1 Sept., 1897.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 203 
The Sugar Beet Industry. 
CLIMATE AS RELATED TO THE SUGAR BEET INDUSTRY. 
Dr. H. W. Winey, the well-known Sugar Chemist of the United States Depart- 
ment of Agriculture, has (says the Pacific Rural Press) emphasised the fact 
that California has distinctive advantages for beet culture. We reproduce 
portions of Dr. Wiley’s paper, as it cannot fail to be of great interest to all 
concerned in sugar-growing in this colony :— 
“The Beet Belt.—Dr. Wiley says that experience has shown that the 
sugar beet reaches its highest development in north temperate latitudes. So far 
as the production of beets with high tonnage is concerned, it is found that this 
can be accomplished far to the south, but beets grown in such localities are, 
upon the whole, less rich in sugar and less suitable for the manufacture of 
sugar than those grown farther north. It must be remembered, however, that 
the expressions north and south doe not refer to any absolute parallels of 
latitude, but rather to isothermal lines, which in many cases run obliquely to the 
parallels of latitude and in some cases cross them almost at right angles. As 
a result of many years of careful experimentation, it may be said that, as far as 
temperature alone is concerned, the sugar beet attains its greatest perfection 
in a zone of varying width, through the centre of which passes the isothermal 
line of 70 degrees Fahr. for the months of June, July, and August.” 
The theoretical beet-sugar belt of the United States is defined by the 
position of this isotherm, and may briefly be traced from New York to Lake Erie 
(Ohio); thence to Michigan, reaching its highest point at Lansing. Then, 
going south-west, it enters Indiana, changes direction to the north-west, and 
continues through Chicago, attaining its highest point near St. Paul, Minnesota. 
Again, turning south-west, it enters the State of South Dakota; then runs 
north-west and reaches its highest point in Dakota about 45th parallel of 
latitude. Then it passes almost due south, following the 101st degree of 
longitude till it reaches the north-east corner of Colorado; then passes into 
New Mexico, turns to the west, and crosses the 105th degree of longitude at 
about the 32nd degree of latitude. Then, turning westward, it passes in a very 
irregular line through the States of California, Oregon, and Washington. 
Now what does all this mean? It means that here are some millions of 
acres of land said to be adapted by climate to the growth of beet. The amount 
of sugar consumed in the United States annually, the doctor puts down at 
2,000,000 tons; and with 100,000,000 acres of arid land, one-fifth of the total area 
of the States, 10 per cent. of which are capable of easy and speedy irrigation, 
it is not too much to prophesy that the beet-sugar industry will make such 
rapid strides in the country that the home consumption will ere many years be 
supplied. It would only require about 120 factories such as that at Chino 
(Cal.) to compass this result, provided farmers will grow the beets. Will 
it pay the farmers to do so? Again quoting our authority :—‘“ The northern 
parts of our Eastern and Middle States and the States of Oregon and 
Washington have at least an equal chance for the successful production of beet 
sugar with the fields of Germany and France. The irrigable parts of the great 
south-west, it is believed, have advantage of soil and climate which will enable 
them to enter into competition even with the Hawaiian Islands and Cuba. To 
be able to control the moisture in the soil is a matter of prime importance to 
the beetgrower. In the arid region, the beet can be left to mature at the 
proper time by withholding the water. Subsequently there is no “danger of 
loss due to second growth, so easily induced by late warm autumnal rains. In 
adry soil, the beet can endure without damage a low temperature, which would 
prove quite disastrous in a wet climate. More complete maturity may be thus 
