428 FIELD CROPS 



sugar had reached 450,000 tons, while that of cane sugar was 

 311,000 tons, only about two thirds as much. In 1917, the 

 production of beet sugar was 765,000 short tons, and of cane 

 sugar only 235,000 tons. The average area of sugar beet? 

 harvested in the United States for the five years from 1913 

 to 1917 was 601,000 acres, with a production of 5,729,000 

 tons of beets, from which 1,566,216,000 pounds of sugar were 

 made. In the past ten years the area devoted to the crop 

 has increased from 398,000 acres in 1910 to 874,000 acres in 

 1915, the production of sugar from 1,199,000,000 pounds to 

 1,748,000,000 pounds, and the number of factories from 

 sixty to ninety-one. 



Colorado w^as the leading state in production in 1917, 

 with fifteen factories and 468,606,000 pounds of sugar. Cal- 

 ifornia was second with 418,650,000 pounds, Utah third with 

 167,324,000 pounds, Michigan fourth with 128,494,000 

 pounds, and Idaho fifth with 77,000,000 pounds. In addi- 

 tion, there were 21 other factories in other states, scattered 

 from IlKnois to Washington and Oregon, with a total pro- 

 duction of 222,000,000 pounds. The area of sugar beet pro- 

 duction in this countiy is capable of wide extension, while for 

 sugar cane it is comparatively limited. 



585. Culture. The culture of sugar beets differs Httle 

 from that of mangels (Section 526) . The crop grows best in 

 a loam or sandy loam soil. Good preparation is essential, as 

 the seed is rath r slow to germinate. The land should be 

 as free as possible from weeds, because the heaviest expense 

 of production is for cultivation. The seed is ordinarily 

 sown with a beet drill which sows several rows at a time. 

 The usual distance between the rows is from 20 to 28 inches. 

 Where the crop is irrigated, the beets are often sown in 

 double rows 1 foot apart, with a space of from 24 to 28 inches 

 between each pair of rows. To insure a full stand, 20 pounds 

 of seed to the acre is required. Seeding should be done 

 early in May. 



