GROWING SUGAR BEETS IN MICHIGAN AND OHIO. 3 



this study was made all that need be done is to apply any prevailing- 

 scale of prices to the more or less constant factors which have been 

 determined in this study. 1 



SUMMARY OF RESULTS. 



A fairly definite rotation system was found in each district visited. 

 In the Caro, Alma, and Grand Rapids areas sugar beets followed 

 corn or beans in the rotation, while in northwestern Ohio sugar beets 

 or corn were planted on clover sod. On 39 per cent of the Ohio 

 farms visited the sugar beet succeeded clover in the cropping system. 



Manure was applied at an average rate of approximately 13 tons 

 per acre on 201 out of a total of 320 farms. 



Commercial fertilizers were applied on 68 per cent of the farms 

 visited in the Caro district, 47 per cent at Alma, 78 per cent at Grand 

 Rapids, and 39 per cent in northwestern Ohio. The rate of applica- 

 tion ranged from 130 to 170 pounds per acre. 



The dates of planting varied from April 5 to June 1. The seed 

 was drilled in at a rate of 15 pounds per acre, and it cost 15 cents 

 per pound. 



The greater part of handwork on sugar beets was performed at a 

 contract rate of $18 per acre for 22-inch rows, $16 for 24-inch rows, 

 and $15 for 28-inch rows. Fifteen per cent of the farmers did their 

 own blocking and thinning, 17 per cent hoed, and 10 per cent did 

 their own topping. On the remaining farms this work was done on 

 a contract basis. 



Beets were hauled an average distance of 2.47 miles to loading 

 station or sugar-factory dump. 



Beet growers in the Caro district produced an average yield of 

 9.72 tons per acre, at a cost of $47.65, or $5.62 per ton; at Alma the 

 average yield was 11.4 tons, and the cost amounted to $57.42 per acre, 

 or $5.04 per ton. Grand Rapids growers reported an average yield of 

 10.16 tons, and the cost per acre averaged $53.05, or $5.21 per ton. 

 Northwestern Ohio operators had an average yield of 13.17 tons per 

 acre, costing $56.04, or $4.26 per ton. 



Twenty-two men produced a yield of 8 tons or less per acre, at a 

 cost of $49 per acre, or $7.05 per ton. Twenty-five men produced 

 14 tons and over per acre, at a cost of $58.18 per acre, or $3.92 per ton. 

 Although the cost per acre increases as the yield increases the cost per 

 ton decreases. 



The labor cost was approximately 64 per cent of the total cost of 

 producing sugar beets in the area visited. Materials, including 

 manure, fertilizer, and seed, constituted about 11 per cent, and other 



1 Mr. James W. Jones, Agriculturist, Office of Sugar Plant Investigations, and Mr. M. R. 

 Cooper, Scientific Assistant, Office of Farm Management, assisted in collecting the records 

 discussed in this bulletin. 



