The Portland daily press., 1878-04-27
IMPORrANT TO FARMERS.
Beet Sugar Prospect in Maine.

Beet Sugar Prospects in Maine.
Work in this direction has begun In good
earnest. The legal notice has been given of the
formation of joint stock company and the
first steps taken to contract with farmers fol
the raising of sugar beets. The order has been
given for all the seed to ba shipped from
Canada to Portland, and it is expected oarrive
to-day. In Fryeburg, East Baldwin.
Bridgton and Sebago Lake farmers have
proved by their readiness to enter into contracts
that they are not nearly as slow as some people
imagine them, and If it is borne in mind that
last Tuesday and Wednesday was the first
time they have deem spoken to on the subject
it is surprising to see how quickly they see
the bearings of every point in it. In East
Baldwin within few hours forty three acres
were contracted for by over thirty farmers.
Every one who has land which he thinks is fit
for the purpose is ready to try an acre or two
Of all the farmers present at meeting there,
two of every three subscribed the list for beet
growers and others intended to think the mat
ter over.
A great deal was said regarding the price,
Farmers who never have raised root crops have
no IDEA whether 81 per ton is much or little:
Even those who have raised turnips or mangel
wurtzels have no experience in regard to sugar
beets. At the meeting 10 East Baldwin some
of the leading farmers expressed themselves
that the risk even regarding the price was with
the beet sugar company, because the farmer
if he found it did not pay him would raise no
more and as the sugar company had to go to
large OUTLAWS for the sugar factory and drying
houses and kilns, they ought to know what
they were about before they erected them.
The farmer as general thing is ready to try,
and that is all which ought to be expected.
The information which the farmer has received
through strictly agricultural papers amounts to
but little and as it is for and against and based
upon opinion not facts is just as apt to mis-
lead as to guide the farmer. Some people say
81 per ton is too little, because sugar beets are
worth that sum for cattle feed. To these people
we have nothing to answer, because they are
worth nearly if not fully the money for cattle
feed. A farmer who has large stock of cattle
and no roots to feed them through the long,
dreary winter would do very wrong to sell all
his sugar beets to sugar factory. He ought to
give his cows and sugar beets together q fair
trial, and he will soon be convinced that If he
raises more sugar beets next year, those sold
to the sugar factory will give him cash returns
which enables him to give his stock some
beets too and wait for the money to come in
in the shape of plenty and rich milk and fat
cattle and prove the proverb that good things
always 60 in pairs.
But says some wise writer in an agricultural
paper, if we want to feed cattle with roots,
then raise mangel wurtzels and turnips and
not sugar beets, for the former will give far
greater yield. If these people would try to
Others it would do at least no harm. Nobody
can deny that mangel wurtzels give q far
greater crops or more correctly q greater bulk
of crop than sugar beets. The first have been
cultivated and propagated for quantity the
latter for quality. But when it comes to feed
ing value the thing is altogether different
pounds of sugar beets raised in Maine or
Canada contvin IL IL pounds of sugar, 3 2
pounds of solid matter not sugar but soluble
and pounds Of fbre making in all 20 pounds
besides 80 pounds. of water. The mangel
wurtzes contain from 8 IL to- pounds of
sugar, 3 IL pounds of soluble matter and
pounds of fibre, making in all II pounds of
solid matter and SO pounds of water. An OK
or COW feeding on sugar beet has to consume
with every 20 pounds of solid matter 80 pounds
Of water while the animal in order to obtain
the 20 pounds OF solids from mangel wurtzel
has to swallow $50 pounds of water. Now if
farmer is willing to fatten an OK on water
let him drink it and not eat it, so as to save the
work of chewing it.
A farmer who harvests 20 tons of sugar beets
water but when he harvests IS tons of mangel
wurtz-ls he has $500 tous of solids and
81 15-100 tons of water. But can any sane
maa imagine an OK will grow fat by having
forced every day 100 pounds of cold water
through his system? If SO We would advise
him to try this water cure on himself in cold
winter and 10 q cold barn On this principle is
based the theory that pumice or pulp from the
beet sugar factory containing in 100 pounds
30 pounds of solids and only 30 pounds of wa
ter Is as much superior to sugar beet ITSELF
But sugar beets or mangel wurzels, every far
grow one or the other. and if he tries one he
Will soon try both and afterwards find out for
himself which is the most profitable. A far
mer who gives his cattle a chance to eat of eth.
er corn, hay or roots will find the instinct of
the animal leads it to eat from all three be.
cause all three combined supply the waste of
the animal system NEST completely and accu-
mulate besides. So if the beet sugar enterprise
has done nothing but stimuli ated the growing
of root crops 10 Maine, 1t has done more than
many imagine, to bring farming to profit
able occupation.
Having this in view the men who have taken
the lead in the beet sugar enterprise have de-
termined to give every farmer q chance to try
to raise sugar beets if he feels disposed. to de-
termine for himself what it costs to produce
sugar beets and what they are worth for feed
ing purposes. By sending in sample for anal
yss, and stating his own experience he has
done his part of a grand experiment and will
in return receive systematized account of the
whole result obtained 10 the State of Maine, SO
that next year there will be correct facts to
base future action in the beet sugar industry
upon.
Farmers who wish to raise a small quantity
of beets without entering into contract with
the company to deliver the same for sugar
making can obtain the sugar beet seed from
W. G. Sawyer & Co.. % Market square, Port
land, who will furnish them to all who apply
for the same at the price of 80 cents per pound,
which is the cost price with small addition
for package SC.
The stock on hand is 10000 pounds and
though this will keep for many years, it is de-
sirable the trial on small scale should be as
extensive as possible. 1t is impossible to an
swer all the letters of inquiry which continu
ally arrive but it is hoped that the informal ion
through the papers will reach all.
The ne VS. from Aroostook county is very fat
tering. Farmers, merchants, business men and
editors have taken such an inteIest in the mat
ter that the work is half done. Though they
are anxious to have sugar factory there, they
express themselves convinced that if they do
not get the first they will have the second, and
say where there is place for seventeen
starch factories in one couoty there is place for
double the number of beet sugar factories.
GENNNERT.