Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1891-10-30

pdl 10 VI Uilo COuuuIy. L OF SOOuer VI Idt0T
this business will come down to close com
petition and every disadvantage will tell
heavily. There is not a product in the
United States that promises so much profit
to the farmers as this.
OFFERS FROM ELSEWHERE FOR THE
FACTORY.
The public mind elsewhere is wide awake
on this subject. I have letter from the
South i'll which the writer says he is in
structed to guarantee me l 500 acres of beets
this year, to erect the building for the fac
tory for me, to give me IS acres OF land and
to remit all taxes for seven years. Another
writer from another place offers me 100000
TO establish the plant there. One Of the
writers says he formerly lived in Augusta
county and knows the soil well and knows
that the place he writes from is much bet
ter for beet growing. All this shows that
everywhere in the country, men of intelli-
gence and enterprise are not letting such
opportunities pass. I think [ know the
Augusta people well enough to know that
they will take care of their own interests
in this matter.
I came to Staunton to grind bark, and
find people bringing bark to my works for
81 to Sc per ton, sometimes from distance
OF so miles. And yet some man will say [
can't afford to bring beets all the way to the
factory. Well, if you can't, you can induce
your neighbor to do it and that will improve
your land. There is no possible danger OF
loss if you attend to the business of beet
raising thoroughly. And above all things
thin out your beets at the right time, for
that makes one-third difference in the
amount Of sugar. And nowif you have any
questions [ can answer [ will be glad to
do SO.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE
DETAILS OF BEET RAISING.
How have you been raising beets?
[ have raised them on from six to ten
acres Of one of the most neglected farms
in this county. [ used no fertilizer except
ashes from the bark works which contains (
of per cent. potash. neglected the first
year toput the plow down deep enough. And
very likely neglected other things. for I
wasn't able to get a man who would attend
to it, and things go loosely when man can It
look after them himself.
How many inches deep ought the plow-
ing to be?
AS deep as IS inches if you can; 10 to -
inches is fair, but on this soil Is to 10 inches
ought to be made. In a drive Of six miles
yesterday along the Port Republic road, 1
saw 10000 acres of land which could be
used for beets.
How are they gathered?
I pull them, but they are gathered by
machinery elsewhere. They are planted by
machinery and topped by machinery, but
they can't be thinned by machinery.
What is the cost Of the machinery?
I have received bill this morning of a
pillow for that use for $50. There is a tool
which digs them out. The machine which
tops them only costs So OIL So. A plow, a
drill, litter and topper are the only ma
chinery wanted.
Must the beets be washed?
No; you never wash beets.
Can you use the same land year after year?
No Sir.
Can't you do 1t by fertilizing?
Yes; but it is better to rotate the crops
as they do III Germany.
What time Of year do you plant?
In this climate you have a great advan-
tage in the prolonged season. AS soon as
the temperature is right for any crop it is
right for beets. Thinning at the right time
is the most important thing about their
culture. You can plant your beets in this
climate up to July and keep harvesting
them from the last of August up to Novem-
Der. I harvested mine last year in Novem-
Der. planted some about the LIST of May
can get beets to the factory in August we
can make sugar right along up to February.
What sort of land is best f.?
Deep, mellow, rich land, and plant the
rows 20 inches apart. If ordinary land, 20
to "a inches.
How much more work is there than with
corn after it comes up?
No additional expense except thinning
out.
How if a farmer had more beets than he
could deliver between digging time?
offer to take all the beets you can raise.
Y GU can put them in trench silo and
cover them with straw, and then haul them
in as they are wanted.
What seed ?
propose to furnish the seed at cost and
and take my pay in beets. From the present
quotations in Germany they ought to cost
about Is cents pound, and an acre ought
to have from Is to 20 pounds for its seeding.
What is the sort of fertilizer?
1t is not different from any other fertili-
zer, except it has to have more nitrogen.
No organic manure should be applied di-
rectly to the crop.
One Of the first things you have to do in
this matter of beet raising is to Investigate
the business, and the next is to see that
ACCEPTING THE PROPOSITION.
MI. J. W. Churchman after thanking
MI. Lapham for his instructive remarks,
offered the following resolution, which was
adopted
We, citizens of Augusta. believing that
the sugar beet industry should be encouraged;
and believing that this source of income would
be one of considerable profit, do most heartily
accept the offer of Mr.. D. K. Lapham as made
by him and published in the papers, and we
believe, further. that the people of this coun-
ty should accept this industry while the OPP
portunity is presented.
MI. Churchman said he appreciated this
new, useful, and profitable avenue of indus
try opened to the county by Mr.. Lapham.
and earnestly trusted the people would sec
ond it by giving general cooperation. We