272 CULTURE OF THE SUGAR BEET. 



Statement showing the mean temperature, $c. — Continued. 



Months. 



1879, 



J anuary 



February 



March 



April 



May 



June 



July 



August 



September 



October 



November 



December 



Burlington, Vt. 



H 



Degrees. 

 16.6 

 16.2 

 28.4 

 39.7 

 61.1 

 62.8 

 70.3 

 67.0 

 59.1 

 54.7 

 35.0 

 23.6 



Per cent. 

 73.1 

 72.1 

 69.0 

 57.9 

 52.9 

 68.0 

 63.3 

 69.3 

 66.9 

 64.7 

 73.7 

 74.6 



«1 



Inches. 



.78 



1.11 



1.45 



.97 



.38 



4.52 



2.71 



2.39 



2.82 



1.36 



3.56 



2.22 



Boston, Mass. 



-29 



Degrees. 

 24.5 

 24.5 

 33.8 

 42.4 

 59.4 

 64.2 

 69.9 

 67.7 

 60.8 

 56.6 

 39.2 

 32.6 



Per cent. 

 62.6 

 66.1 

 73.7 

 61.1 

 61.8 

 70.1 

 69.2 

 73.1 

 73.2 

 64.7 

 71.5 

 68.3 



<H 2 



Inches. 

 2.79 

 4.35 

 3.90 

 6.54 



.97 

 6.24 

 3.09 

 6.71 

 1.84 



.91 

 2.97 

 5.36 



KOBEKT CRAIG, 

 Lieutenant, A. S. O., and Assistant. 

 "War Department, Office of Chief Signal Officer, 



Washington, D. O., February 2, 1880. 



We see here that the meteorological conditions in New England during the past year 

 have been eminently favorable to beet-root culture either as regards temperature, the 

 number of rainy days, or the amount of precipitation or rainfall. 



Some complaints have been expressed in the replies to our circulars concerning the 

 effect of dry weather during the latter part of August, but the above table shows that 

 this was not sufficient to produce any marked reduction in the quantity of the crop. 

 And an examination of the records of tbe averages of meteorological conditions made 

 up from those of a series of years show, that for New England they compare more 

 closely with those of the beet-growing districts of Europe than for any other section 

 of the United States. 



So far as the initial conditions of the culture are concerned, therefore, that is, the 

 physical character of the soil and climatic conditions, two great factors upon which 

 success in the work depends, the farmers of New England have little to contend 

 against. The depth of the surface soil may not be as great as that required by the 

 crop, but this will be improved each year that the culture is followed, not only to the 

 advantage of the beet crop but to other crops as well. In fact, here as elsewhere, the 

 improvement of this culture will react to the advantage of all other cultures accom- 

 panying it. 



We would also call attention to the estimates of cost of the different operations of 

 culture. In the majority of cases the cost of plowing is estimated at over $4 per acre, 

 and in many cases it is even placed at $3 and above. And these are the figures given 

 for the first and second plowing of sandy soil or a sandy loam in the spring following 

 a plowed crop. They therefore appear entirely too high. Good authorities on the sub- 

 ject in New England and in other parts of the United States place the cost of this 

 operation below $3, and this might be considered a high average for all soils ; and in- 

 many sections this is the average contract price for such work. 



Again we find a large number of estimates for cost of planting placed at $4, $5, and 

 $6. Others are placed at from 75 cents to $2 per acre. Is it not more x>robable that 

 the latter, all things considered, are nearest tbe actual cost of the work ? Mr. Harris, 

 president of the Maine State Board of Agriculture, estimates cost of marking and plant- 

 ing at $1 per acre; and Mr. Hays, of Portsmouth, N.H., places cost of planting at 50 

 cents per acre. These gentlemen manage extensive farms ; they keep close accounts of 



