The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-12-24
FOR SUGAR BEET CULTURE.
Successful Experiments Near
Roanoke.
Beets Raised Near the City Show n High
Analysis, Demonstrating That This
Can be Made IA Profitable Industry.
Nice-Presitlent Eddy, of the Norfolk
and Western, Distributing Seed and
Supplying Information.

Tho cultivation of the sugar beet is
a subject of much interest at the pres
ent time to. the farmers in the Shenan-
doah and Roanoke Valleys, in view
of the proposed location of beet
sugar mill at Staunton, and the
probable erection of similar indus
tries at other points, should the
venture prove the great success which
now appears assured.
Vice President Eddy, of the Norfolk
and Western railroad, last spring pro-
cured and distributed a quantity of seed
to various parties with the underst and-
ing that sample beets should be for
warded to him at the close OF the sea-
son for analysis. Michael Lowman,
whose farm adjoins the Roanoke De-
west of the city, recently left number
of beets at Mr.. Eddy's office grown from
imported seed furnished by him. These
samples were sent to the Department of
Agriculture at Washington for analysis
with the following surprising results:
Per cent. of sugar in beets, calculated
from per cent. Of sugar in juice, 9.97;
per cent. Of sugar in juice, 1O.5; ratio of
sugar to the other solids in the juice of
the beet, 71.3; probable yield of sugar
from crop of twenty-four tons per
acre, 3,0S2 pounds.
The above analysis demonstrates the
fact that the land in the vicinity of
Roanoke is we'll adaped for the develop
ment of the saccharine matter in the
beet. The French and Belgian prod
ucts average from 10 to 12 per cent. in
sugar, with which percentage Lowman's
CO my ii nc Go, l.
alyzing 1915 per cent.
The seed were received and planted
at least month later than the usual
time, but notwithstanding this disad-
vantage, the beets attained large
size, averaging twenty-five ounces each.
MIR. Lowman is confident that they
would have been much larger had the
seed been planted at the proper time.
Even with the disadvantage of late
planting, the average yield per acre
would be about .twentyfour tons of
beets, judging from the results realized
from the comparatively small! space of
ground devoted to the experimental
crop.
Some time since the projectors OF the
stanton sugar factory offered TO pay
three dollars per ton for beets contain
ing suitable percentage of saccharine
mdbtor OcllVtreO aU Cu0 uulll Ou IulS
basis the farmer would receive for the
labor of cultivation and hauling to the
mill seventy-two dollars for every acre
of his land employed in this branch of
agriculture, a most excellent return for
his toll, when compared with the aver
age crop of twenty-five to thirty bushels
of wheat, for which he receives an aver
age price of about one dollar per bushel.
The testimony of experts is that 1.-The
soil best adapted to the production OF
wheat and rye, in due proportion OF
strong straw and perfect grain, will suit
this beet we'll"
The description applies exactly to the
soil of the Roanoke Valley, and the
establishment of beet sugar mill at
Roanoke would place within the reach
Of the farmer ready market for one OF
the most valuable products of the farm.
Vice President Eddy has taken great
deal of interest in this question of
sugar beet culture, and will take
pleasure in supplying copies of a
pamphlet entitled Sugar Beet Culture
and the Manufacture of Beet Sugar" to
parties who desire full information on
the subject.