Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-04-09
N'ashiaatou Staaaara'
OLYMPIA, WASHINGTON TER.
FRIDAY, APRIL 9, 1880.
The Culture of Sugar Beets.

letter to the Oregonion, on the SUI
gar Beet, gives some information re-
lating to the cultivation OF the crop
which is of general interest. The
action of residents of the valley, in
procuring a fund with which to pay
premiums for the best three several
acres of beets and the cost of testing
the sugar-producing qualities OF
portion of each crop cultivated, has
been detailed in previous ISSUE OF
this paper. 1t is to further this OBJ
iect that Mr.. Meeker is now engaged
in disseminating such knowledge as
will be of benefit to those who pro-
pose to test the value of their lands
for the crop as a sugar-produclns
product.
The prominent points to be kept
in view, he says, are
First-To obtain the greatest yield posi-
BILE consistent with economy.
Second-To strive to produce beet pre-
eminent for its sugar-producing quality.
Thlrd-To keep a complete record OF
the cost of culture, time devoted to each
part OF the same, nature OF the SOIL mode
Of planting and cultivating, in a word the
particulars Of everything pertaining to
the experiment, from commencing the
preparation of the soil until the crop is
harvested.
He suggests it be borne in mind
that the object sought is to deter
mine whether our soil and climate
are suitable for economically produc-
ing the sugar beet of quality to
warrant the undertaking of estah-
fishing not only sugar factory at
the Puyallup, but numerous factories
all along the northern coast.
With reference to the first propo-
sition, while it is desirable to get the
yield as large as practicable, yet
this should not be done at the risk
of increased cost and decreased val
ne; for instance, if you were going
to test an acre of ground to ascer-
tain whether your farm was suited to
wheat-raising proftably, you would
hardly weed the crop by hand and
pile on the manure at an expense
that you knew would not repay for
the outlay, or upon which you know
would be impracticable upon large
area. Second, Large overgrown
beets are not valuable for sugar pro-
duction; that portion grown above
ground is entirely worthless and, in
fact, from their impurity are detri-
mental and are thrown away at the
sugar factories, hence the necessity
of close, planting, that the beets may
not grow too large, and deep, thor
ough preparation of the soil to the
end that the beet shall penetrate soil
easily and not grow large per cent
age above the surface. Beets aver
aging three pounds are most desir-
able, and if planted in drills sixteen
inches apart and nine inches in the
row, will give approximately $4,000
plants to the acre, and at an aver
age of three pounds would yield over
sixty tons per acre. We can not ex-
pect SO large an average yield, nei-
Their can Mr.. NJ, with confidence,
recommend the distances above
named, not having had the expert
ence, yet from works consulted, he
believes that would be about right for
our rich alluvial soils. The plant
ing, culture and seed would cost less
ii PLANTED wider apart, and within
certain bounds the yield might be as
great, but the greater size would ne
cessarily detract from their sugar.
producing value and so defeat the
object of the experiment. So like
wise will heavy manuring affect the
crop injuriously as the beet will
reldily take up the salts contained,
aud render them inferior for sugar
production. Third, the value of the
whole experiment in a measure de-
ponds upon an accurate and reliable
report being kept, not only for pub
LEGATION but likewise for our own
protection, as the first question that
will be asked of the farmer by par
ties who contemplate embarking in
an enterprise of sugar making will
BE-: What will you raise such beets
for in large quantity? Then will
the farmer have particular use for
these statistics, after they Rave
served their purpose elsewhere. For
the sake of uniformity, it is desirable
that all who cOntemploto ooppo+;p,,