The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-12-12

Sugar Boets.
A correspondent from Grand Is
land, Nebraska, gives the following
general account of the proportions
the beet sugar business has assumed
at that point:
The Oxnard Beet Sugar company
formally located their immense fac
tories here in 1889, with a capital
stock of $1,OOO,OOO. The company
has secured fifty acres of ground in
the western portion of the city, con-
venient to all the different railroads,
affording every facility for all the
necessary buildings for storage of
both beets and sugar, as well as their
cooper shops and water works, which
will be required. All the necessary
arrangements have been made, build
ings erected, machinery in place and
everything in readiness to commence
the manufacture of sugar by Septem-
Der LIST. While this is monster
building of great facility, it is but the
incipient form of what is destined to
be the greatest industry the United
States has yet seen, and particularly
the west. 1t will revolutionize farm
ing and put business in the hands
of the farmer that cannot help to
make them thousands OF dollars.
The capacity of the factory is 300
tons of beets per day. 1t will en-
ploy about 200 men, consume so
tons of coal, turn out about thirty
five tons of sugar per day, and dis
tribute for help about 100000
annually in the vicinity of Grand Is
land. The selection of Grand Is-
land was due to the fact that expert
ments of previous years showed that
analyses from 315 different tests from
various places gave an average OF 16
lilo per cent, thus proving that the
soil and climate are better calculated
for their development than that of
Europe. which to-day, after over fifty
years OF the best experiment and cul-
ture, gives less average. Agricul-
tural experts have been employed by
the company who are thoroughly in
formed in every detail as to the cul-
ture of sugar beets. These men as
sist in the selection of ground best
adapted for the culture of beets, also
give instructions during the season
SO that proper cultivation, as we'll as
planting, will be given the growing
crop. The additional expense incur
red by the company this year is
deemed advisable, as proper cultiva-
ton principally determines the sue
cess of the crop.
As this is the first year for the fac
tory, only about 5000 acres of beets
will be grown, as it is the desire of
the company that every possible
knowledge shall be gained by the
farmers in producing profitable beets,
or those containing the largest per
cent of sugar, which is only attained
by thorough and timely attention in
preparing the soil, planting and cul-
tivating.
The seed was furnished by the COM
pany and purchased from the most
reliable growers of Europe and OF the
very best varieties. Planting is done
from April 20 to May 10, or about
the season of corn planting. The
ground must be plowed Tin the fall is
the best) and then thoroughly pull
verified with the harrow. The plant
ing with machines made expressly for
that purpose in rows from Is to 20
inches apart, according to the fertil-
ity Of the soil, and from 4 to 8 inches
apart in the row.
AS soon as planting is done the
roller must be used, because in press
ing the surface the humidity, which
is very necessary in the process of
terminating, is drawn by capillary
attraction out of the deeper soil, and
the surface is thus kept moist. A roll
Ter having rings is considered best,
because it makes the surface of the
land rough, and therefore a heavy
rain cannot form a crust.
II after sowing a rain should cause
a crust to cover the field, a ringroller
is the best instrument for breaking
it. After this light harrow is re-
commended. The surface soil must
be kept loosened, SO the air can en-
ter, and termination and growth are
facilitated thereby. When the plants
become visible in the rows, cultiva-
ton must begin-the earlier the bet
ter, not only to destroy the weeds,
but the plants require loosened soil.
The oftener the cultivating or hoeing
is done the better will be the. crop,
both in quality and quantity. Real
~ a good yield and high percentage
can only be obtained by thorough
and timely cultivation. The early
cultivation must be only superficial,
and care should be taken that no
soil covers the young plants If la