10 BULLETIISr 721, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



CLIMATE. 



One of the most important factors in determining the suitability of 

 a given area for sugar-beet culture is the climate. Frequently all 

 other conditions are favorable, while some climatic factor renders 

 sugar-beet growing unprofitable. 



Temperature. — Successful sugar-beet growing has been confined to 

 the temperate region in practically all beet-sugar producing coun- 

 tries. Frequently sugar beets will produce a satisfactory tonnage of 

 roots in warmer areas, but for some reason they generally are not 

 sufficiently rich in sugar to make them, profitable in sugar making. 

 This is notably the case in nearly all parts of the southern United 

 States. Occasionally areas are found in these warmer zones where 

 sugar beets may be grown successfully. This is true in southern 

 California and in some parts of Arizona and New Mexico, where the 

 adverse condition of temperature is overcome by growing the beets 

 during the so-called winter months or at least by getting the plants 

 started in the winter or early spring. In some sections the elevation 

 and the temperature of the prevailing wind are sufficient to modify 

 the climate so that sugar beets may be produced with profit. If the 

 winter months are too cold for the production of beets and the sum- 

 mers too warm for the proper storage of sugar in the roots, the 

 limiting factor is established which renders profitable sugar-beet 

 growing impossible with any of our known varieties. Should it be- 

 come desirable to extend the culture of sugar beets into the warmer 

 sections of the country, it is possible that suitable varieties could be 

 developed that would be profitable from the standpoint of both ton- 

 nage and quality. 



Another important consideration is the fact that high tempera- 

 tures tend to encourage spoilage. This may be overcome by passing 

 the beets through the mill as rapidly as they are harvested and by 

 harvesting the roots as soon as they are matured. Regarding the 

 lower temperatures, sugar beets have been successfully grown in 

 practically all of our Northern States, and several beet-sugar mills 

 are operated successfully in Canada. It is apparent, therefore, that 

 the lower temperatures do not constitute a limiting factor in sugar- 

 beet growing in any of our agricultural sections. It would seem that 

 a short growing season would render sugar-beet production unprofit- 

 able in many northern areas, but the sugar beet is readily adaptable 

 to many adverse factors, and usually in those sections where the 

 growing season is short the sugar beet grows rapidly and stores sugar 

 in great abundance. Some of our most satisfactory sugar-beet sec- 

 tions, therefore, are to be found in our more northern States. 



During the period just preceding the beet harvest the difference 

 in temperature between day and night is an important condition in 



