180 



EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 



64 VICTORIA, A. 1901 

 TABLE III— ANALYSES OF SUGAR BEETS FROM MANITOBA AND N. VV. T.— 1900. 



Their tieatment at Brandon may be outlined as follows : 'Land in fodder corn 

 in 1899 ; ploughed once and harrowed in spring 1900. Seed sown May 15, roots taken 

 up October 3. Eows 30 inches apart and plants left standing about 9 Inches apart in 

 the rows.' Mr. Bedford continues : ' The roots are unusually small, owing to the 

 severe drought of spring and early summer.' 



The particulars furnished by Mr. Mackay are : 'Land fallowed 1899, ploughed 

 5 inches deep and harrowed in spring 1900. Seed sown May 18, roots pulled Septem- 

 ber 28. Distance between row, 28 inches, distance between root, 7 to S inches.' 



As regards quality, i.e., sugar content and purity of juice, these beets are no 

 better than those grown at or near Winnipeg. We feel, therefore, obliged to state 

 that the present results have not given any indication of roots sufficiently rich and pui'e 

 as to be suitable for sugar manufacture. 



It is obvious that we are not yet in a position to speak definitely as to the 

 possibility of growing in Manitoba a beet with a high sugar content, owing to the 

 exceptional character of the past season, the fact that all the roots examined did not 

 receive special attention or culture necessary for the best results, and that the samples 

 represent but two localities in the province. Further work another year, when the 

 season is normal, will be necessary to determine that question. It is only right, how- 

 ever, to point out that in many parts of Manitoba the climatic conditions for the 

 purpose of sugar beet growing, which must comprise a sufficient and well distributed 

 rainfall in the early months of growth, a high mean summer temp-rature and absence 

 of early autumn frost, are not such as to lead us to regard with sanguineness the 

 prospect of obtaining many areas that could furnish an ample supply of rich beets, 

 without which, of course, profitable sugar manufacture would be impossible. 



.\LBERTA. 



At the request of the Department of Agriculture for the North-west Territories, 

 we have examined two samples of sugar beets grown at Magrath and Stirling, Alta., 

 by the Canadian Korth-west Irrigation Company, of Lethbridge, Alta. Regarding 

 these roots, Mr. C. McGrath. manager of the company, writes : ' The samples forwarded 

 consist of thirteen beets, the four larger ones from Magrath, the others from Stirling 

 —all grown on sod. We were unable to supply either of these settlements witli water 

 from our canal system during the past season, owing to the fact that the ditches hav..- 

 only recently been completed. The settlement at Magrath got more rain than Stirling, 

 hence the former place has supplied the larger beets.' 



