Middletown transcript., 1880-03-20

Messrs. George ". Stone, secretary, and
Alfred D. Warner, treasurer Of the Delaware
Beet Sugar Company, visited Middletown, Sat
urday morning last, for the purpose Of con-
sulting with farmers relative TO making con-
tracts for growing sugar heets, for the COM
pany, the coming season A number Of our
leading agricnlturisls met in the Pomologi-
cal Associations Office, where Mr.. Warner
stated what the company wanted and what it
proposed to do. Mr. Stone said that the oper-
ations of the company last season had been
only experimental, but entirely satisfactory.
The success of the business was now assured
if the farmers would grow the beets. Capital,
so hard TO obtain in new ventures, was now at
the command Of the company, and the facto-
ry at Riverside would be greatly enlarged if
there was any encouragement from the farm
ers Of the State. The company at present was
mainly dependent on the farmers. 1t was
ready to make sugar from the beets if the
farmer would grow them, and the company
must know what TO expect before preparing
for the seasons work Mr.. Warner gave the
following rates at which the company would
contract Tor bee.s Testing below per cent.
Of sugar, 80 so per ton Of 2, 24O lbs; and up
to per cent 81 90 per ton; and up to 10
per cent, 81 so per ton 10 and up TO IL per
cent, SIS 90 per ton; II and up to IL per
cent, SIS 80 per ton u and up TO 10 per
cent, Sc 90 per ton 10 and up to IA per
cent, Sc so per ton over IA per cent, 81 90
per ton. These rates are for unwashed beets,
free from loose dust and stones, delivered on
board the cars. They are to be raised from
seed purchased from the company. About
IA lbs. of seed are required for each acre aud
a result of fifteen tons per acre is about as GER
tain, in a favorable season, as any other crop.
The company furnish brief and plain direc-
tions for growing the crop. The farmers ap-
peared much interested in the subject, and it
is probable that quite large acreage will be
planted in beets on contract with the compa-
ny 10 this and adjoining hundreds Messrs.
Stone and Warner visited Odessa, after con-
sulting with the farmers here, where they also
met q number Of prominent agriculturists
Mr.. E. c. Fenimore's success with beets last
season was exceedingly encouraging, and the
culture of this root crop deserves and will
doubtless have from our farmers the attention
it deserves. Should the business prove 10 be
all that is claimed for il, and our land suited
10 the cultivation of the beet for sugar land
the experiments If several years would seem
to prove that il isl business would open to
the farmers Of this Peninsula that would soon
make them heavy in pocket and light at heart.
After the sugar has been extracted from the
beet the pulp makes excellent feed for cattle.
two tons of it being equal, it is said, to one
ton of the best hay. This pulp is sold TO the
farmers BY the company for one dollar ton.
Blank contracts have been left at Foard 4
Comegys warehouse, in Middletown, and at
G. Watkins store, at Odessa, where the far
mer can sign the same for growing any num-
Der Of acres be thinks he can manage proper-
ly. There can be no loss in trying the busi-
ness, as the beets will be worth for cattle feed
all it will cost to raise them. Mr.. E. r. Coch-
ran grew one acre in this crop last year. mere
ly as an experiment He fed them to his stock
and says that they paid him better than the
product Of any other acre Of his farm.