GROWING SUGAR BEETS IN COLORADO. 51 



Table XXIX. — Average returns and margin above cost in producing sugar beets, 1914-15. 



District. 



Yield per 

 acre. 



Receipts, 



beets and 



tops per 



acre. 



Cost per 

 acre. 



Margin per acre. 



Beets. 



Tops. 



Total. 



Greeley 



Fort Morgan 

 Rocky Ford. 



15.57 

 13. 65 

 12.99 



$92.44 

 81.66 

 67.36 



$72. 53 

 65.00 

 64.87 



$16. 93 

 12.70 

 -.12 



$2.98 

 3.96 

 2.61 



$19.91 

 16.66 

 2.49 



During the years 1914-15 the 195 Greeley farmers represented in 

 this study received an average price of $5.74 per ton for sugar beets. 

 The 66 Fort Morgan growers were paid $5.69 per ton as an average 

 for the year 1915. The 106 Rocky Ford growers realized $4.87 per 

 ton as an average for the crop years 1914-15. In the latter district 

 the beet crop was grown at a loss, provided no credit is given for 

 beet tops. This by-product had an estimated value of $2.61 per 

 acre, and when this was considered there was a margin of $2.49 per 

 acre. Greeley growers secured a margin of almost $17 per acre on 

 sugar beets alone. The sugar beets were sold largely on the basis of 

 sugar content. Selling beets on a percentage basis involved the use 

 of a sliding scale. 1 



SUMMARY OF COSTS BY TENURE. 



The records for the three Colorado districts were classified by 

 tenure, and cost figures were compiled for three groups, namely; 

 owners, renters, and owners renting additional land. In the three 

 districts there were 155 owners, 182 renters and 30 owners renting 

 additional land, the latter mostly in the Greeley district. The dis- 

 tribution of these farms with the costs for each group is given in 

 Table XXX. 



1 This method is illustrated in the following scale, adopted by one of the sugar companies for the 1915 

 crop (northern Colorado): 



Scale of prices adopted by a Colorado sugar company in 1915. 



Price paid for beets per 



Sugar content. 



Price paid for beets per 

 ton. 



Sugar content. 



ton. 



Minimum. 



Maximum. 



Minimum. 



Maximum. 



$5 



Per cent. 

 12 

 14 



14.5 

 15 



15.5 

 16 



Per cent. 

 14 



14.5 

 15 



15.5 

 16 

 16.5 



$5.875 



Per cent. 

 16.5 

 17 



17.5 

 18 



18.5 

 19 



Per cent. 

 17 



$5.125 



$6 



17.5 



85.25 



$6.125 



18 



$5.50 



$6.25..- 



18.5 



$5.625 



$6.375 



19 



$5. 75 



$6.50 



19.5 









12J cents per ton additional is paid for each one-half per cent above 19J per cent. 



