EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 279 



more sugar can be made for a given leaf surface than farther south. In 

 addition to this, the lower temperature seems to favor the elaboration and 

 accumulation of the sugar. Thus the general principle may be enunciated 

 that the areas of successful beet culture will extend as far northward as 

 the climate will permit the proper ripening and harvesting of the crop." 



In. Bulletin 64, Bureau of Chemistry, Department of Agriculture, page 

 30, it is stated: "It is evident that the elements of sunlight, which are 

 active in promoting the action of the chlorophyll cells in the formation of 

 sugar, do not depend upon the direct rays of the sun. The diffused light 

 coming through the clouds is apparentlv quite as effective as the direct 

 light." 



As bearing upon the richness of the beets grown in the Upper Peninsula, 

 the following table, which records the hours when the sun is above the 

 horizon in the six months beginning April 15 and ending October 15. in 

 latitudes 42, 43 and 47 degrees, is submitted : 



Number of hours In which the sun Is above horizon. 

 Latitude Latitude Latitude 



42 43 47 



April 15 to 30 218 91 219 03 224 14 



May 451 95 454 81 467 36 



June 456 12 459 66 475 70 



July 461 87 465 40 479 65 



August 429 53 431 36 440 08 



September 374 47 375 09 ' 376 93 



October to 15 " 171 37 171 07 169 49 



Totals 2,564 22 2,577 02 2.633 35 



Excess of sunlight in 47 over 43 is 56.33 hours. 



Excess of sunlight in 47 over 42 is 69.13 hours. 



The latitude of Coldwater, Hillsdale and Adrian is approximately 42. 



The latitude of Port Huron and Grand Rapids is approximately 43. 



The latitude of Houghton is slightly over 47. 



It is inevitable that this very notable excess of sunlight in the Northern 

 Peninsula must exercise a dominant influence on the percentage of sugar 

 in the beets grown there, as compared with those grown in Southern 

 Michigan. 



In the spring of 1902 sugar beet seed was distributed through the 

 several counties of the UnDcr Peninsula to farmers who were known to 

 be so situated as to be able to care for plots of beets and to report the 

 results to the Station. The following varieties were used in the test : 



No. 1 Hoerning's Improved Kleinwanzlebener Special Elite. 



No 2 Dippe's Elite Kleinwanzlebener. 



No. 3 Strandes Kleinwanzlebener. 



No. 4 Vilmorin French Very Rich. 



No. 5 Sachs' Kleinwanzlebener. 



In the tables to follow, the varieties will be referred to by number as 

 above. Numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4 were donated to the station by the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture. Washington. D. C. No. 5 was purchased of the 

 Lansing Sugar Co. 



