OTHER FARM CROPS 625 



most farm corps ; and indeed soils that are too strongly alkaline for 

 nearly all other crops will sometimes produce a fair yield and quality 

 of sugar beets. Undoubtedly, many of the alkaline soils of the West 

 could be rendered suitable by proper treatment not only for sugar- 

 beet growing but for general farming. As a rule, a virgin soil 

 should not be used for growing sugar beets, even if it is of the kind 

 that usually gives good results from sugar beets in rotation with 

 other crops. The virgin prairies, however, are more likely to pro- 

 duce good results the first few years than are the virgin timber lands. 



It should be noted also that the nature of the subsoil is an im- 

 portant factor in sugar-beet production. If the subsoil is too hard 

 the beets will not penetrate it readily, and as a result will be pushed 

 out of the ground in the process of growth. This may usually be 

 remedied, however, by the use of the subsoil plow. The subsoil 

 should not be impervious, as this prevents a proper drainage ; on the 

 other hand, it should not be too loose, as this allows the water to 

 pass through too freely. While the beet is capable of withstanding 

 extremes of moisture better than most farm crops, it is entirely pos- 

 sible for its growth to be checked by either too much or too little 

 water. 



Location of Land for Sugar Beets. The location of the land on 

 which sugar beets are to be grown should be considered from several 

 standpoints. So far as sugar-beet growing has been tested, there 

 are fairly well-defined limits beyond which the crop is not profitable. 

 It is possible that the sugar beet may be so acclimated as to extend 

 considerably its present geographical limits. However, the present 

 satisfactory sugar-beet territory in the United States is sufficient for 

 the production of all the sugar needed on the American continent, 

 and will therefore accommodate the expansion of the beet-sugar in- 

 dustry for many years to come. Geographically, the sugar-beet ter- 

 ritory is a somewhat wedge-shaped area, which extends from the 

 Pacific to the Atlantic, with the broad end of the wedge toward the 

 Pacific, comprising nearly the whole of the States of California, 

 Oregon, and Washington. The whole area tapers irregularly toward 

 the east, the line of the southern boundary running north of Mary- 

 land and passing into New England. South of this area the mean 

 temperature is too high for proper sugar production, although the 

 tonnage produced is usually satisfactory. North of the sugar-beet 

 area the season is too short to allow the beets to ripen thoroughly ; 

 hence the sugar content is too low for profit. In addition to the 

 temperature limits there must be, as already indicated, a sufficient 

 supply of moisture ; but it is immaterial whether the water be sup- 

 plied in the form of rain or by the process of irrigation. 



It is desirable that the land be located within easy reach of the 

 factory, either by rail or by wagon road. It is usually more satis- 

 factory to transport the beets by wagon, providing the roads are 

 sufficiently level and firm to admit of hauling several tons at each trip 

 and the distances are not too great. Both steam and electric cars are 

 now used in different parts of the United States for transporting the 

 beets to the factory. If the transportation is over one line of road only, 



