Beginnings in the United States.—The first at tempt to introduce sugar-beets into the United States for sugar-producing purposes was made in 1830, by some persons living near Philadelphia. This and many subsequent attempts to establish the beet-sugar industry in this country failed. A small quantity of sugar, less than one ton, was made from beets at Northampton, Mass., in 1838, but this venture proved unprofitable and was soon abandoned. During the thirty years that followed, several attempts were made to establish beet-sugar factories in different parts of the United States, but none of them proved successful, owing to un fortunate location or to an imperfect knowledge of the methods of sugar-beet-growing and beet-sugar making. The first successful beet-sugar factory in this country was established at Alvarado, Califor nia, in 1S69, having been removed to that point after several unsuccessful attempts to establish it elsewhere. This factory has been in operation every year but one since its erection, and may well be considered the pioneer factory of the country.
In the decade that followed the building of the Alvarado factory, four other factories were estab lished, one in each of the following four states : Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Delaware ; but none of them survived the struggle through which they were obliged to pass. As late as 1892 only six factories were in operation, by which it appears that the early growth of the industry in this country was slow. Several states tried to en courage the development of the sugar industry by offering bounties on all sugar produced within the state. While, for a time, this plan seemed to stimu late the industry, the difficulties that arose in regard to paying these bounties made it inexpedi ent to continue them, in most instances. Neverthe less, in spite of the many difficulties that have attended its early development in this country, the beet-sugar industry has steadily progressed since 1890, until, at the present time, sixty-four facto ries and three slicing stations are in operation. The combined capacity of these factories is, approxi mately, 50,000 tons of beets daily. They are dis tributed among sixteen states, as follows : Arizona, 1 ; California, 8 ; Colorado, 15 ; Idaho, 4 ; Illinois, 1 ; Kansas, 1 ; Michigan, 17 ; Minnesota, 1 ; Mon tana,1 ; Nebraska, 2 ; New York, 1 ; Ohio, 1 ; Ore gon, 1 ; Utah, 5 factories and three slicing sta tions ; Washington state, 1 ; Wisconsin, 4.
The possibilities of beet-sugar-making in this country are practically unlimited. The growth of the industry thus far has not kept pace with the increased rate of consumption of sugar per capita.
Assuming that the cane-sugar industry will main tain its present output, the United States will not be able to make all the sugar it requires for home consumption until at least 400 beet-sugar factories are operated at full capacity each year.
Culture.
Land.—A special soil, that is, a soil radically different from that needed by other crops, is not required by sugar-beets. Any good land will produce sugar-beets when the climatic conditions are suit able, if the seed-bed is prepared properly and the plants are thinned and otherwise cared for in a timely and workman-like way.
Experience has shown that virgin lands, even of good quality, are not generally satisfactory foi sugar-beets; hence it is advisable to get the land in good tilth by growing other crops for two or more seasons before planting to sugar-beets. Clay loam has been found to be one of the most satisfactory types of soil. A sandy loam will frequently give equally good returns, but if there is too much sand, so that the soil approaches lightness, the beets are likely to be low in sugar content. Furthermore, sandy soil frequently loses its moisture too rapidly, thus allowing the beets to wilt and become retarded in growth, or even to die if the dry conditions con tinue too long, especially in those sections where the soil moisture is dependent on rainfall. Another serious objection that has been found to sandy soils in localities where strong winds prevail, is the likelihood of the young plants being covered with sand, causing the loss of many, so that the stand is seriously reduced.
In some of the sugar-beet areas of the West and Southwest an adobe soil is common, and when properly handled this gives satisfactory results both in regard to the quality and the quantity of beets. An adobe soil can not be plowed when it is very dry; on the other hand, if plowed when too wet it bakes and becomes almost unmanageable. Another difficulty lies in its readiness to form a hard crust after the surface has been moistened by rain or irrigation. As these conditions for crust formation frequently prevail in the spring soon after planting, the seedlings that form under the crust are unable to get through to the light with out assistance. The crust is easily broken without serious injury to the young plants by the use of a light drag harrow or other suitable implement. Even after the plants are up they are sometimes "bound off" by the formation of a crust that prevents growth at the line of contact with the surface.