1,000 1, 000 1, (100 1, 200 1,000 400 600 600 .")00 600 600 3.50 Gunnison Valley Sugar Co 4.50 Pioneer Sugar Co Utah-Idaho Sugar Co Beet Growers' Sugar Co Utah-Idaho Sugar Co Great AVestern Sugar Co Pioneer Sugar Co Columbia Sugar Co Iowa Valley Sugar Co (ireen Bay Sugar Co Utah-Idaho Sugar Co Holly Sugar ('orporation Industrial Sugar Co 400 7.50 800 7.50 1,000 600 1,000 600 600 600 600 600 Tons. 800 1,100 1,000 750 7.50 600 700 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,200 1,200 400 600 7.50 .500 600 750 350 4.50 400 750 800 750 1,000 600 1,000 600 600 600 600 600 Dale en- larged . During the past ■'iO years .") other mills have been built, but 3 of them have burned, 1 has been dismantled, and 1 has been utilized for some purpose other than that of making beet sugar. Of the 106 beet-sugar mills now standing (tig. 1). 2G were erected at some (•"• / X L**»L \ . \ L^ V -___^ ••• MISS :^ ■3 • S DA K WYO T [•• NEB'' / ?«*^>» , COL / M 1 N N /^ >- • k w IOWA MO r •/a IND I TENN — 1 ALA A "n, S C y^ GA \j/ OKL N M EX L^ ARK 1 \fla\ i'"iG. 1. — Outline map showiiij; by black dot.s the location.s of beet-sugar mills that were in operation during the 1920-21 campaign. Mills that were standing idle during the 1920-21 campaign are indicated by an X mark. 4 BULLETIN 995, U. S, DEPAETMENT OF AGRICULTURE. point other than the ph\ce Avhere they are noAv located, but owing to certain limiting factors in beet-sugar production these 26 mills were removed to other locations (fig. 2 and Table II) ; 2 of these were built in Canada and removed to the Ignited States and 1 was built in this country and removed to Canada. Tabi^e II. — Or'm'nxiJ iiikJ pj-escnt locations: of the rctnorrd hci-i-suynr iiiilhs. Date of ■ ] erec- 1 tion. 1S91 1S97 1898 1898 1898 1899 1899 1899 1899 1899 1900 1901 1902 1902 1903 1905 1905 1906 190() 1906 1908 1911 1916 1917 1918 AVliero built. State. Town. Date mov- ed. Nebr. N. Y. Greg . . GaUt. . Mich.. ...do.. ...do.. ...do.. Nebr. . Wash. N. Y.. Mich.. Out... ...do.. Mich.. Colo . . Ariz .. Idalio . Mich . . Calif. . ...do.. Colo... Greg.. Mont . ...do.. Norfolk 1905 Rome 1906 .do.. Binghamton. La Grande... Crockett Bay City Benton Harltor Rochester Kalamazoo Leavitt Waverly Lyons Sagmaw Dresden Wiarton -East Tawas... Holly Glendale Nampa Charlevoix . . Visalia Corcoran Monte Vista. . Grant's Pass. Missoula WhitehaU. . . . 1912 1908 1907 1902 19!'o 1904 1910 1918 1911 1905 1904 190S 190f. 1915 1920 1916 1912 1919 1920 1916 1919 1920 1920 Present location . Colo. . . . Cahf... Idaho.. ...do.. . CaUf.. . Iowa.. . Ontario Wis... ...do.. Nebr. . Utah.. Calif. . Colo. . . Wis... Calif.. Minn . Wyo.. Colo... Utah.. Ohio.. Utah.. Idaho . Wyo . . Wash . Nebr. . Utah.. I^amar . Visalia. Blackfoot Bmley. .. Corcoran . Waverly Berlin. ." , Madison Chippewa Falls Scotts Bluff Centerfield .Vnahcim. . Sterling... .TanesviUe. Santa Ana Chaska Sheridan. . Delta Spanish Fork. Ottawa Hooper Whitney. Lovell..".. Toppenish . Mitchell.... Honeyville. Capac- ity (tons). Oris^inal owners. 350-500 200 350-600 500-1,000 350-^500 350 500-(i(M) 500-600 500-2,000 350-500 6011-1, 200 600-1,050 600- 3.5(Mi0() 60(I-S(MI 60l)-900 <;(M) "5(V1,(M)0 600-700 400 600 600 500 1, 0(K) 600 Norfolk Beet Sugar Co. First New York Beet Sugar Co. Binghamton Beet Susrar Co. Oregon Sugar Co. California Beet Sugar it Refining Co. Michigan Sugar Co. Wolverine Sugar Co. Detroit Sugar Co. Kalamazoo Sugar Co. Standard Beet Sugar Co. Wasliingtou State Sugar Co. Empire State Sugar Co. Saginaw Sugar Co. ])ri's California Virginia New Mexico . . Minnesota Wal sonville Staunton Eddy 1888... 1892... 18%... 1898... 1899... Western Beet Sugar Co 1,000 C) 200 350 700 Dismantled, Burned, 1S94. 3 Pecos Valley Beet Sugar Co Minnesota Sugar Co Illinois Sugar- Refining Co Burned, igo.'^. 4 1 St. Louis Park.. Burned, igitt. 1902. " Not known. The lOG mills now standing- are for the most part favorably sit- uated for e.xtractinjj; and refinino; beet snar mills have been crowded in too rapidly, so that it has not been possible to readjust the farming opera- tions and install the required drainage, irrigation, and other improve- ments with sufficient rapidity to provide the necessary well-prepared acreage to supply enough sugar beets to insure a normal mill run. Con- sequently neither the mill owners nor the growers have received under these conditions a ma.ximum return for the nionev and labor invested BULLETIN" 995, V. S. DEPARTMENT OE AGRICULTURE, Table IV. — Beet-xugur prodiirtion, J916 to 1920. Beets produced. Average. Price paid for beets. Num- ber of sugar mills. Days oper- ating . Beets har- vested. Sugar made. Location and year. Aver- age Total. E.x- trac- Sugar in the Coeffi- cient of pu- rity. Aver- a.ge Total. per acre. tion. beets. per ton. California: Acr(s. Tons. Tons. P.ct. P. ct. Tons. 1916 11 108 141,097 .10.47 1,477,426 16.15 18.35 84.13 236, 322 $6.30 89,311,000 1917.... 14 92 161,909 8.22 1,331,548 15.84 18.48 82.91 209, 325 7.60 10, 125, 000 1918 13 81 100, 684 8.52 858, 028 14.52 17.03 81.50 122, 795 9.95 S, 534, 000 1919.... 10 76 107,174 7.61 815, 896 16.30 17. 87 82.02 131,172 14.17 11,561,000 1920 10 90 122,813 8.74 1,073,828 15.97 17.66 81.44 167,997 13.13 14,096,000 Colorado: 191fi.... 14 102 188,568 10.70 2,018,298 13. 04 15. 00 85.79 252, 147 6.06 12,236,000 1917 15 91 161,476 11.50 1,857,649 13.39 15. 40 85.16 234, .303 7.28 13,.52'i,000 1918 14 76 125, 882 11.47 1, 443, 846 14.07 16. 10 85.96 191, 880 10.02 14,474,000 1919 15 87 182,616 9.66 1,764,772 11.71 13.62 83.85 193, 890 10. 85 19,143,000 1920.... 17 98 219, 847 10. .58 2, .325, 003 13.tj0 15.81 &5. 15 294, 482 11.88 27,627,000 Idaho: 1916 5 86 42, 135 8.48 357, 137 13. 84 16.95 86.39 45,874 6.16 2,199,000 1917.... 7 70 37,745 8.27 312,067 13.40 16.74 84.84 38,-376 7.06 2,203,000 191? 7 87 32, 306 10.66 344, 334 13. 66 16.57 86. 46 44, 682 10.00 3,443,000 1919.... 6 50 30, 331 6.70 203, 168 13.29 15. 48 86. 15 26, 159 11.00 2,235,000 1920 8 72 45, 810 8.82 404, 078 13.94 16.26 86.41 57, 603 12.10 4,88^,000 Michigan : 1916 15 49 99, 619 .1.46 543, 766 13.79 16.37 j 85.22 69,341 6.14 .3,337,003 1917 14 53 82, 151 6.38 524, 195 13.91 16.28 86.57 64, 247 8.04 1,215,000 1918 16 75 114,976 8.40 966, 676 14.37 16.61 85. 49 ■ 127,979 10.08 9,741,000 1919.... 16 84 123,375 9.82 1,211,018 12.63 14. 57 81.78 1.30, 385 12. 52 15, 158, 00!) 1920 17 87 149, 559 8.78 1,312,883 13.34 15. 79 84. 04 165, 899 10.08 13,236,000 Nel)raska: 1916 3 160 41,083 10.34 424,913 12.86 15. 51 81.12 51,945 6.17 2,622,000 1917 4 97 51,337 9.22 473, 494 12.16 14.91 80.71 53, 893 7.22 :5, 417,000 1918.... 4 99 42, 746 11.35 485,070 14.01 16.05 86. 14 63, 494 9.96 4.833,000 1919.... 4 112 59, 113 10.16 600, 730 10.99 1.3.14 82. 80 60, 870 10. 90 6, 546, 000 1920 .... 5 110 72,296 9.93 717,956 13.37 15. 74 83.94 89, 518 11.96 8, -587, 000 Ohio: 1916 4 45 24, 767 5.96 147,718 13.24 15. 89 83.36 18,234 6.83 1,008,000 1917.... 5 70 24, 234 9.08 219,931 12. C8 16.24 86.25 24, 467 7.18 1,58C,000 1918 5 91 32, 547 9.69 315, 371 12.19 15.74 84. 23 35, 476 10.03 3,162,000 1919.... 5 79 30, 909 10.58 326, 962 10.93 14. 15 82.73 31,864 12.75 4,168,000 1920 5 100 49, 199 8.86 435, 928 12.31 15.44 82. 45 47, 073 9.89 4,313,000 rtah: 1916 11 95 68, 211 11.70 798, 119 12. 75 16. C5 84.79 90, 277 5.73 4,577,000 1917 15 82 80, 289 7.49 762,028 12. 01 15.61 82.27 83, 662 7.04 5, 368, 000 1918.... 16 98 81,717 12.27 1,003,013 11.69 15.29 84.21 105, 794 10.01 10,041^000 1919.... 18 84 103, 247 9.84 1,01.5,873 11.12 13. 87 82. 39 101,025 10.97 11,148,000 1920.... 18 1C2 112,567 12.35 1,389,843 12. 89 15. 62 84.27 162,588 12. 03 16,713,000 "Wisconsin: 1 1916 3 48 7,000 8.79 61, 500 11.58 14.90 6,800 6.06 373,000 1917 4 53 9,800 8.10 79, 372 11.34 15.03 8,032 8.81 699, 000 1918 4 61 12,400 8.05 99, 777 14.29 16.29 82.40 13, 358 10.00 998, 000 1919.... 4 60 12, 100 9.71 117,443 10.07 13.16 81.73 10, 636 12.02 1,411,000 1920 5 80 20, 686 9.19 190,203 12.40 15. 86 82. 53 20, 943 10.20 1,940,000 Other States: 1916 8 57 52, 828 7.56 399, 379 13.07 15.69 82.67 49,717 6.20 2, 476, 000 1917 13 51 55, 856 7.52 420, 093 12.46 15.17 81.87 48, 902 7.28 3,0.59,000 1918..-.. 10 64 50, 752 8.53 432, 683 13. 59 15.95 84.31 55, 492 9.86 4,268,000 1919 11 52 43, 590 8.39 365,616 11.95 14.27 83.14 40,450 11.08 4, 050, 000 1920 . . . . 12 70 79, 599 8.75 696, 471 13.06 15. 46 83.12 83,918 11.52 8, 025, 000 All States: 1916 74 SO 665, 308 9.36 6, 228, 256 13.86 16.30 84.74 820,657 6.12 38,139,000 1917 91 74 664, 797 9.00 5,980,377 13. 60 16.28 83.89 765,207 7.39 44,192,000 1918 89 81 594, 010 10.01 5, 948, 798 13. 64 16. 18 84.70 760,950 10.00 59,494,000 1919 89 78 692,455 9.27 6,421,478 12.34 14.48 82.84 726, 4.51 11.74 75, 420, 000 1920 97 91 872, 376 9.80 8, 546, 193 13.63 15.99 S3. 97 1,090,021 11.63 93,426.000 For several years the Office of Siioar-Plant Investigations, jointly with the Office of Farm Management and Farm Economics and inde- pendently, has been studying the agronomic conditions found in each of the existing and in some of the prospective sugar-beet centers. This bulletin discusses the conditions which have been brought out in these studies and points out in a general way the factors that are THE BEET-SUGAR INDUSTRY IN 1920. 7 favorable and those that are unfavorable for the production of «u^ai' beets. The primary object of this bulletin is to give a general survey of the beet-sugar industry, to encourage the more general application of those principles and practices which make for better returns to the grower, and to discourage those practices which tend to reduce the 3'ields and quality of sugar beets and of othei- crops and also to un- balance the relation between crop production and the kind, number, and quality of the live stock on the beet farms. The general effect aimed at is the production of more sugar and a more nearly perfect stabilization of the beet-sugar industry in the United States. The production of sugar from beets in the United States for tlie five-year period from 191G to 1920, inclusive, is shown in Table IV. SOIL. Almost any fertile soil capable of producing good yields of other crops will, if properly handled, produce good sugar beets. More de- pends upon the physical condition of the soil and the way in which it is handled than upon the so-called kind or type of soil. Extremely sandjr soil or soil of a decidedly gravelly type is not usually satisfac- tory for sugar-beet growing. Rair soil. — Generally s})eaking, raw soil or new t-oil does not pro- duce as large yields of sugar beets as may be obtained from soil that has been under cultivation for some time. In recent years much new soil has been brought under cultivation through the use of sugar beets : this in a measure has had a tendency to reduce the average yield of sugar beets in this country. The argument in favor of growling sugar beets on new soil is that this crop will bring the raw soil under control and place it in good tilth for other crops more quickly than almost an}^ other crop now produced on a large scale on American farms. It must be expected, therefore, that so long as new sugar-beet terri- tories are being opened in the partiallj' developed sections of the United States this factor, tending to keep down the average yield of beet roots, will be effective. Also in many of the older sugar-beet sections in wdiich the growing of sugar beets is being extended from year to year. Avhereby new lands are being brought under cultivation, this factor will be more or less effective in holding down the average yield. In those sections where sugar beets have l^een grown for many years (as, for example, in Utah) and in Avhich a minimum acreage of ncAv soil is being used for sugar-beet culture from year to year, the average yield of beets per acre is strlikingly above the average for the entire country. Usually the grower who utilizes new soil for sugar- beet production expects a comparatively low yield and is generally satisfied, for the reason stated above, if the crop pays the cost of pro- duction. Tho'ugh this is one of the causes of the low average yield of beets per acre in this country, it is by no means the only one. 8 BULLETIN 095, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Worn Ho'd. — In those sections where sugar beets have been grown for a number of years without proper attention to the maintenance of soil fertility and an adequate suppl}^ of humus, the yield has been reduced. There are few sugar-beet areas in which the soil fertility has been maintained or improved to the limit of possibilities. It is apparent, therefore, that by proper attention to soil conditions from the standpoint of fertility' the average yield of beets per acre may be greatly increased. The worn condition of the soil is not peculiar to the growing of sugar beets, but occurs in the growing of other farm crops, when attention is not given to increasing the supply of avail- able plant food in the soil or to maintaining its humus content. Qualitij of tJie soil. — Soils vary widely in their original (pialities, both physical and chemical. All agricultural soils are supplied in vaiying proportions with the necessary plant foods for crop produc- tion. Soils that have plant food present in great abundance may 1)6 said to be rich. They are not fertile, hoAvever, unless these plant foods are in soluble form or unless they are rendered soluble as rapidly as the various materials are required by the plant in the process of growth. The quality of the soil from the standpoint of fertility may be greatly improved by i^roper cultivation, crop rota- tion, and the addition of humus, as well as by the application of lime or other material that will improve its physical condition. At times special treatments, such as subsoiling and drainage, are needed to make the soil highly productive. SUBSOIL. In the growing of sugar beets the subsoil is often of equal im- portance with the surface soil. Ildrdpam. — Frequently the surface soil is underlain by a liardpan which it is imi)ossible for tlie beet roots to penetrate. The hardpan may be of natural formation or it may be induced by imjjroper till- age. If it is close to the surface and of such material that it can not bo broken up successfully, the i^rofitable growing of sugar beets is impossible. Beets produced under such conditions will be short, w^ith a resulting low tonnage, or they will be pushed out of the ground and consequently will l)e low in sugar and purity. The nature of the hardpan is of considerable importance in this connection. If it is of rock and near the surface, little can be done to improve its condition for sugar-beet culture, but if it is simply a close and com- pact form of soil it may be broken up with a subsoil plow. Some- times local areas of extremely hard subsoil are found in the sugar- beet sections, and this condition constitutes a limiting factor in the production of this cro}) in those areas as a whole or on certain farms or fields, depending upon the location and distribution of the hard- THE BEET-SUGAR IXDITSTRY IX 1920. 9 |);in. If the liardpan is level it may hold too much moisture in the surface soil, thereby rendering the conditions unfavorable for sugar- beet production without artificial drainage. If the hardpan is sev- eral feet below the surface and has slope sufficient to carry off the excess water, no unfavorable condition will result from it. Porous soil. — The reverse of the preceding condition is sometimes found in sugar-beet sections in which the subsoil is of such a nature and of such a depth that it is very difficult to keep the soil supplied with moisture during the growing season. Rain or irrigation water passes rapidh^ through porous subsoils, and is soon out of reach of the growing plant. If the porous subsoil is very deep and ex- tremel}^ porous the ground is unsuited for sugar-beet culture. Fre- quently this condition can be relieved somewhat by proper cultiva- tion and by supplying tlie surface soil with sufficient humus to en- able it to retain enough moisture to produce a fair crop. A heavy crop of beets can not be expected on a thin surface soil underlain by an extremely porous subsoil. TOPOGRAPHY. 'J'he unfavorable topography of an area is frequently the limiting factor in the production of sugar beets. Mountainous areas can not be utilized for the development of the beet-sugar industry unless the valleys are sufficiently large ti\ support a mill or are favorably located with reference to an existing mill and are composed of sufficient fertile, tillable soil so that beets of proper quality and in sufficient quantity can be produced at a reasonable cost. Many small valleys, especially in the western ITnited States, might be utilized in the growing of sugar beets were it not for the fact that they are too small to support a sugar mill and too far from existing mills to permit the beet roots to be transported at a sufficiently low cost. This problem may be solved by utilizing some practical means of drying the beet roots. It is possible to slice and dry the roots, thereby reducing the weight of the beets by about 75 per cent without changing the quality or lessening the quantity of sugar present. If this can be done Avith sufficient rapidity and at a sufficiently low cost it will be possible to handle to advantage the product of many small valleys and other limited areas. A sugar mill should be able to handle not less than 500 tons of beet roots per day of 24 hours, and it can not be financially successful under normal conditions unless it is supplied with a sufficient quantity of raw material to produce a run of approximately 100 days each year. It is desirable that a considerable part of the supply be Avithin wagon haul of the mill. Any factor which reduces the working capacity or the operating time of a sugar mill increases the cost of production of the sugar. The 10 BULLETIN 995, V. S. DEPAET:MEXT OE AGRICULTURE. .small valleys mentioned above are sometimes used to supplement the beet crop produced in other sections provided the hauling distance by wagon or rail is not too great. Hills. — Generally a hilly country is not satisfactory for sugar- beet culture, especially if the hills are inclined to wash. The nature of the soil of the hills is an important factor in determining whether sugar beets can be grown. Hauling heavy loads in a hilly country is also a matter of serious consideration. Usually from 3 to 6 tons of beets are hauled at each load and if hills must be climbed the loads must necessarily be reduced and the cost of hauling conse- quenth' increased. This in itself may be a limiting factor in the production of sugar l^eets in some otherwise favorable sugar-beet areas. Level land. — In irrigated countries it is desirable that the surface of the soil be sufficiently level to permit uniform irrigation. A per- fectly level area. hoAvever, is objectionable because of the difficulty in spreading the water over the entire field Avith sufficient rapidity. This is especially objectionable in the case of sugar beets, which should be watered between the rows only, as shown in Plate I, figure 2. Again, when the land, especially in irrigated sections, is very level and poorly drained alkali frequently appears on the surface after repeated irrigations. Sugar beets will tolerate a small amount of alkali, but all crops are injured by excessive quantities of alkali in the soil, especially when the plants are young and tender. Boiling land. — Other things being equal, moderately rolling land is more desirable for sugar-beet culture than either extremely hilly or verj' level areas. This is especially true in those sections where sugar beets are produced under rainfall conditions. In irrigated sections rolling land is not so desirable unless the toi)ography of the country is such that the area under cultivation can not be irrigated readily. Under irrigation conditions it is desirable that the land have an even surface with a gentle slope of at least T feet to the mile. If the slope is too marked the irrigation water ])asses over it too rapidly unless special care is taken in ai)plying the water. CLIMATE. One of the most important factors in determining the suitability of a given area for sugar-beet culture is the climate. Frequently all other conditions are favorable, but some climatic factor renders sugar-beet growing unprofitable. Te?}iperature. — Successful sugar-beet growing has been confined to the temperate region in joractically all beet-sugar producing coun- tries. Frequently sugar beets will produce a satisfactory tonnage of roots in warmer areas, but for some reason they generally are not sufficiently rich in sugar to make them profitable in sugar making. Bui. 995, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. Plate I. Fig. I. — Planting Sugar-Beet Seed with 4-Row Drills, Whereby the Seed Should Be Placed at a Uniform Depth, in Straight Rows, and IN A Firm Seed Bed. ^1^ jitei[t...^^i1r«ai,iri jte.,^ .^ . kj \ ^. *"^sp"-*^-, . T^., :t.f »^T.,y^jirtiii»ii»fa ' iffn^iM m% mmmspk i«»^^«i fe^^:SJ^:.-.^-:^: .A^^^l»<* ' ~tmi^^ "' '"^ a4t ' ,^^5%^^'^'-*-^ •"^^'^HP^? .^t*' ■^^^^B&r''^W '^^ Fig. 2. -A Field of Sugar Beets, Showing Furrow Irrigation; Each Alternate Row Furrowed. Bui. 995, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. Plate II. Fig. I. — The Smooth Roller, a Useful Implement in Packing the Seed Bed before and after Planting. Fig. 2. -The Corrugated Roller, an Implement Which Breaks the Crust and Ridges the Ground against Wind Effect. THE BEET-SUGAR IXDUSTRY IX 1020. 11 This is notably the case in nearly all parts of the southern United States. Occasionally areas are found in these warmer zones where sugar beets may be grown successfully. This is true in southern California and in some parts of Arizona and New^ Mexico, where the adverse condition of temperature is overcome by growing the beets during the so-called winter months, or at least by getting the plants started in the winter or early spring. In some sections the elevation and the temperature of the prevailing wind are sufficient to modif}' the climate so that sugar beets may be produced with profit. If the winter months are too cold for the production of beets and the sum- meis too warm for the proper storage of sugar in the roots, a limit- ing factor is established which renders profitable sugar-beet growing- impossible with any known varieties. Should it become desirable to extend the culture of sugar beets into the warmer sections of the country, it is possible that suitable varieties could be de^-eloped that would be profitable from the standpoint of both tonnage and quality. Another important consideration is the fact that high temperatures tend to increase spoilage. This may be overcome by passing the beets through the mill as rapidly as they are harvested and by harvesting the roots as soon as they are matured. Regarding the lower tem- peratures, sugar beets have been successfully grown in practically all of our Northern States, and several beet-sugar mills are operated successfully in Canada. It is apparent, therefore, that the lower temperatures do not constitute a limiting factor in sugar-beet grow- ing in any of our agricultural sections. It would seem that a short growing season would render sugar-beet production unprofitable in many northern areas, but the sugar beet readily adapts itself to many adverse conditions, and usualh^ in those sections where the growing season is short the sugar beet grows rapidly and stores sugar in great abundance. In fact, some of our most satisfactory sugar-beet sections are to be found in the more northern States. During the period just preceding the beet harvest the difference in temperature between day and night is one of the important condi- tions in the development and storage of sugar in the beet root. The young beet plant begins very early to store sugar, but its maximum activity along this line is reached in the fall, when in most of the beet-growing areas the difference in temperature between night and day is most apparent. This difference is apparently one of the con- ditions necessary for the proper elaboration and storage of sugar and is a limiting factor in the production of sugar-beet roots sufficiently rich in sugar to make them profitable for sugar-making purposes. It is probable that the absence of cool nights at the end of the growing season permits the continued growth and development of the beets, thereby using up the sugar in plant growth instead of storing it. 12 BULLETIN !>95, V. S. DEPAKTMKXT OF AGBICrLTVRE. Moistvre. — Moisture is nece.ssary foi' the production of })i'ofital)le crops of sugar beets. This reaches tlie soil in the form of rain or snow, or it may be applied artificially. Our present sujrar-beet area extends over a portion of the humid and the irrigated sections of the country, as shown in figure 1. In the humid sections the moisture falls largely during the winter months, although rains usually are frecjuent during the spring and summer. Occasionally some parts of the humid portion of our sugar- beet area are visited by heavy rains in the early spring, which greatly delay the planting of the beets as well as of other crops. This is sometimes folloAved about midsummer by a severe drought, which greatly retards crop growth. If these conditions were of frecjuent occurrence over wide areas, they would constitute a limiting factor in sugar-beet growing in the humid sections; but they have occurred in this country only in limited areas and at long intervals. Occa- sionally rainfall is large at harvesting time, and sometimes injures the sugar-beet crop by producing a second growth of the plants, Avhich greatly reduces the sugar content. The extent of this injury depends upon the condition of the beets and the duration of the rainy period. If this is followed by a period of favorable weather, the sugar content will be restored wholly or in part, depending \\\)ow the duration and nature of the Aveather. It sometimes happens that the beets must be harvested before the lost sugar is fully restored, either to prevent the roots from freezing in the ground or to avoid a temporary shutdown of the mill. Consequently a second growth due to late rains may cause serious losses to the grower and to the sugar com})any. A season in the humid region in Avhich the rainfall is just sufficient to maintain a steady growth until near harvesting time. folloAved by continuous fair weather accompanied by cool nights and warm days, makes conditions most faA'orable for the production of sugar beets so far as the humid area is concerned. These conditions prevail generally in the humid sections where sugar beets are grown. In the irrigated sugar-beet areas usually less than 20 inches of moisture falls during the entire year, and frequently many of the showers are so light that they are of no practical benefit in crop production. Sugar-beet growers in those sections depend largely upon irrigation. Frequently the showers that fall in irrigated areas are detrimental rather than helpful in the production of sugar beets, since they frequently cause the soil to crust. If this crusting occurs shortly after the seed is sown the young plants have great difficulty in breaking through to the light, with the result that the stands are very seriously injured and replantings are necessary. If the showers occur soon after the beets are u]) and the ground crusts around the young plants the air is cut off from the roots and groAvth is inter- THE BEET-SUGAR INDUSTRY IN 1920, 13 fered with. This may sometimes be remedied by prompt cultivation, althouoh the plants are often so firmly embedded in the crust that cultivation is difficult without serious in]\uy to the plants. Some- times a moderately heavy roller of one of the types shown in Plate II will produce the desired result in breaking the crust. In irrigated sections every effort should be made to retain the fall or winter moisture in the soil, and if the ground is dry in the fall, irrigation is generally desirable. The soil should be sufficiently moist when the seed is planted to produce prompt and complete germination, and there should be sufficient moisture in the soil to maintain a steady growth for several weeks. As soon as the plants indicate that they are suffering from lack of moisture they should be irrigated. When beets wilt during the day and fail to revive at night they should be watered without delay. Usually from one to three irriga- tions during the growing season are sufficient to produce a crop in most of the irrigated sections where sugar beets are grown. When beets are irrigated the soil should be thoroughly wet, and every effort should then be made to retain the moisture as long as possible by frequent cultivation. Sunshine. — ^The third element of climate which has a marked effect on the quality of sugar beets is light, over which man has little control except in the selection of locality. It is generally believed that direct sunshine is an important factor in the production and storage of sugar in the beet: observation indicates, however, that diffused light is almost, if not quite, as effective in producing and storing sugar. The importance of light should not be overlooked. hoAvever, since Avithout it the leaves could not manufacture sugar. Beet sugar is all made in the beet leaves by the action of light upon the leaf green when moisture and carbonic-acicl gas are present. Without light this action in the leaf can not take place, no matter how favorable may be all other conditions for groAvth and sugar production. SUGAR-BEET STAND. One of the most im,portant factors in sugar-beet production is the stand at harvest time. A perfect stand of beets Avith the usual Aviclth of roAV and the proper distance of spacing would consist of 25,000 to 40,000 plants to the acre. If each of the beet roots harvested weighed 1 pound, which is below the average in most fields, there should be 12^ to 20 tons of roots per acre. As a matter of fact the sugar-beet stands are only from 50 per cent to 80 per cent perfect, and the average yield of beets in the XTnited States is about 10 tons. Absolutely perfect stands are not to be expected, considering the many factors influencing the stand and the large area annually in sugar l)eets. noAV approximately 1,000,000 acres. HoAvever, there should be no difficulty in greatly raising the percentage of stand. 14 BULLETIN i>95, V. S. DEPARTMENT OF AdRIC'l'LTURE. thereby increasing the yieUl per aci'e. Careful attention Has been given to *the factor of stand during the last few years, and by actual count in many fields in all parts of the sugar-beet area it has been found that the stand at harvest time very frequently is as low as 50 or 60 per cent of a possible 100. It is very seldom that a field has more than 80 per cent of a perfect stand at harvest time. Many factors influence the stand, some of the most important of which have been carefully studied and are discussed below. Seed. — The quality of the seed is one of the primary factors in producing a stand of sugar beets. All beet seed im])orted from foreign countries must be up to a certain standard of germination and purity; otlierwise it need not be accepted. As a rule sugar-beet seed stored under proper conditions will retain its vitality six or seven years. Usually we have no means of knowing the age of the seed that is shipped to this country, and it is entirely possible that seed imported is sometimes near the limit of its vitality and if held over for one or two years may deteriorate in germinating power. It is customary for sugar companies to retain a part of their seed from year to year to provide for replanting or to take care of belated con- tracts. All reserved seed, as well as new lots, should be carefully tested for germination before it is given to the growers. If the germination of the seed is too low to produce a good stand of beets at the usual rate of planting, either the seetl should be discarded entirely or a sufficient quantity of seed should be planted to insure a good stand. With American grown sugar-beet seed no difficulty should be met in ascertaining its age : in fact, all American groAvn sugar-beet seed is utilized Avithin a year or two following its production, so that at present there is no danger of the home-grown seed losing its germi- nating power before it is planted. In general, domestic sugar-beet seed shows a higher germinabilitv than is shown by the imported seed. All American seed. hoAvever, should be tested carefully for germination, because certain conditions during the process of growth, development, and storage of the seed may render it Aveak or non- germinable. One of the most important factors affecting beet seed adA'ersely during its deAelopment is the false chinch bug. Avhich occa- sionally appears in some beet-seed growing localities. This insect infests the beet-seed balls and the tender leaA^es and stalks and by sucking the juice from the plant may preA^ent the seed from develop- ing and maturing.^ The health and Antality of the beet" root when planted for seed is another important factor influencing the quality of the seed. Beet roots that have been Aveakened by Phoma rot or other diseases of the root will sometimes produce seed stalks, and fre- ' For control iiiPiisuros. sop p. 49. THE BEET-SUGAR INDUSTRY IX 1920, 15 queiitly the seed balls will begin to form; but the plants often die before the seed is mature. If the seed stalks bearing the nonmatured seed are harvested and the seed balls from these stalks are mixed with the matured seed, it is evident that the percentage of germina- tion will be materially reduced. Hot dry winds at the time the seed is forming interfere with pollination and tend to prevent the seed balls from filling and producing viable seed. The water supply during the growing season has also a marked effect upon the quality of the seed. If the supply of moisture in the soil is too low, especially at the time when the seed is forming, the seed balls will not fill, and the yield of viable seed will be reduced. In the humid sections where seed is grown we have no direct con- trol over the moisture supply except in so far as we are able to retain the moisture in the soil by proper methods of cultivation. In the irrigated sections, wherever water is constantly available, the mois- ture supply is under the control of the grower. It is not advisable to undertake the growing of sugar-beet seed in those irrigated sec- tions where an abundant supply of water is not available for irri- gation when needed. The seed heel. — The condition of the seed bed as a factor influenc- ing sugar-beet stands is of an importance equal to the quality of the seed. In general, the seed bed should be firm and moist and capable of retaining its moisture under all conditions for a considerable period. To produce such a seed bed the soil should be thoroughly supplied with humus. The ground should be plowed in the fall, in order that it may catch the winter rain and snow, and the surface should be harrowed as early as possible in the spring, so as to retain as fully as possible the moisture in the soil at that time. The seed bed should be worked from time to time to destroy the weeds that may appear, as they rob the soil of moisture as well as of fertility. Just before planting, the seed bed should be thoroughly worked down iind firmed, so that the surface will be uniform in texture and in firmness. If the bed is not uniformly firmed, the drill wheels will Fink deeper in some places in the field than in others, with the result that some of the seed will be so deeply covered that the plants will not reach the light, or they will be more or less retarded, producing ii spotted or uneven stand. The seed should be drilled into the firm seed bed, so that it will be constantly in contact with the moist soil. (PL I, fig. 1.) Poor stands are probably produced oftener by too deep and uneven planting, due to a poorly prepared seed bed, than by any other cause. Date of planting. — No specific date for planting beet seed can be given, since much depends upon local soil and weather conditions. In general, however, it has been found that the soil should be warm 16 BULLETIN !»U5, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGBICULTURE. and uniformly moist before the seed is planted, as beet seed will not trerminate satisfactorily in a cold or unevenly moistened bed. A few of the str()nV,ir' Fig. 2.— a Field of Sugar Beets Whose Tops Completely Cover the Ground, at Which Stage the Crop May Be Laid By. THE BEET-SUGAR IXDUSTKY IX 11>20. 17 Blockhuj and thhinhuj. — A o-oocl stand of beets very largely de- pends upon careful bloc'kin<>- and thinning. Blocking consists in cut- ting out a i)ortion of tlie beets by means of a hoe or other suitable implement (PL III, fig. 1), usually operated at right angles to the row, leaving the remaining beets in tufts from 8 to 10 inches apart. This should be done Avhile the beets are very small. It is very easy for tlie careless workman to strike the row at an angle, making the distance between the tufts very much greater. Frequently the tufts themselves are destroyed by careless use of the blocking im])lement. When the plants ha\e been destroyed, practically nothing can be done to replace them. Transplanting sugar beets to the vacant spaces has not been found practicable on a commercial scale. The thinning is done l\y hand and consists in pulling out from each tuft all the plants l)ut one. Careless workers will often destroy or pull out all the plants from the tuft, thereby reducing the stand. Frequently in thinning the dirt is removed so that the young plants ai'e left with their tender stems subject to the influence of the rays of the sun, the heat of which sometimes destroys them. The dirt should be brought close around the plant that is left so as to protect it from injury. Cultirathuj. — Many otherAvise good stands of beets are seriously injured by the cultivators either covering the young plants with dirt or tearing them out. This injury is frequently due to carelessness and sometimes to accident. Sugar beets are usually cultivated by means of a 4-row cultivator (PI. IV, fig. 1). If by accident or otherwise the cultivator is permitted to shift so that several plants are injured or destroyed in one row, the same number of plants will be injured or removed from each of the four rows. This is a common cause of poor stands in many fields. A few^ beets cut out of four rows here and' there in the field each time the beets are cultivated will have a marked effect upon the final stand and will greatly reduce the yield of beets liarvested. Success in operating the cultivator depends upon the con- dition of the seed bed, upon the animals, the driver, and the adjust- ment of the imi)lement. B}^ careful attention on the part of the driver, nearly all the injury due to cultivation may be avoided, provided the seed l)ed is in good condition and the drill rows are straight. When the beet leaves cover the ground, as shown in Plate TV, figure 2, the crop is laid by, and no further Avork is done until the harvest begins. DUeai^es (iffectin— 21 2 18 BULLETIN 995, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. spot frequently injures the beets and reduces the tonnage, but does not often destroy the stand. All fungous diseases may be greatly re- duced or entirely controlled by proper cultural methods, including the proper rotation of crops. There are several diseases which sometimes destroy entire fields. The disease known as curly-top belongs to this group. This is an obscure disease, the cause of Avhich is not definitely known. The Office of Sugar-Plant Investigations in cooperation with the Bureau of Entomology is making an earnest effort to determine the cause of this disease and to find a practical means for its control. Another serious pest affecting the stand of beets is the sugar-beet nematode. The nematode first appears in a field here and there, destroying a few beets. From year to year this area becomes more marked if beets are grown continuously in the infested fields, and eventually the wdiole field is affected ancl the crop is worthless. The Office of Sugar-Plant Investigations in cooperation with the Office of Agricultural Tech- nology is carrying on extensive experiments in all areas infested with the sugar-beet nematode, with a view to controlling this pest in a practical wa}-, so that profitable crops of beets may be grown in spite of the nematode. For a further discussion of sugar-beet dis- eases, see pages 45 to 48. ■ Insects affecting stand. — ^^There are several insects affecting the stand of sugar beets. The most common during the earl}^ stages of the beet are wireworms and cutworms. The latter usually cut off the root at some distance below the ground. As a result the plant dies or produces a \qyj short root. Sometimes the cutworms destroy beets here and there in the field, but when the pests are numerous the entire stand may be destroyed, necessitating replanting in order to produce a crop. White grubs also are serious pests. They are the larvae of the May and June beetles. They occur frequently in sod ground and are to be expected in beet fields where beets follow sod. Later in the season army worms and related pests frequently do con- siderable damage. Even if the stand is not seriously injured by the pests the tonnage is greatly reduced. For a further discussion of in- sect pests affecting sugar beets, see pages. 48 and 49. For a list of publications relating to sugar-beet diseases and insects, see pages 57 and 58. Rodents affecting stand. — In some localities ground squirrels and other rodents are a serious menace to the sugar-beet crop. They feed upon the beets from the seedling to the mature stage, but do most of their damage when the beets are about half grown. They sometimes make serious inroads upon the stand of beets. These pests may be destroj^ed by the use of poison or by trapping. THE BEET-SUGAR INDUSTRY IN 11)20. 19 WATER. Excess or deficiency of water may be a limiting factor in sugar-beet l^rocliiction. PrecipitafUm.. — In the humid sections of the sugar-beet area beet growers depend upon rainfall and snow for the necessary supply of soil moisture. Usually the snow and the spring rains put the soil in good condition for planting, and the summer rains keep the crops groAving until the end of the season. Whether the precipitation will furnish an excessive amount of moisture for the soil will depend upon soil conditions, as well as ujjon the amount of precipitation. For uniform soil conditions, however, the right amount of precipitation is of vital importance in the growing of sugar beets. Excessive pre- cipitation may be detrimental in two ways: (1) By preventing a ]iroper preparation of the seed bed, and (2) by saturating the soil to' such an extent that the air is excluded from the plant roots and the proper growth of the plants thereby prevented. A deficiency of precipitation may make a proper preparation of the seed bed im- possible, or it may put the seed bed in such condition that the ger- mination of the seed or the subsequent growth of the plants may be impaired. Excessive precipitation may be remedied under certain conditions by a proper system of drainage. (See pages 22 to 24.) The lack of moisture may be remedied in part (1) by putting the proposed seed bed in a proper condition to catch and hold the fall and "winter moisture; (2) by subsequent cultivation whereby a mulch is formed on the surface of the field, thereby retarding evaporation ; and (3) by supplying the soil with a suitable amount of humus. Irrigation. — The use of irrigating water is theoretically simple, but its practical application is very complex, calling for a knowledge of plant growth and soil requirements based upon experience and good judgment. It is one of the most important factors in sugar- beet production in the semiarid regions. Good crops are sometimes ruined by a lack of knoAvledge of the water requirements of plants and by want of experience in applying the water. There are four sources from which irrigating water may be ob- tained, namely, from reservoirs, direct from streams, from flowing- wells, and by pumping. A reservoir is a storage place in which an excess of water due to melting snows or from other sources may be stored for future use. Stream irrigation implies either a continuous or an intermittent flow of Avater in a river bed which may be drawn upon when needed. Pump irrigation is practicable when the sub- surface water is present in sufficient quantity and at a depth shallow enough to supply the necessary water for crop production at a reason- able cost. 20 BULLETIN 995, V. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGEICULTURE. IJeservoirs are either individual storage places which supply mois- ture for a single farm or part of a farm or they may be community enterprises operated bj^ the landowners or by an irrigating company. Community reservoirs are sometimes filled directly from permanent streams and sometimes they are filled during freshets, while indi- vidual reservoirs are frequently supplied with water by pumping; in this manner pump irrigation may be direct or indirect. By direct irrigation the water is pumped into the ditches or laterals and spread at once upon the fields ; by indirect irrigation the water is pumped into a reservoir, from Avhich it is distributed upon the field when needed. There are difficulties to overcome in each of the methods of irrigation mentioned. In utilizing w^ater from a com- munity reservoir it is necessary for all farmers under the ditch from this reservoir to use the water at a time agreed upon by the majority of users, regardless of the requirements of all the crops to be watered. In case the water is not used by one or more farmers when the reser- voir is open, they must await the next opening of the reservoir, which may be several weeks later, regardless of the injury that the lack of water may cause to their crops. The reservoir can not be opened at the will and pleasure of each water user. To do so would cause a great waste of water, which is often of greater value than the land itself. Water from a. community reservoir is usually prorated and meas- ured to each farmer so that he is able to obtain only his share ; like- Avise, in using water from a stream in which the suj)ply is limited it is prorated and measured, and irrigation must cease when the allotted number of acre-feet have passed through the gate, regardless of the crop requirements. If the pumping plant is a community plant, practically the same regulations obtain as in the case of the com- munity reservoir: that is, each farmer entitled to water must use it at a definite time agreed upon by a majority of the users or for- feit his right to the use of the water until the next irrigating period arrives. It would, of course, be too expensive to operate the pumping plant for a limited number of farmers Avhose crops were not in need of water at the regular irrigating period. The individual plant is usually more satisfactory from the standpoint that water may be available wdien needed. The expense, however, of installing and operating an individual pumping plant has frequently been beyond the farmer's means. It is apparent, therefore, that the water supply for irrigating a sufficiently large area to insure the groAving of the necessary acreage of beets to enable a sugar mill to operate success- fully is frequently the deciding factor in the growing of sugar beets. The problem of water supply should be considered carefully before any large sum of money is expended in the erection of a sugar mill Bui. 995. U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. Plate V. Fig. I. — A Sledding Implement Used in Smoothing Irrigating Furrows in Sugar-Beet Fields, Being Sometimes Helpful in Distributing the Water. at Used in Leveling the Seed Bed for Sugar Beets. Bui. 995, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. Plate VI. Fig. I. — Preparing Land for Sugar Beets by Plowing under a Crop of Alfalfa, One of the Best Green Fertilizers When Thus Treated in the Fall. Fig. 2.- -Hauling Sugar Beets to the Mill, the Cost Being Greatly Reduced by Good Roads. THE BKET-SIT(;AR industry IX 1920. 21 in ill!}' locality in which irrigation is necessary to ^row satisfactory crops of heets. If the water supply in a <2;iven area will insiii'e the fi^rowing of only 5,000 acres of su^ar beets annually under proper crop rc^tation and under other conditions fayorable to sugar-beet culture, it would not be adA'isable to build a mill having a capacity greater than 500 tons per day. It frequently happens that a large part of the water used for irrigating purposes is wasted either by badly constructed ditches or by improper methods of irrigating. Ditches are improperly constructed when they allow an excessive amount of seepage or when they are so easily clogged tiiat they overflow. Under the methods in practice it is sometimes imi)ossible to avoid using water on certain fields when it is really not needed. Occasionally the water is turned on from the reservoir, or the community pumping plant is put in oi)eration before the water is actually needed by any of the growers. Much can be done to delay the first irrigation and to extend the time between irrigations by proper preparation of the seed bed and by proper cultivation. In most irrigated areas tlie actual Avater supply is limited, and in order to meet the crop retjuirements as nearly as jjracticable there should be no waste of water beyond the unavoid- ^ able losses due to seepage and evaporation. **"' Methods of irri95,- U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. and ci'op ])ro(luction when we consider the number of acres under cultivation and the satisfactory crops tliat the tillable area is capable of producinivin<>: it proper care or l)y the method in which it is handled in connection with crop production. In addition to the humus con- tained in stable manure, considerable quantities of plant food are present, which, if properly handled, add to the fertility of the soil. This plant food is laro^ely soluble; consecpiently the leachinfj process to which the stable manure is in most cases subjected, owing to the fact that it is usually exposed to rains and snows, frequently causes much of the fertility to be lost. Again, stable manure is often spread upon the fields and left exposed to the weather, until a large part of the volatile plant foods has passed off into the atmosphere. Much of the nitrogen is often lost in this manner. The best results in utilizing stable manure in connection with sugar-beet production are obtained by applying the manure to the crop preceding the beet crop: this allows the manure to be thoroughly worked into the soil. It is a common practice in many localities where manure spreaders are not used to haul the maniire from the feed yard or stable at times when thei'e is no urgent work to l)e done and to dump it in piles, to be spread at some convenient time l)efore the ground is plowed. This is a wasteful method, especially if the piles are left for some days or weeks without spreading, often resulting in much loss of valuable material through leaching. However, this method is preferable to spreading the manure and leaving it on the surface of the ground exposed to the action of the sun and wand. If the manure is spread and the ground can not be plowed immediately, it should be disked whenever practicable ; that is, if the ground is not frozen. Fortunately, the manure spreader is becoming more and more common, and where the number of liA^e stock on the farm Avairants it there is probably no other implement of greater value to the farmei'. The full value of the spreader is not realized, however, unless the manure is plowed under or worked into the soil imme- diately after s])reading. Green crops. — (xreen crops plowed under provide another source of humus for soil im])rovenient. Any vegetable matter plowed under and worked into the soil will add humus, though certain crops are more Aaluable for this purpose than others, because of the plant food as well as the vegetable mattei" which they contain. Such crops as peas, beans, clover, and alfalfa, are among the l)est for supplying hinnus to the soil. These crops should be i:)lowed under in the fall so that they will have abundant opportunity to decay before the growing season beains the following year, In irrigated sections THE BEET-SUGAB INDUSTRY IN 1920. 29 the - from the use of fertilizers, whether stal)le manure, green crops, or mineral com- pounds, are frequently noticeable over a period of several years; hence, in estimating the value of a fertilizer the results of several seasons'" crops should be taken into account. CROP ROTATION. Occasionally a farm is found on which beets are grown on the sam;> field year after year. AVhile this seems to give satisfactory results for a time in some instances, it is in general a poor method and one that can not be recommended, since it tends to encourage the de- velopment of certain sugar-beet pests which eventually render the crop unprofitable. The rotation practiced in the various sugar-beet areas must necessarily depend upon the crops that do best or are most profitable in these several localities, as well as upon the crop and live-stock requirements of the farm. In some areas, for example, the Irish potato is a profitable crop and forms an important link in a system of rotation with sugar beets. In other areas the Irish potato is not successful, and in such* sections it would be a waste of time and money to undertake to utilize it in rotation with sugar beets. Again, there are areas in which the muskmelon is very satis- factory and rotates w^ell with sugar beets or other crops: in other parts of the sugar-beet territory the muskmelon can not be grown with success. In planning the rotation, therefore, one must have in mind not only the crops that will rotate well with sugar beets, but also the success of those crops independently. The grower must also consider the practicability of handling such crops from the standpoint of his returns; for example, in some sugar-beet areas alfalfa gives good yields, but because the hauls are so long the value of the alfalfa under normal conditions is not sufficient to pay the transportation charges and leave a reasonable profit. Therefore, unless there is an abundance of live stock to utilize the alfalfa locally or unless it is needed as a soil improver, it is not a satisfactory rota- tion crop in certain localities in spite of the fact that it produces satisfactory yields. Our studies of the various sugar-beet sections indicate that live stock is an important factor in crop rotation on the sugar-beet farms. As already indicated, certain crops can be grown THE BEET-SUGAR INDUSTRY IN 1920. 31 to advantage if there is an abundance of live stock to utilize them. Even if certain crops could be sold from the farm at a reasonable return above the cost of production, it would be poor policy to sell them, for the reason that by so doing a large amount of plant food would be shipped away. Live stock, if properly handled, enable the farmer to keep a larger proportion of the plant foods on the farm than could be done if the crops themselves were removed. Feeding the crops on the farm is the best practice and will generalh' yield the largest returns per unit of land and per unit of labor, especially if the proper relations between crops, live stock, land area, and labor are established. It is apparent, therefore, that several objects may be accomplished by proper crop rotation, all of which must be kept in mind in order to reap the greatest returns from the sugar-beet farm. Effect on the soil. — As has been previously noted, all plants require certain plant foods, and these elements are utilized by different plants in different proportions. The rotation of crops insures a better utilization of these plant foods than can be obtained by growing a single crop. Certain crops are deep rooted, while others are more shallow. The deep-rooted crops tend to stir the soil to a greater depth and in this way make the plant foods more readily available for the shallow- feeding crops. Certain crops aid in the production of certain plant foods, as, for example, the leguminous crops store nitrogen, which is rendered available to the other crops grown in rotation with the legumes. Again, certain crops require more or less cultivation, as is the case with sugar beets. This stirring of the soil tends to expose the plant foods to the action of the elements, thereb}^ rendering the mineral material available for the use of the beet plants and the plants of succeeding crops. Relation of pests to crop rotation. — The rotation of crops tends to reduce or to destroy those pests which depend upon certain plants for their existence. As is well known, some plant pests live and thrive only on certain plants. If these plants are grown year after year in the same field, they furnish favorable breeding conditions for the propagation and increase of these pests. By changing to other crops, plants upon Avhich the pests can not live or upon which they do not thrive may be grown and the pests thereby destroj^ed or reduced to a minimum. Frequently the pests have resistant forms or stages in which they can exist in a dormant condition for several years, as is notably true of the brown-cyst stage of the sugar-beet nematode and the resting-spore stage of certain fungi. In such cases it is necessary to plan the rotations with a view to starving out these pests. To do this the rotations must be of such a length that crops upon whicH these pests can not thrive may be grown for several years in succession. In some cases other methods must be resorted 32 1!L'LLET]]S' W;.3, U. S. I)EPARTMi-:XT OF AGRICUl/mu:. to in order to control the destructive pests, but ;i large number of the sugar-beet pests, including some of the fungi and bacteria as well as insect pests, may be controlled by crop rotation. Effect of siKjai' beets upon other c/'ops. — As a rule, the ett'ect of sugar beets upon succeeding crops is beiielicial. This is especially true of the small grains; that is, small grains grown after sugar beets will almost invariably produce larger yields than when these grains follow other crops. The sugar beet does not gather nitrogen from the air and transform it into plant food, but, owing to its long main root and its uneven feeding rootlets, it gathers a considerable quan- tity of several soluble mineral salts and stores them in the beet crown, and Avhen the beet tops are fed to live stock and the manure returned to the soil considerable fertility is added. In addition to this im- proved fertility of the soil the methods of cultivation employed in growing and harvesting the beet crop put the soil in splendid tilth, thereby forming good seed and root beds for the crops that follow the beets. Although sugar beets are grown primarily for the cash value of the roots as a source of sugar, the feeds obtained from the beet tops, molasses, and pulp, an20. 33 in5«cc6>.— Tobacco is not generally grown in the sugar-beet areas, but there are a few localities in which both tobacco and sugar beets are produced. Though the tobacco crop is expensive to handle, the returns under favorable conditions make it a strong competitor. The methods used in growing tobacco do not usually lend themselves well to crop rotation ; for example, tobacco fields are usually heavily fertilized with commercial fertilizer. Part of the results to be ex- l^ected from these fertilizers should be apparent during the second or cA'en the third year after they are applied. Owing to this large expense growers usually expect to use the same field for the tobacco crop for a series of years, c(msequently it does not admit of ordinary crop rotation. Again, the tobacco crop requires a large anioimt of labor, some of ,Avhich conflicts with the labor necessary for sugar- beet production. If, however, a farmer can obtain sufficient labor r)(),s80 ° — l^ u 1 1 . 99."i— 2 1 3 34 BULLETIN »9'5, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUEE. to handle both crops there should be no serious difficulty in produc- ino- l>oth sugar beets and tobacco, especially if these crojjs are pro- duced on comparatively small areas on the individual farm. It may be found, also, that these crops will rotate one with the other to the advantage of both. Potatoes. — In certain areas studied, the potato under present con- ditions is one of the strongest competing crops with sugar beets. Where these crops are grown in rotation, however, the results, from the standpoint of yield, are satisfactory. Unfortunately, certain dis- eases affecting potatoes attack sugar beets also; this is notably true of the scab. When the price of potatoes is high the tendency in the especially good potato areas is to increase the potato acreage and to diminish the sugar-beet acreage correspondingly. The chief danger is that when an extra-large potato crop is harvested the price usually drops, and the results are somewhat disappointing. It should be noted in this connection that the prices paid for sugar beets are fixed in practically all cases before the seed is planted. The returns from this crop depend not only upon the yield, but upon the quality of the beets produced and upon the wholesale price of sugar. As already indicated, sugar beets and potatoes form a part of a satis- factory rotation, but neither of these crops should immediately suc- ceed or follow the other, because of the diseases that are common to both plants. There should be one or two years of intervening, crops, such as small grains or alfalfa. Alfalfa. — In some localities studied, alfalfa has appeared to be a strong competing crop with sugar beets. This is true in part because of the tendency to leave alfalfa sod without breaking for a number of years, thereby making a very long rotation or, in some cases, Avhat amounts to no rotation ; for example, certain areas have been found in which alfalfa has remained undisturbed in some fields for upAvard of 20 years. Alfalfa is an inexpensive crop to produce, pro- vided a good stand is obtained. This is not difficult if the ground is well prepared and properly handled at seeding time. After the alfalfa has become established the expense of maintaining the crop IS slight, and the chief expense in connection with alfalfa production consists in irrigating in certain sections and in harvesting and mar- keting the crop. In some sections where alfalfa grows well it is not a competing crop with sugar beets, because of the remoteness of these areas from the market or because it i^ not fed locally to advantage; but in cases where the alfalfa is used locally to advantage or where the markets are accessible it may compete strongly with the sugar beet and may exclude the latter to such an extent that the beet acreage will be so small that the profitable operation of a sugar mill is not possible : for a sugar mill should have a sufficient quantity of beets to THE BEET-SUGAR INDUSTRY IN 1920, 35 insure a run of at least !()(» days each year, though the avei'a<>e jun for 1920 Avas only 91 days. (Table IV, p. 6.) Sugar beets may be grown in rotation with alfalfa to good ad- vantage under certain conditions, and our studies have sliown the advantage of these conditions in several instances. This is espe- cially true if the farmer looks upon the alfalfa crop as a soil- improving crop as well as a crop from which direct satisfactory retui-ns may be expected. In such cases alfalfa may be grown two or three years, and at the end of this period the last crop of alfalfa is plowed under for the improvement of the soil, thus put- ting it in good condition for one or two crops of sugar beets. It is not desirable to grow sugar beets immediately after old alfalfa, because the old alfalfa roots are large and Avoody and interfere seriously with cultivation. It is better to follow old alfalfa with a noncultivated crop, such as small grain, which in turn may be followed by sugar beets. Fruit. — In several sugar-beet areas fruit has been found to be a competing crop. In several instances the sugar beet has been eliminated or shifted to other areas, or reduced in area below the point of a profitable mill run. It is sometimes possible to grow considerable areas of beets in orchards when the trees are small, but as the orchards get older and the trees increase in spreacl of Ijranches and roots the vacant space between them must necessarily become smaller and smaller until finally the sugar beet is excluded. When fruit growing has become general in a sugar-beet area, as has been the case in several instances in certain localities, sugar- beet growing and diversified farming in general have been prac- tically eliminated. Occasionally some misfortune overtakes the fruit industry, and the area again returns to general farming-, including sugar beets. In one locality studied the entire cycle has been passed through, and the fruit growers are now removing their trees and returning to general farm practice, including the grow- ing of sugar beets. FARM EQUIPMENT. The equipment on the sugar-beet farm is a matter of vital im- portance. It covers a wide range but ma}' be groujjed under four general heads, namely, soil and water, implements, live stock, and labor. If a farm is lacking in any of the essential parts of the equipment, and if these parts can not be supplied, successful sugar- beet growing is not possible. The equipment differs to some extent in different localities, especially between the humid and irrigated sections. Soil and water are not usually listed as a part of the farm equipment, but are included here in order to emphasize their importance in crop production. 36 BULLETIX 9{>5, TJ. S. DEPAETMEN^T OF AGRICULTURE. SUITABLE SOIL. As previously noted, a suitable soil, together with a satisfactory subsoil, is one of the first requisites in the production of sugar beets. Although soil is not usually classed as a part of the farming equip- ment, it is in fact a very essential i)art. If the soil is very sandy or extremely rocky, it is not probabk that it would pay to undertake the growing of sugar beets. Certain conditions of soil may be changed or modified by proper cultural methods, so that an other- wise unfavorable soil condition may be changed to a sufficiently fa- vorable condition to enable the farmer to produce a satisfactory croj) of beets; for examj^le, a hard subsoil may sometimes be broken \\\) in such a manner that a sufficiently deep soil for the production of beets is produced. Again, an infertile soil due to lack of humus, to a scarcity of lime, or to improper crop rotation, may be remedied at a small cost and an otherAvise unproductive soil rendered productive. As already noted, a soil containing an excess of moisture or one in which the water table is too near the surface may be made proTluctive by proper drainage. It is apparent, therefore, that soil, from the standpoint of equipment, may be a permanent limiting factor, which in some cases can not be overcome sufficiently to enable the farmer to produce a satisfactory crop of beets, while, on the other hand, thi^ part of the farmer's equipment may be modified in many cases by proper treatment and the barrier to sugar-beet production re- moved. This part of the farm equipment, however, like work stock. im})lements, and labor, is just as essential for the production of other crops as for the production of sugar beets. IMPLEMENTS. Many of the implements used in sugar-beet growing are the same as those used in the production of other crops, though some special implements are necessary in order to grow sugar beets successfully; tliis is es])ecially true of the drill shoAvn in Plate I, figure 1, and the cultivator, Plate IV, figure 1. DrUls mid euZtivatms. — Sugar beets are grown in rows about 20 inches apart, and there is a special drill for the planting of sugar- beet seed. There are several sugar-beet drills on the market whicli seem to be fairly satisfactory. In some localities tlie farmers own their beet drills, and in others they are owned by the sugar companies and rented to the farmers at a small charge per acre. Most of the drills made for planting sugar-beet seed are so con- structed that they Avill plant four rows at a time, as shown in Plate I. figure 1. Likewise, the cultivator is especially adapted to sugar-beet work, and Avil] cultivate four rows corresponding to the drill. This is very important, as will be noted by those who have had exi)eri- ence in using a cultivator in such narrow rows. In planting four THE BBET-SUGAK INDUSTRY IN i;>20, 37 roAvs at a time many doviations from a straight line will occur in each of the four roAvs, which can, therefore, be followed more readily with a 4-row cultivator with less damage to the plants. The beet cultiA'ators are usually equipped Avith A'arious implements for stir- ring the soil, destrojang Aveeds, and forming a mulch, depending upon the soil conditions and the size of the beets. Plows. — The oi'dinary AAalking or riding ploAA' can be used in turn- ing the soil in the preparation of the seed bed. The 2-Avay ploAV is Avell adapted to the sugar-beet crop, for the I'eason that it produces neither back furroAA' nor dead furroAA's. This is especially important in the irrigated areas. In some localities the disk ploAv is frequently used, although the ordinary moldboard ploAA^ is in most common use in sugar-beet areas. The adA^antage of the disk ploAv for deep ploAA'- ing is that it enables one to stir the soil to a good depth if the ploAv is properly constructed and adjusted, AA^ithout bringing too much laAA^ soil to the surface. The ploAvs in use A^ary from the AA^alking moldboard ploAv through A^arious types of sulky plows to the disk ploAA^ AA-ith its numerous variations. In some types of soil it is espe- ciall}^ desirable to giA^e an occasional deep plowing. Best results are generally obtained by fall ploAving for sugar beets. The farm-to-farm survey as Avell as the experience and obser- vation of the Office of Sugar-Plant InA^estigations indicates that fair results may be obtained by spring ploAving, provided the soil has been previously in good tilth. Harrows. — In i)reparing a seed bed for any crop the disk harroAV IS a A^aluable implement. It is frequently used to advantage before the ground is ploAved. When so used it puts the surface of the ground in such condition that holes or spaces are noAvhere left when the ground is turned Avith the ploAV. The disk harroAv is used sometimes in breaking up lumps or clods after the plowing has been done; howcA'er, if the ground has been ploAved when in good condi- tion and has been properly treated after plowing there Avill be no large lumps or clods for the disk harrow to break. In case weeds start before the time for planting the sugar-beet seed the disk harroAv is sometimes useful in destroying them. In S(mie instances in Avhich beets have been followed by beets good results have been obtained by omitting the ploAving and simply disking and harroAving in the preparation of the seed bed in the early spring. The proper prepara- tion after the ground is plowed consists in harroAving, preferably Avith a spike-tooth harrow or other form of this implement, Avhich simply stirs the surface of the ground and makes a moderately fine mulch. It is a more or less common practice to harroAv at the end of each half clay or, at the latest, at the end of each day the ground just ploAved. This is a practice to be especially recommended in cases of spring ploAving, since it has a tendency to hold the moisture in 38 BULLETIN 995, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. the soil, thereby leaving it in good condition to form a satisfactory seed bed. In case of fall or winter plowing it is better to leave the ground rough, in order that it may catch or hold the winter snows and rains. The scraper mid float. — In the irrigated sections leveling is some- times necessary to put the ground in condition to be irrigated. As pointed out on page 10, ground which is not level or nearly so can not be satisfactorily irrigated. This is especially true with a crop like sugar beets, which must be irrigated by the furrow method. If the ground is leveled before the plowing is done, a scraper is com- monly used. If the leveling is left until after the ground is ploAved, an implement called a float is frequently used; this consists of two planks placed on edge and so framed together, about 6 or S feet apart, that they can be dragged sideways over the field as shoAvu in Plate V, figure 2. This has the advantage of not only leveling the ground, but it tends to break up the small clods and puts the ground in good condition for further preparation of the seed bed. Frequently the Fresno scraper is used before plowing if the surface is very uneven, and the float is used after plowing in the same field. The two operations are quite distinct; the former is usually called scraping and the latter leveling. The scraping is necessary only when inequalities in the surface of the field are very marked. The time and labor spent in leveling will be repaid in the production of sugar beets, both from the standpoint of yield and from that of labor saved in irrigating. The roller. — Another implement of considerable importance in sugar-beet growing is the roller. There are two types of this imple- ment, us shown in Plate II, figures 1 and 2, namely, the smooth roller and the so-called corrugated roller. The latter is desirable in those localities where there are high winds, since the corrugations tend to prevent the soil from shifting under the influence of the wind. The chief advantage of the roller is its surface-packing effect. If the root bed is inclined to be loose the subsurface packer should be used immediately after plowing. As previously noted, the seed bed for sugar beets should be decidedly firm, for the two reasons, at least, that the firmness of the seed bed tends to hold the moisture, and at the same time prevents the sinking of the drill wheels, which would frequently result in planting the seed too deep. The seed bed that is unevenly firm or in which there are soft spots or areas is always unsatisfactory, as it results in an uneven start of the beet plants, which interferes with the handling of the crop. Harvesting tools. — At harvest time the beet lifter, a special im- plement not required in harvesting other crops, is necessary. (PI. VII, fig. 1.) There are two forms of this implement, namely, the double-pointed lifter and the side lifter. In the former, one point THE BEET-SUGAR INDUSTRY IN 1920. 39 passes alono- each side of the beet root at a depth of several inches below the surface and is so constructed that the beets are loosened and slightly lifted. (PI. VII, fi<>-. 2.) The side lifter passes along one side of the beet row and loosens the beet, usually without lifting- it : in either case the roots, after they have been loosened, can readily be pulled and throAvn into ])iles. Care sliould be taken in using these lifters to see that the beet roots are not broken, as con- siderable loss frequently results to the grower from the breaking of the roots, causing the lower part of the beet to be left in the ground. In topping beets by hand, heavy knives closely resembling large butcher knives are used ; in some localities sickles are used for the purpose. This work, now done by hand, as shown in Plate VIII, figure 1, may be done by machinery. (PI. IX.) In loading the beets on the wagons, forks specially consti'ucted Avith a knob of metal on the end of each tine should be used, so that the beets ma}- not be punctured when they are forked onto the wagon. Special beet racks, as shown in Plate VI, figure '2, and Plate VIII, figure 2, are commonly used in hauling the beets to the factory or dump. These special racks are necessary in facilitating the unloading of the beets at the dumps, where the beets are emptied from tlie wagons onto the cars. (PL A'lll, fig. 2.) If the beets are forked from the wagon the ordinary wagon box may be used, but generally the beets are dumped, in which case racks with hinged sides are necessary. P^urthermore, the special rack holds more roots than the ordinary Avagon bed, thereby reducing the cost of delivering the crop. Sugar-heet harvester. — Heretofore the most laborious operation connected with beet culture has been the harvesting. This operation consists of three parts, lifting, pulling, and topping, as described aboAe. The pulling and topping have been done entirely by hand at a cost of $7 to $9 per acre. Many attempts have been made in this country and in Europe to construct a mechanical harvester. Recently seA'eral types of this implement liaAe been improved, and it is ex- pected that they Avill be available to harvest at least a part of the 1921 acreage. One type of harA^ester, as shoAvn in Plate IX, figure 1, is a motor-driA^en device Avhich lifts the beets entirely out of the ground and tops and piles the joots. Another type of harA^ester, as shoAvn in Plate IX. figure 2. is a liorse-draAvn implement which tops the beet and then lifts the root. Each implement is oj^erated by one man; hence, the saving in labor and ii> labor cost are considera- tions that appeal to the beet groAA^'er. LIVE STOCK. The liA^e stock on the sugar-beet farm should consist of work stock and other animals. One of the most important i)arts of the necessary 40 BULLETIN 995, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. e(|uipment on a beet farm is the work stock, wliicli should be suffi- cient in number, size, and quality to handle the work readily. For the heavy work, such as deep plowing, lifting, and hauling the beets, heavy work animals, similar to those shown in Plates II, V, and VI, are desirable. Work stock of proper size and quality, therefore, are an essential part of the equipment. The horses should be trained to follow rows Avhen cultivating. Large animals, properly trained and handled, will do this work without injury to the beets and may be used unless small animals are available for this purpose. Apparently the tractor is taking the place of work animals in some localities for many of the operations on sugar-beet farms. A farm tractor should be of simple and durable construction, moderate in price, easily and cheaply operated, and capable of making fair speed when required. Animals, in addition to work stock, are essential on the sugar-beet farm in order to utilize to the best advantage the beet tops and pulp, as well as the feeds grown in rotation Avith the beets, and also to furnish the necessary farmyard manure required to keep up and improve the fertility of the soil. The particular kind of stock, whether dairy coavs, beef cattle, sheep, hogs, or poultry, will depend upon the locality, especially with reference to the markets, upon the kind of labor obtainable for handling the stock, and upon the other farm crops adapted to that jjarticular locality. The question of labor on a beet farm is of vital importance, and the lack of labor to handle beets at the proper time will constitute a limiting factor in sugar-beet production. Other things being equal, the beet grower with sufficient dependable labor of good qual- it}^ at his command will handle the crop to the best advantage. For those growers who have not a sufficient amount of labor aA^ailable for the production of sugar beets in addition to the other farm work, the sugar companies will usually undertake to obtain laborers. These laborers usually are transient, coming into an area at the beginning of the growing season, caring for a given acreage of beets during that season, and returning to their homes after the beets are har- vested. In some instances they go out year after year to Avork in the same locality and for the same farmers. Frequently they rent land after a feAv years of experience and remain in the community throughout the year ; such workers sometimes j^urchase land, thereby becoming landowners and employers of labor. The labor imported into an area for Avork in connection with sugar beets is handled under contract at a fixed price per acre. Before he leaves his home the laborer demands a contract stipulating the acreage that he will be Bui. 995, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. PLATE VII. Fig. I. — Lifting the Beets, the First Operation in Harvesting the Crop BY Hand. The lifter is sometimes provided with a riding attachment. Fig. 2. — One Type of Sugar-Beet Lifter Used in Some Localities. This illustration shows the construction of the liftins parts, which are raised out of the ground in turning at the end of the row. Bui. 995, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture PLATE VIII. Fig. I. — Topping and Piling a Crop of Sugar Beets by Hand. Fig. 2. — One Form of Dump Used in Unloading Beets from a Beet Wagon. The load has just been dumped into a freight car and tlie wagon is still tilted. THE BEET-SUGAR INDUSTRY IN li)20. 41 allowed to handle and the price per acre that he will receive for the labor. Labor problems are more fully treated on pages 42 to 44. BEET BY-PRODUCTS AND LIVE STOCK. Live stock constitutes an important factor in the success of beet growing- from tAvo standpoints: (1) The utilization of beet tops and pulp and (2) the production of stable or barn^-ard manure. Kind of live stock to feed. — Sugar-beet toj^s and pulp are good feed for all kinds of live stock, including chickens, hogs, sheep, cattle, and, to some extent, horses. Generally the tops and pulp are fed to sheep and cattle. There are several methods by which the beet tops may be utilized- for feed. They may be pastured olf, a process which con- sists in turning the live stock into the beet field after the beets have been harvested and the roots removed, as shown in Plate X, figure 1. The tops are left scattered over the ground, and this method of feeding results in the ground being more or less trampled. Sheep especiall}' are inclined to travel more generally in paths, thereby trampling the ground unevenly. In no case should the pasturing of the tops be permitted when the ground is wet, since the ground itself would be seriously injured by trampling in that condition and many of the tops Avould be wasted by being trampled into the ground. While live stock thrives on beet tops and pulp, other feed must be used in finishing the animals for the market. Beet tops, especially the crowns, contain considerable mineral matter which is beneficial to liye stock, but it should not be fed in too large quantities. The tops are sometimes allowed to cure partly and are then gathered into piles, hauled to the feed j^ard. and fed in racks, one form of which is shown in Plate X, figure 2. Tliis is a much more economical method of utilizing the tops, but it involves the additional expense of gathering and hauling. The tops ma}^ also be used as ensilage. When chopped with straw, cornstalks, or other roughage excellent silage is produced. Both the tops and the pulp are excellent for dairy cows, since they act as a tonic upon the animals as well as a food and increase the flow of milk. Pulp is used either fresh or dried. It is dried artificially, either by itself or in combination with mola.sses. When dried by itself it contains the same substances as when fresh; when dried with molasses it, of course, contains the added sugar and mineral matter. The object in drying the pulp is to make it easier to handle. About SO per cent of the weight is lost in drying and when dried it can be shipped long distances. It should be soaked for several hours before it is fed to stock. Nuinho' of live ■•■ftoek to keep. — It is apparent that there should be a suitable ratio between the number of live stock and the available tops, pulp, and other feed on the farm. As stated above, animals 42 BULLETIN 995, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. can not be finished for the market on the beet by-products, and unless other feed is available it will not be adA'isable to purchase animals for feeding purposes with a view to turning them on the market later. If the farmer is provided with dairy cows, it is ad- visable to furnish them with one or two feeds of tops or pulp each day. The tops, Avhen cured or pitted, will keep for several months ; the pulp when left in a large pile will not spoil for feeding purposes, except in a thin layer on the surface. If the tops or the pulp are fed heavily to dairy cows, a distinct increase in the flow of milk marks the top and pulp feeding period, and there will generally be a marked falling off in the flow of milk when this feed is discontinued. Since the supply of tops and pulp is limited, it is better to continue the feeding over a longer period, giving a smaller amount to each of the animals daily. The tops and pulp should always be fed in combination with other feeds in order to make a balanced ration. LABOR PROBLEMS. One of the most serious problems on many of the beet farms is that of labor. The difficulties in connection with the labor question as related to sugar-beet culture are due to the fact that a part of the work must be done by hand and is tedious; furthermore, the hdjor in connection Avith this crop is not continuous. For example, there is a period in the spring when considerable labor is i-equired for the blocking and thinning of the beets, as shoAvn in Plate III, figure 1. The work during midsummer is light, consisting of a little hoeing. In the fall there is another increase in the labor requirement, due to the harvest, followed by the winter mer and that certain soil and climatic conditions favor the development of this disease. The real cause, however, is undoubtedly organic in nature ; it is probably either an organism or an organic compound; but vmtil this cause is known little progress can be made in finding a reliable method of control. Curly-top has played an important part in closing at least two l)eet-sugar mills and has caused losses of hundreds of thousands of dollars in other localities. Root-rot. — There are several destructive diseases of the sugar beet known as root-rot. One of these is due to a fungus called Phoma and another is due to a fungus known as Rhizoctonia. Other root rots less extensive or little knoAvn are due to other fungi or to bacteria. The Phoma rot seems to be more prevalent and more destructive than the Rhizoctonia. These fungi attack the beets in the field, usually in midsummer. Sometimes they destroy the plants before they are harvested, causing a serious loss to the grower. In other cases they make only a slight attack on the beet in the field, but develop more or less rapidly when the beet has been placed in storage, either for sugar-making purposes or for seed production. The Phoma fungus causes more loss to stored roots than any other agency, especially if the temperature favors the development of the fungus. These diseases are found in all parts of the sugar-beet area in this country and in Europe. The most successful means of combating the root-rot of beets in the field is crop rotation, and if it does not get started in the field there is little danger of its developing in storage. Leaf-spot. — Two fungi which produce spots on the leaves of beets are more or less general throughout the United States aiul Europe. One of these is known as Cercospora and the other as Phoma ; the latter is the same fungus that produces the root-rot. When the spores of either of these fungi fall upon the beet leaves and the con- ditions are favorable the fungus growth attacks the tissue of the leaf, producing distinct and characteristic spots. The Cercospora 48 BULLETIN 995, U. S. DEPAETMEISTT OF AGRICULTURE. fungus does not generally attack any part of the beet plant except the leaf blade and the ])etiole, while the Phoma may attack leaf and root. If these fungi are present in large numbers they may do considerable damage to the l)eet crop. If the attacks are severe early in the season the growth of the beets is retarded, and conse- quently the yield is reduced. If the attacks do not occur until late in the season, after the beets have practically reached their normal growth the disease will reduce the sugar without appre- ciably affecting the tonnage. If these fungi attack the beets in midsummer both the yield and the quality will l)e generally reduced. These diseases may best be controlled l)}^ deep fall jdowing and by crop rotation. Crop rotation is especially recommended where it can be practiced, but in cases where it is necessary to follow beets with beets after these diseases have appeared, the ground should be plowed in the fall to a good depth, not less than 12 to 14 inches. In fact, all plant-pathological problems, from a practical stand- point, are closely connected with the cultural phases of crop pro- duction. Production can not be successfully studied without a knowledge of the diseases affecting that particular crop, nor can the disease of a croj) be intelligently considered with reference to con- trol measures except in conjunction with the cultural practices and with a knowledge of the conditions under which that crop is grown. INSECTS. The principal insects affecting sugar beets have been treated in various publications of the Bureau of P^ntomology. A list of these publications is given at the end of this bulletin. Among the im- l^ortant forms which affect the leaves are webworms and the beet army worm. In some localities blister beetles, leaf beetles, and local pests do considerable damage, mainly by destroying the foliage. They also have a retarding effect on the growth of the beet, but the principal injury is due to the destruction of the foliage and the con- sequent expenditure of energy and food required by the plant to produce a new set of leaves. Usually these insects start in small areas on one side or a corner of a field and spread rapidly. Of some species there are several generations in a season, and if Aveather con- ditions favor their development much damage is frequently done. In the case of insects working early in the season the tonnage of the beets may be greatlj^ reduced, and if the insects continue until late in the season the sugar content also will be loAvered considerably. Sugar-beet insects as a general rule are more or less local and are seldom very destructive for more than one or two years in succession. All biting or chewing forms of insects are susceptible to poisons and may be controlled by the use of arsenate of lead, Paris green, or other arsenicals. THE BEET-SUCAi; iXDUSTRY IN 1920. 49 The leafhopper. previously mentioned as a carrier of curly-top, is frequently very destructive indirectly. After feeding upon diseasee more expensiye to haul a short distance over a poor or hilly road than several times that distance over a level stone road (PI. VI, fig. 2.) In speaking of the hauling distance, reference is made not to the distance from the factory, but to the loading station or point of delivery. In this respect the grower near the sugar mill has no ad- vantage over the grower many miles away, provided the latter is near a beet dump. The railroad haul is another point to be considered. As a rule, beets can not be transpoited more than 100 miles with pi'ofit. at least under normal conditions. There are, of course, circumstances under which longer hauls are permissible and profitable. Frequently in trying out a new sugar-beet section it is necessary to haul the roots several hundred miles, but in such cases it is not expected that any considerable ))rofit Ay ill be obtained from these beets, and, in fact, tiiey sometimes are transported long distances at a loss in order to determine whether beets of sufficient yield and quality to make beet growing profitable can be groAvn in a given locality. The length of the railroad haul depends to some extent upon the local conditions, the returns that may l)e obtained, and whether the haul is oyer a single road or over two or more lines. CONTRACTS. All sugar beets grown commercially for sugar-making purposes are grown under contract. These contracts are issued by the sugar com- pany and are signed by some official or agent of the company and also by the beet grower. The pi-inci])al ])oints coyercd in tlie con- tracts include the acreage to be planted, the i)rice to be ]);nd for the beets, the methods of handling the crop, the time of harvest, and the reirulation of delivery. (\)ntracts are necessary because a definite acreage of sugar l^eets is re(iuired in order to make a successful mill ■52 BULLETIiSr 995, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGEICULTUEE. run. Each mill should have enough raw material for at least a 100- day run, although the average operating period for 1920 was only 91 days, as shoAvn by Table IV. It Avould be a source of loss to the sugar company to undertake to operate a mill with beets enough for only 50 days, or at half capacity. Knowing the average yield of beets per acre in a given locality, it is comparatively simple to determine ap- proximately the number of acres that will be required to produce a satisfactory run under normal conditions. Furthermore, it is im- portant that the sugar company shall have a written agreement or contract setting forth the time of delivery of the beets. Beet roots must be delivered in sufficient quantity to supply the mill from day to day. It is very expensive to close a mill and let it remain idle even for a few hours during the sugar-making period; hence, there must be some understanding with regard to the delivery of the beets. On the other hand, the beets must not be delivered too rapidly, since they might deteriorate in quality if stored too long, especially in certain localities or under certain climatic conditions wdiere the spoil- ing of the beets before they could be put through the mill might be a matter of considerable magnitude. The growers require a contract because they must be insured a market for the beets at a fixed price. This is one of the few croi)s grown on a commercial scale in Avhich the market price or at least the basis for fixing the price is known even before the seed is planted and for which there is no market of any importance except for sugar- making purposes. There are three general forms of contract so far as the price to be paid for beet roots is concerned, namely, the flat rate, the sliding scale, and the profit-sharing plan. This feature of the contract relat- ing to the price of beets differs with different companies and in dif- ferent localities. Flat rate. — The flat-rate contract fixes a definite price which the farmers are to receive for the beets regardless of the quality of the roots. It is usually stipulated in the contract that the roots must possess a specified sugar content and purity in order to be accepted, but in all of the beet-growing areas there is no record that any sound sugar beets have been rejected because of poor quality. The advantage in this clause in the contract lies in the fact that the fields that are not testing as high in sugar and purity as is required by the contract can be held until a later date before harvesting. Usually the sugar content of the roots increases raj^idly in the fall, so that a delay of a few days at or near ha i- vesting time frequently means a decided increase in the sugar content and an improvement in tlie purity of the roots. Tlie flat rate is the price per ton for the clean and properly topped roots. It differs in different localities and THE BKET-SUGAR IXDl'STKY IX 1!>2(). 53 varies from year to year in the same locality. The direction and extent of the variation depend upon labor conditions and upon the wholesale price of sugar. .sli(H)ig scale. — The second form of contract so far as the price of the beet roots is concerned is the so-called sliding scale. The other features in the contract, aside from the price to be paid for the beets, are usually the same as in the fiat-rate contract. The sliding scale of beet prices is based either upon the percentage of sugar in the beet or upon the market price of sugar at a given time and place, or it is based upon a combination of the sugar in the beet and the price of sugar. In those contracts in which the scale of prices for beets depends upon the sugar content of the beet root there is a mini- mum price per ton for a beet of a given quality and an increased price per ton for each unit or fraction of 1 per cent of sugar in the beet above the minimum. The minimum price and the minimum quality of the root agreed upon differ in different localities, but are definitely stated in the contract. The rate of increase also varies in different localities; for example, one sugar company may agree to pay a minimum price of $5 per ton for beets testing 12 per cent sugar, while another company may agree to pay a minimum price of $6 per ton for a minimum of 14 per cent sugar content. They may also agree to increase the price 25 cents or 83^ cents per ton for each per cent of sugar above the minimum. The price scale for beets, based upon the market price of sugar, Avas in use in several localities for the first time in 1917. Since that date the price of sugar has played an important part in the price of beet roots in all sugar-beet areas. In these contracts the price of sugar at a given time and for a definite stated period is taken as the basis. If the price of sugar at the place and for the time specified is $6 per hundred, for example, the price paid for the beets will be $(*) per ton or $7 per ton, as may be agreed upon and specified in the contract. Usually a minimum price to be paid for the roots is stated in the contract with a stated increase for each unit of increase in the price of sugar. This would seem to be an equitable arrangement, since the greatest profit to the grower and to the sugar company would result Avhen the price of sugar is high, and both would share the smaller profit or the loss when the price of sugar is low. Profit sharing. — In the profit-sharing contract the grower is guar- anteed a fixed minimum price for beets, the sugar companies to ac- cept a minimum price for sugar, which presumably will give the grower and the sugar company approximately the same profit per ton of beets. It is further agreed that all profits in excess of the amounts above mentioned shall be divided equally between the grower and the sugar company. In areas where this contract or the 54 BULLETIN 995, U. S. DP]PARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. sliding scale contract is offered the grower, a flat-rate contract is available, if desired. Tare. — One of the important factors in handling sugar beets is that of tare, and it forms an important clause in the contract. Tare consists of two distinct parts, one of which is the dirt which clings to the beet roots Avhen delivered, and the other is the part of the crown that is sometimes left on the beet when the beet is topped. Tare is obtained by taking a sample from a load of beets and weigh- ing it carefully. The dirt is then removed from this sample, usually by means of a stiff brush, and the beets, if not properly topped, are correctly topped and the cleaned, topped roots again weighed. The difference between the original weight of the sample and the clean, properly topped beets is the tare. This is usuallj^ reduced to a per- centage, and the entire load is tared on the basis of the sample tared. Most sugar-beet tare houses are provided Avith scales that give a direct reading of the percentage of tare for each sample as it is weighed. AREA COMPETITION. Competition for acreage between adjacent sugar-beet areas secured by different sugar companies may or may not be of advantage to the beet-sugar industry as a Avhole, and consequently may or may not be beneficial to beet growers residing within those areas. If the acreage in a given area is sufficient to support two mills, for example, the competition in securing acreage for each of these mills may, if properly handled, stimulate the dcA^elopment of the industry in that area. If, on the other hand, a sugar mill is established in a given area having a limited sugar-beet acreage, due regard being had for proper crop rotation, and a second mill is built in the same area, the results may be disastrous to both of the mills and may result in retarding or preventing the development of the beet-sugar in- dustry in that locdlity. In all lines of business, competition is desirable under certain con- ditions, but in the beet-sugar industry a certain acreage of beets is necessary to enable a sugar mill to operate on a profitable basis. If a competing mill draAvs upon the beet acreage in a given locality to such an extent that the raAv material is not sufficient to provide a satisfactory and profitable run for either of the mills, one or both of them must necessarily suspend operations. This result must lead to disappointment and financial loss on the jjart of those who have invested in the mills, and it deprives the groAvers of the benefits of sugar-beet production, inasmuch as the closing of the mills must necessarily leave the groAvers Avithout a market for their product. THE BEET-SUGAR INDUSTRY IN 1920. 55 Sugar-beet i)i'0(liicins. (Farmers' Bulletin 691.) The False Chinch Bug and IMeasui-es for Controlling It. (Farmers' Bulletin 762. ) Control of the Sugar-Beet Nematode. (Farmers' Bulletin 772.) Sugar-Beet Sirup. (Farmers' Bulletin 823.) Rodent Pests of the Farm. (Farmers' Bulletin 932.) Saving Man Labor in Sugar-Beet Fields. (Farmers' Bulletin 1042.) Beet-Top Silage and Other By-Products of the Sugar Beet. (Farmers' Bul- letin 1095.) Sugar-Beet Seed Growing in the Rocky Mountain States. (Farmers' Bul- letin 1152.) The Sugar-Beet Nematode in the Western United States. (Farmers' Bulletin 1248.) Loss in Tonnage of Sugar Beets l)y Drying. (Department Bulletin No. 199.) Conditions Influencing the Production of Sugar-Beet Seed in the United States. (Separate .503 from Yearbook for 1909.) The Present Status of the Sugar-Beet Seed Industry in the United States. (Separate 695 from Yearbook for 1916.) Destroying Rodent Pests on the Farm. (Separate 708 from Yearbook for 1916.) Statistics of Crops Other than Grain Crops. (Separate 720 from Yearbook for 1916.) Sugar Supply of the United States. (Separate 756 from Yearbook for 1917.) Tlirips as Pollinators of Beet Flowers. (Department Bulletin No. 104.) Farm Practice in Growing Sugar Beets for Three Districts in Utah and Idaho, 1914-15. (Department Bulletin No. 693.) Farm Practice in Growing Sugar Beets for Three Districts in Colorado, 1914- 15. (Department Bulletin No. 726.) Farm Practice in Growing Sugar Beets in the Billings Region of Montana. (Department Bulletin No. 735.) Farm Practice in Growing Sugar Beets in Michi.gan and Ohio. (Department Bulletin No. 748.) Farm Practice in Growing Sugar Beets in Three California Disti'icts. (Depart- ment Bulletin No. 760.) Fai-m Practice in Growing Field Cro]).^- in Three Sugar-Beet Districts of Colorado. (Department Bulletin No. 917.) The Agricultural Situation for 1918, Pt. III. Sugar. (Secretary Circular No. 86.) Sugar Supply of t^e United States; Its Extent and Dis-tribution on August 31. 1917. (Secretary Circular No. 96.) 57 58 Bin.LP:TIN 995, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AfiFJCrLTURE. PUBLICATIONS FOR SALE BY THE SUPERINTENDENT OF DOCUMENTS, GOVERN- MENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON, D. C. The Sus'ar Beet: Culture, Seed Development. Manufacture, and Slatlstios. (Farmers' Bulletin 52.) Price, 5 cents. Irrigation of Susar Beets. (Farmers' Bulletin 392.) Price, 5 cents. Statistics of Sugai- in the United States and Its Insular Possessions, 1881-1912. ( r>epartiiient Bulletin No. 66.) Price, 5 cents. Field Stuepcirtment Bulletin No. 892.) Price, 15 cents. Curly-Top, a Disease of the Sugar Beet. (Bureau of Plant Industry Bulletin No. 122. ) Price. 15 cents. The Curly-Toit of Beets. (Bnreau of Plant Industry liuiletin No. 181.) Price, 15 cents. A Biochemical Stmly of theCurly-Toj) of Sugai- Beets. (Bnreau of I'lant In- dustry Bulletin No. 277.) Price, 5 cents. Experiments with Sugar Beets in 1893. ( P>ureau of (Jhemistry liuUetiii No. 39.) Price, 5 cents. The Influence of Environment upon the Composition of the Sugar Beet, 1902, Including a Study of Irrigated Sections. (Bureau of Chennstry Bulletin No. 78.) Price, 5 cents. Analyses of Sugar Beets, 1905 to 1910, together with Methods of Sugar Deter- mination. (Bureau of Chemistry Bulletin No. 146.) Price. 10 cents. [The Beet Army Worm. | In Proceedings of the Twelfth Annual Meeting of the Association of Econiunic Entomologists. (Bureau of Entomology Bulletin No. 26, p. 79. ) Price, 10 cents. A Brief Account of the Principal Insect Enendes of tlu- Sugar Beet. (Burejiu of Entomology Bulletin No. 43.) Price, 5 cents. The Sugar-Beet Crown-Borer. In Some Mis<^'ellaneons Results of the Work of the Bureau of Entomology. (Bureau of Entomology Bulletin No. 54. pji. 34 - 40.) Price, 10 cents. The Beet Ai-my Worm. In Report on Miscellaneous Cotton In.sects in Texas. (Bureau of Entomology Bulletin No. 57, pp. 35-36.) Price. 5 cents. The Leafhoi)i)ers of the Sugar Beet and Their Relation to the "Curly-Leaf" Condition. (Bureau of Entomology Bulletin No. 66, part 4.) Price. 10 -e'lts. The Hawaiian Beet Webworni. (Bureau of Entomology Bulletin No. 109, part 1.) Price, 5 cents. The Southern Beet Web\\orm. (Bureau of EnH)mology Bulletin No. 199. ]);irt 2.) I'rice, 5 cents. The Sugar-Beet Webworm. (Bureau of Entomology Bulletin No. 1<>9. part 6.-) Price, 5 cents. A Preliminary Report on the Sugar-Beet Wireworm. (Bureau of Entomology Bulletin No. 123.) Price, 25 cents. Utilization of Residues from Beet-Sugar .Manufacture in Cattle Feeding. ( Sepa- rate 137 from Yearbook for 1898.) Price, 5 cents. Relation of Sugar Beets to General Farming. (Seiiarsite :!20 from Yearl)ook for 1903.) Price, 5 cents. Progress of the Beet-Sugar Industry in the United States in 1909. (Report No. 92. ) Price. 10 cents. ADDITIONAL COPIES OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE PROCURED FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT OF DOCl'MENTS GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON, D. C. AT 20 CENTS PER COPY LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 021 529 478 ft