GROWING SUGAR BEETS IN MICHIGAN AND OHIO. T 
Taste Il].—Mean annual rainfall for three districts in Michigan and one in 
northwestern Ohio. 
Grand 
Caro Dis- | ajma Dis- | Rapids Ohio Dis- 
trict, Ate eran District, trict, 
Month. Arbela, | 4997’ 1998 Grand | Paulding, 
1887-1908. * | Rapids, | 1883-1908. 
1870-1908. 
Mean. Mean, Mean. Mean 
UP AUTAUT Tay pert re oe aim Seamer eet cia ele Vv ops ators Stars 2.29 2.53 2.69 2.44 
WO TO TUT eA NS a CEN Ne esr SIS Se OE OS 2.03 1.95 2.33 2.07 
IMTS W OL OU ls te NTE er pe ee Nt mh Oe eel 2.63 2.49 2.65 3.08 
INE eRe Se ee eee eis ohare Pe eS eg acinar Sag eina tO 2 Tl! 2.39 2.49 2.76 
INIA eee tere a AUS e at, Mie ery eS! 4,14 3.56 3.25 3.32 
ALT Cea seas Mcrae ec ana) Ne AMT I iy er ane 3.20 3.07 3.92 3.18 
SDL? ssuis cs ere Se ae ae ea 3.13 3.11 Bie IG) 3.49 
JMU ERIS Co Se SUIS OSES eta ictal re eee ed eee 2.79 23 2.67 2.74 
Septem era eaten Munn Mati Ms wey en Sees ad eta 2.80 3.28 3.42 227 
COELHO OKEN RLS Ge en I see ee ee ee ae er 2.70 2.61 2.76 2.23 
INO ie TIND Cr eee ye ean sete ay. este er I Thee 2.63 2.66 2.85 2.47 
TDS GET OYSTERS SSS cts ACNE Ns aie est ai es Eee nr 2533 2.34 2.65 2.71 
Average annual precipitation .-.........--.--.-.-.....-- 33.38 32.74 34.85 32.76 
Av eragcannvalyprecipitation Olas ses mess ele Oe eee ee 37.63 29S S3ii esse eon nee 
Average annual precipitation, 1915.....................|...-....---- | 30. 26 28.93 32.78 
OVI OTe ee eer eee ence ctrae eye a= ae iae at ae 728 feet 730 feet 707 feet | 725 feet 
There is only a. slight variation in normal rainfall in these four 
districts, the average annual precipitation for the entire area being 
not far from 33 inches. In the Alma district the rainfall for 1914 
was about 5 inches above the average, while in 1915 it was 2.5 inches 
below normal. In the Grand Rapids region the precipitation was 
considerably below the average for the two seasons 1914 and 1915. 
A study of the prevailing summer temperature for the sugar-beet 
regions of the United States has shown that an average of 70° 
F. during the growing period is conducive to the development of a 
satisfactory sugar content. This condition obtains in the Michigan 
and Ohio sugar-beet areas. 
SOILS. 
In Tuscola and Gratiot Counties the soil type that is best adapted 
to sugar beets, and the one that produces the major portion of this 
crop, 1s known as Clyde loam. It is the most extensive type in this 
region.t. Clyde loam has been described as a soil that is easily tilled, 
if cultivated at the proper time, but if worked when too wet or too dry 
it breaks up into lumps and 1s apt to remain in a rough condition dur- 
ing the entire season. It is especially well suited to the production 
of sugar beets, beans, corn, oats, wheat, and hay. In the Grand 
Rapids area Allegan black clay appeared to be the type upon which 
the sugar beet was grown most extensively. Clyde clay was the 
most significant type in the Ohio survey. 
1 Bureau of Soils report, Saginaw area, 1904; Bureau of Soils report, Allegan County, 
1901; Bureau of Soils report, Paulding County, 1904. 
