40 BULLETIN 748, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
in northwestern Ohio. When the estimated value of the beet tops is 
added to this figure, a net return is obtained which ranges from $8.67 
to $17.60 per acre. The relation of the net returns from beets alone 
and the net returns including tops varies somewhat for the four 
areas, depending on the estimated value of the tops. At Caro beet 
tops were given a value of $1.70 an acre, at Alma $2.18, at Grand 
Rapids $3.08, and in northwestern Ohio $1.81. 
In no section did the average cost of production exceed the average 
returns. However, some individual growers produced beets at a loss 
and some realized only a small net return. It is possible to increase 
the yields in many localities and thereby add appreciably to the net 
returns. 
BP Sees Resear 
es feb NS lee ie |) 2 esa ee 
(eR leech | 
Fe ee RP PO ee Pe ie 
NUMBER OF RECORDS 
° 
COST PERS300 89350 4.00 450 500 550 600 650 7.00 t50 800 ia 9.00 950 1000 1080 1.00 1150 %200 
963 9.22 809 783 207 ‘SST SSA 629 S42 403 548 333 400 4.00 
Fig. 23.—Frequency curve showing the distribution of farm operators in this study in 
relation to cost per ton and yield per acre. 
RELATION OF YIELD TO COST OF PRODUCTION. 
As has been previously stated, the yield per acre is an important 
factor in the cost of producing a ton of sugar beets.. The accompany- 
ing frequency curve (fig. 23) shows the distribution of the growers 
in the four regions on the basis of cost per ton in producing sugar 
beets. 
It will be seen that sugar beets are grown at a cost of from $3 to 
$12 a ton. However, from the 320 records obtained, 229 growers, or 
about 72 per cent, produced beets at a cost ranging from $3.50 to 
$5.50 a ton. Dividing the records into two groups, 145 growers pro- 
duced beets at $4.50 a ton or less, and 175 grew the crop at $5 a ton or 
more. Twenty-three per cent of the growers reported a cost of $6 
a ton or more. 
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