United States

Bibliographic data

Monograph

Identifikator:: 1795102764

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-179770

Document type:: Monograph

Title:: United States

Place of publication:: Washington

Publisher:: Gov. Pr. Off.

Year of publication:: 1928

Scope:: VII, 112 S

Digitisation:: 2022

Collection:: Economics Books

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Chapter

Document type:: Monograph

Structure type:: Chapter

Title:: Economic considerations concerning the maintenance and growth of the industry

Collection:: Economics Books

COSTS OF PRODUCING SUGAR BEETS 13 The expansion of the sugar-beet crop may be limited in some areas by the character of its soil requirements. Regions of extremely sandy or gravelly soils are not adapted to the crop nor are regions having hardpan or very porous subsoils. However, these limitations are not important; for almost any type of soil that will produce good vields of other crops will yield beets, if properly cultivated and sufficiently supplied with moisture. An adequate supply of moisture is particularly requisite for the development of this crop. In the humid region of the United States a season in which the rainfall during the growing season is just suffi cient to maintain a healthy growth until near harvesting time, followed by a period of bright sunshiny days and cool nights 1s ideal. A marked difference between day and night temperatures at the end of the growing season is desirable for the proper production and stor- age of the sugar in the beet. Such conditions generally prevail in the sugar-beet section of the Central States. In the irrigated regions of the West the application of moisture is completely controlled, pro- viding the supply of water is sufficient. From two to four applica- ions of water are necessary for the production of a good crop. Unfavorable topography, particularly in the West, frequently limits profitable sugar-beet production. Many valleys could be utilized for growing beets were not the irrigable area available too small to support a factory and were not the expense of shipment for any considerable distance prohibitive. Hilly country is not usually satisfactory for growing beets, particularly if the hills are composed of soil that is likely to wash. The difficulty of drawing the heavy loads of beets over hills may also be a limiting factor. In irrigated sec- tions the land should have an even surface and be sufficiently sloping for the irrigation water to spread easily. The sugar beet, like other plants, during its period of growth, is subject to a number of plant diseases and pests. In some sections, particularly where crop rotation is not generally practiced, and in some seasons, diseases and pests have constituted an important limi- tation to production. Among the most destructive sugar-beet dis- sases are curly top, root rot, leaf spot, and “damping off.”” Curly top has so far been confined to the western beet area. This disease is carried from diseased to healthy plants by the so-called leaf hopper, which may appear in a given area destroying or stunting to a worthless size practically all beets for one season, and may be entirely absent from that area in the following season. Since the establishment of the sugar-beet industry, the damage to the crop from this disease has amounted to hundreds of thousands of dollars. The sugar-beet nematode, a minute worm-like organism attacking the beet root, is one of the most difficult pests to combat. In some seasons and In some areas other insects also are destructive to the crop. The United States Department of Agriculture and the State agricultural colleges have conducted extensive research in the cause and control of these pests with the result that some are well known and easily controlled, while others are still obscure. Despite such physical limitations, the possibility of greatly expand- ing the crop acreage undoubtedly remains. ~ The economic limitations to the expansion of the crop are more important than the physical limitations. Chief among these is the competition of other crops.

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