Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-04-27
SUGAR BERTs.
Result of a Seasons Experience at
WatsOnYllle.

WatsOnvihle.
Recently the Appeal published letter
from a Feather river farmer, who dis
cussed the subject of sugar beet culture
for this part of the State, reaching an un-
favorable decision. Desiring to have
any misapprehension relative to the in
dustry cleared away, and to obtain ac-
curate and trustworthy information on the
subject for the benefit of our farmers,
the appeal sent the published commune
cation to the Western Beet Sugar Com
pany at San Francisco with a request
that it be fully answered. The matter
was referred to the company's agent at
Watsonville, who courteously responded
with the following valuable communi-
cation:
WATsoNvILLE, April 1, 1889.
EDITOR APPEAL-In your paper of the
oath ult., ga farmer" compares beets
with potatoes, and from the figures he
gives draws conclusion unfavorable to
beets and favorable to potatoes. Before
l discuss his figures [ will remark that
his standard of comparison is bad one
for this valley, as nearly every one lost
on potatoes.
differ considerably from all "far-
mer's" figures. He begins by setting the
price paid for beets at $4 per ton, which
is too low. The average last year for the
crop OF $4,000 tons was $5.04; of this
1000 tons were delivered before the fall
rains set in, and averaged So. 80 per ton.
AS in future the factory will receive the
entire crop before the rain, thinks it is
fair to take the latter rate as an average.
hardly understand what the 'farm-
er" means by "digging'' beets. I see he
estimates the cost at $1.50 per ton, 80
suppose it is to be done by manual labor.
Here they don't dig them at all, but plow
them out with plow especially made for
the purpose. A man and two horses can
plow out two or three acres per day, and, g,
besides an enormous saving in labor,
the crop will be about five per cent.
larger, as in digging by hand the
spade cuts off the end of the root,
which is left to waste in the ground
The beets thus loosened are pulled
up, the loose dirt shaken off,
laid in rows, and are ready for topping
A woman in Germany will top about
four tons day, and the American la
borer, after little practice, should GER
tainly equal this. Reckoning wages at
$3.50 gives 40 cents for topping; Is cents
for plowiDg up and Is cents for loading
into wagons, makes a total of 20 cents
per tDn. This amount was not exceeded
by many practical farmers last year.
will now take the hauling, the ex-
pense of which is set down by farmer"
at 81 so per ton. 1t may surprise "far-
mer" to learn that at this rate many
patches were not only hauled, but also
plowed and topped by contract, and the
contractors made money. The hauling
here was done partly by the farmers
themselves and partly by teamsters. The
price paid for hauling one to two miles
and half was 80 to 70 cents per ton.
These teamsters acknowledge good
| wages. | infer it costs farmer a little
less to do it with his own team.
Taking 20 cents for plowing up, top
ping and loading into wagon, and 70
cents for hauling, makes Cat Farmers"
estimate of 20 tons to the acre, which is
a fair yield for bottom lsnd) cost of har-
vesting $29 per acre and, reckoning the
beets at $3.50 per ton, leaves $S1 per
acre for blowing, planting and thinning.
In support of the above will give you
the results of beet raising of q few farm
ers here. In all the instances the work
done by the farmer himself or by his
teams is feckoned at the price he would
have had to pay for hire, so the actual
profits are larger than they appear. |
may add that all the gentlemen named
have contracted for an increased acreage
this year.
| f. Therwachter, Watsonville, three
miles from the factory, 10 acres: Plow.
ing, etc., $50; thinning, $3.50; topping,
$133; hauling, $3.50; total, $543.
| Yield, 154 tons; value, $972.80; net
profit, $429.80; per acre, $42.98.
w. NJ. Gorham, Watsonville, ~ miles
from factory, acres: Flowing, ETC., $25
thinning and hoeing, 500; topping,
/ $115.20; hauling, $50; total, $2S2 20.
Yield, 1872 tons; value. $570.S1; ne'
profit. $288 81; per acre, $57.72.
J. B. Hudson, one mile from factory
10 acres: Expenses of cultivating and
harvesting (no details given), $l64 SO
yield, 260 tons, value $1,306,96; ne
profit, 1892 13 per acre, $69.21.
T. Mitchell, one mile from factory,
acres: Flowing, etc., $50; thinning, $96
topping at rs cents per ton, $l0S; haul
ing at so cents, $72; total, $312.
II Yield, 144 tons; value, 621.76; ne
profit, $780, per acre, $51.62.
A. f. Richardson, two miles from fac
! tory, IL acres: Flowing and narrowing
, $110; sowing, Sc; narrowing after SOW
ing, SO; four days cultivation, first tins
at 50, $S; % days thinning at $l.25