ARID AGRICULTURE. 



207 



RAISING 

 DIVERSITY 

 OF CROPS 



ADVISABLE 



SUGAR BOTH 

 A LUXURY 

 AMD A 

 NECESSITY 



BEETS WILL 

 GROW ON 



ALKALI 

 LAND 



the rocks from which it was formed, instead of 

 having had its nutritious salts washed into the 

 sea. This stirring of the soil saves moisture and 

 does numerous other things to improve the land. 

 It could hardly be better prepared for the sup- 

 port of any crop we may wish to grow on it. I 

 know of no better clean culture crop for a rota- 

 tion, than the sugar beet. 



Fourth Growing sugar beets adds a crop to 

 those usually produced on a farm. It does not 

 take the place of other crops, but adds a new one. 

 Diversifying the crop does many things for the 

 farmer. He uses his land and employs his labor 

 to better advantage. If he has several crops and 

 one fails he can better afford to stand the loss, 

 as there are others which secure an income. 



Fifth There is usually more money made 

 by producing luxuries than anything else. Sugar 

 is both a concentrated food and one of our great- 

 est luxuries. The people of England use one- 

 third more sugar per capita than the people in 

 the United States. A few years ago an estimate 

 was made that it would require TOO additional 

 factories to supply our demand, and that demand 

 is continually increasing. It seems that there 

 can be no possible danger of glutting the market. 



Sixth Finally, sugar beets fill a niche in 

 our farming not filled by any other crop. They 

 belong to a family of plants which rejoice in 



