4 BULLETIX 760, IT. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
that there was a slight tendency on the part of the grower to over- 
estimate. 1 
Table I. — Comparison of farmers' estimates with factory records (crop year 
1916). 
District. 
Jfum- ; Number of acres 
Pl v ° l in beets, 
farms. 
Tons per acre. 
Total receipts. 
11 
31 
Farmers'.] Factory. 
122.21 124.52 
92. 13 90. 16 
Farmers' . 
10.94 
15.42 
Factory. 
10.88 
15.73 
Farmers'. 
$10, 731. 26 
8, 044. 71 
Factory. 
§10, 102. 78 
7, 556. 48 
HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE SUGAR-BEET INDUSTRY 
IN CALIFORNIA. 
As early as 1856 a small beet-sugar factory was built at Ocean 
View near San Francisco, which failed in a few years. In 1869 and 
5 I jjfr.ff 
Fig. 2. — Beet-sugar factory at Alvarado. Cal. 
sugar industry bad its beginning 
It was on tbis site tbat tbe beet- 
on tbe Pacific Coast. 
1870 a beet-sugar factory having a capacity of 50 tons was erected 
at Alvarado and was operated under the name of the California 
Beet Sugar Manufacturing Co. After operating four years it was 
sold to a concern in Santa Cruz County, which failed in 1876. The 
1 Tbe Office of Farm Management and tbe Office of Sugar-Plant Investigations worked 
in cooperation in securing tbe records. Tbe former office was primarily interested in tbe 
labor requirements of tbe crop and farm organization in tbe sugar-beet areas. Tbe latter 
office was concerned with tbe metbods of growing tbe crop, as well as with the study of 
the effect of certain pests and diseases upon production. 
Acknowledgment is due to the many farmers through whose liberal contribution of time 
and information this publication has been made possible, and to the sugar-factory officials 
who furnished the figures from the company books for comparison with the farm 
estimates. 
Acknowledgment is also due S. B. Xuckols and James W. Jones, Agriculturists, Office 
of Sugar-Plant Investigations, who assisted in obtaining tbe field records from the 
growers. 
