340 Twelfth Annual Report. 



gation water but indicating probable future effects from the solu- 

 ble salts that it may contain, both injurious and beneficial. It is 

 of interest to note that the nitrogen, potash, and phosphoric acid, 

 the three essential plant foods carried upon the valley by the 

 Salt river during the period for which we examined it, had a 

 market value of about one million dollars. 



Thus this river in a measure stands in a somewhat similar 

 relation to the valley farmer that a fertilizer factory does to his 

 eastern brother. 



There are other questions of importance which will be dis- 

 cussed more in detail in a station bulletin concerning this work, 

 which will be issued in the near future. 



SUGAR BEETS. 



Experimental sugar-beet culture was continued in the vici- 

 nity of Pima and Safford, Arizona, during the season from Jan- 

 uary to August, and this line of work was brought to a satisfac- 

 tory close. This year's investigations conclude a thorough ex- 

 amination into the possibilities of sugar-beet culture in the Terri- 

 tory, carried on for five years past. The results place Arizona in an 

 intermediate position as to the quality of beets produced for the 

 support of factories in other states. 



Aside from quality of beets, certain agricultural and factor}- 

 conditions, such as the advantage of irrigation over precarious 

 rainfall; and fuel, water and limestone supply, may secure a place 

 for the Territory among future sugar producers. 



The following table states the results obtained at Pima and 

 Safford this year : 



