4 The Sugar-Beet in America 



land. The cost of these tillage operations is met by the 

 beet crop, the increase in yield of the other crops usually 

 coming as a net profit. 



Beets make an excellent crop to fit into the rotation. 

 On account of the tillage required, they permit the eradi- 

 cation of weeds that persist in other crops ; they furnish, 

 through their by-products, a large quantity of stock 

 feed ; they are deep-rooted, and consequently bring from 

 considerable depth plant-food that is later made available 

 to shallow-rooted crops; the period when work is re- 

 quired by beets fits well with the raising of grain and 

 alfalfa ; and, finally, they furnish a cash crop, which should 

 be found in every rotation. Because of these conditions, 

 beet-raising is a help to the individual farmer. 



The community as a whole is also benefited by the 

 beet-sugar industry. Considerable ready money is thereby 

 brought into the region and the farmer is enabled to know 

 before the crop is planted that he has a sure market at a 

 definite price. This tends to stabilize all phases of business 

 in the community ; it gives a standard market value to 

 all land capable of raising beets profitably. The factory 

 furnishes work to farm hands who would otherwise be 

 idle in winter; boys and girls find employment in the 

 beet fields when school is not in session. This employ- 

 ment of the people of the community makes the industry 

 valuable even when direct profits of beet production are 

 small. 



Perhaps the greatest reason for encouraging the do- 

 mestic production of beet-sugar is the greater national 

 independence that results from having at home a supply 

 of such an important food. In times of peace the ad- 



