The Portland daily press., 1880-02-13

Raising.
At the sixth annual meeting of the Maine
State Grange, held in this city in December
last, Messrs. Fred Robbie, Samuel Bell and L.
B. bennett were appointed committee to
ascertain the facts in relation to the production
of sugar beets, and their manufacture in the
state of Maine, and report From the report,
inst completed, we take the following state
ments:
The capital stock of the Maine Beet Sugar
Company is $4,000, invested in buildings and
machinery. In addition, the company rents
and uses buildings and machinery of the For
est City Sugar Refinery, which cost several
times that sum. The total cost of the build
ings and machinery used exceeds $500, 900.
The rent paid the Forest City Sugar Refinery
by the company is less than the interest and
taxes on the investment; so the amount of rent
paid has been favorable to the company. Not
withstanding this, and the exceptionally high
price of raw sugar during portion of the sea-
son, the books of the company show, as will
be seen further on, that no dividend can be
declared this year, which is great disappoint-
ment to the company, who invested their
money, as we can readily believe, relying upon
statements of parties who claimed to know,
that at least fair dividend would be the re-
the company, as we'll as the farmers, had
something to learn by experience, and, while
we do not venture to make suggestions to
them, beyond this, that they pay as much for
beets, and sell the pulp as low next year as
they did this, we hope they will be able to so
manage the business, that they can eventually
paw more for beets.
The quantity of beets used this year was
5000 tons, of which 5000 were raised in Maine.
These beets were the product of contracts for
I IN Of acc% t,rr,
nine tons per acre. But as many farmers held
back part of their crop, perhaps it is safe
enough to place the average at ten tons per
| acre. In some cases thirty tons were raised,
The company paid for 2.24O pounds of
unwashed beets, SIS at the railroad stations and
Sc delivered at their factory The crown of
the beet contains but little sugar, but contains
salts which lessen the percentage of sugar
which can be extracted from the beet. Taking
this into account, and the dirt it is considered
in Europe that 2,240 lbs are about equal to
1000 lbs. washed, and their crowns cut oft.
This is the explanation of this matter, which
| has occasioned considerable comment among
| farmers they not believing that 240 pounds Of
| dirt adhered to the beets.
The proportion of raw sugar obtained was
| per cent. of the weight of the trimmed and
washed beets, and in addition there was per
| cent. more Of molasses. From 5000 tons of
| beets the company made 900 tons of raw sugar
| and molasses. The sugar sold at prices rang
ing from six and five-eights cents to nine and
| three-eights cents per pound, and he.molasses
at 20 cents per gallon. Tho factory began
work Oct. 20, 1870, and ended Jan. 4, $780,
having worked day and night for IS days
During the latter part of the time it manufao-
tured $50 tons Of beets per day. The daily
expenses were over $500. The sales of sugar,
| molasses, pulp and lime waste have amounted
| to S111.00O. The expenses have been $102 900,
exclusive of the cost of the buildings machine
ry and fixtures. Add to these expenses
charge of 10 per cent. for wear of machinery
| and the total expenses exceeded sos, 600.
| leaving less than $4,000 profit. None of the
gentlemen experimenting the business have
in necessary changes and additions to the ma
chinery. So far, therefore, from the compa-
| ny's having made, as many have supposed, an
exorbitant profit, they have, in fact, barely
held their own. And we are authorized by
the company to offer to any farmer or grange
in the state of Maine, share of the stock at
its original cost of 500, payable next fall in
| cash or beets II a sufficient number of our
farmers should accept this offer, they would
not only participate in the profits if any shall
| OF the company.
The sum paid for beets and freight was $55,,
321 "a, for fitting and storage, ,682 as making
total cost ofS59 0O4.73. Almost the whole of this
large sum of $4,000 was paid out within four
| weeks in sums varying from SIS to $500, to
more than 1900 farmers. In every case the
money has been RENTED to each farmer by a
| check payable to his order on the Merchants
National Bank of Portland, by return MAIL on
receipt of railroad agents certificate oftweight
| and delivery. In no case has the farmer been
asked to wait for his money until the beets
were received. Nothing can be more satisfac-
tory than this prompt cash payment. 1t will
be seen that this $4,000 paid the farmers to-
gether with all the expenses for laborers and
coal, &C., &c., amounting to $43, 900 more has
been furnished outside Of the capital stock OF
the company, which is only $50,000-all in
vested in buildings and machinery. Whoever
furnished this should have interest on it, which
would still further d m sh the profits
| 1t is evident from these figures, that, with
beets at IS per ton, without the state bounty,
the business could not be continued. 1t is also
evident that the farmers cannot afford to raise
beets at a lower price than that hitherto paid.
So that the problem looking both the company
and the farmer in the face, is: How shall this
joint enterprise be managed So as to keep it
going in the future?
The company produced last year about 5000
tons of pulp and sold but about 1000 tons. Both
che farmers and the company lost by this
waste. 1t is evident that this pulp should be
fully utilized At 81 per ton with 80 cents
freight, tits, unquestionably, cheap fodder
for cattle or hogs. If the farmer can sell his
beets for IS per ton and buy the pulp for 81. So
and the pulp is more valuable to feed than the
beets it is greatly to his advantage to do So
We have no doubt from the favorable reports
we hear from the farmers who have fed the
pulp, that the company will be able to sell ii
readily enough hereafter.
Deep blowing, heavy manuring, and
thorough wedding are indispensable. The best
results both to the farmer and manufacturer
are obtained where the beets are about this
distant apart e. about one beet to square
foot even If this system of planting should ex.
clude cultivation by horse power; yet this is
not to be regretted, because the scufle hoe il
use by our gardeners is the best implement fol
wedding. The beets should be planted early
and the first wedding should be done as soon al
| the beets are up so as to distinguish the rows
| And every subsequent wedding should be done
as soon as the weeds appear above the surface
in this way the labor is diminished to it.
minimum.
The real cost or value of the soluble phos
phoric acid, nitrogen and potash (the CHIEF
costly constituents which have to be SUPPLIED
to our soils to get crops according to Professor
Fernald of our Agricultural College, is 50 pei
tn. But it will occur to every one that the la
Dor of producing 25 tons to the acrelis no create
than that of raising 10 tons, the average of this
year, excepting only the additional labor O.
In the one case % tons is worth S125; deduc
50 per ton for cost of manure and $75 is left TO
seed and labor, while in the latter case 10 ton
is worth but $50; deduct $40 for cost O
1t may not be practicable for our farmers t,
average Is tons per acre. But suppose the,
average Is tons. This will leave above cost O
manure, S45 for seed and labor And it i
ready cash on delivery of the beets. Is
easy to do better than this with any of the or
binary farm crops? At present price 60 cent
per busheD it will require 1O7 bushels of corr
to be worth SIS, which is more difficult, (f in
deed it is possble) to raise than 40 tons Of beet
per acre, and the manure required to grow 10
bushels Of corn would be worth more than $50
The average product Of .beets per acre las
| YEAR as aDpparS nv the hOoks of the Main,
Beet Sugar Company, was only ten tons. 81
low an average is not to be wondered at; it il
rather surprising that our soils should hav
shown SO great an adaptability to TIN