42 



The remarkable curve showing the altitude of the Blaeksburg station 

 is first to be noted. X<> more striking effect of environment on the 

 composition of the beet could be given than that shown here. It is 

 the altitude in this case which has secured so high a content of sugar 

 in the beet. This station, which has the lowest latitude, shows almost 

 the mean percentage of sugar found at the other stations. Another 

 important etl'ect of altitude is shown at the Washington station, which 

 is practically at sea level, where the lowest altitude coincides with the 

 lowest percentage of sugar. The only propel- way to study the etiect 

 of altitude, as has already been intimated, is in connection with other 

 physical features of the environment, such as mountain ranges, broad 

 and extensive plateaus, etc. Altitude evidently does not in every case 

 tend to increase the content of sugar. This is illustrated in the case 

 of Ithaca and Geneva. Ithaca is almost 4on feet higher than Geneva 

 and yet the sugar content of the beets grown at Geneva in the two 

 seasons covered by this experiment has been higher than at Ithaca. 



The rainfall, as is shown by the curve, was smallest at Madison. 

 Other areas receiving a small rainfall were Ames, Lafayette, and Lex- 

 ington. The greatest amount of rainfall was at Blacksburg. and the 

 next greatest at Agricultural College, Mich., and at Washington. 

 The actual amount of rainfall does not have so great an influence on 

 the composition of the beet as does its distribution. It has been shown 

 that excellent beets can be produced with a rather deficient supply of 

 rain, as was the case at Madison, at Ames, and at Lafayette. On the 

 other hand, an excessive amount of rain is not' necessarily destructive 

 of -ugar content, as is illustrated by the plat at the Blacksburg station. 

 In other words, it may be stated that, given a sufficient quantity of 

 water to >ccmv normal growth, the beet is not very sensitive either to 

 a -lightly diminished or a slightly increased supply. It is important, 

 however, that the rainfall be not too great in September, which is the 

 period of ripening, nor in October, the season of harvesting. 



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