The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1891-02-27
SUGAR BEET CULTURE.

The Minneapolis Tribune of Wednes.
day contains an editorial review OF
sugar beet culture as suggested by q
pamphlet prepared by Prof. E. J. Bah.
cock Of North Dakota, and as the sub.
ject is one just now prominent in the
minds of MinneSotans it will be read
with interest by farmers in this pur.
ticular.quarter of the state, inasmuch
as it is known that no section of our
commonwealth affords equal soil and
conditions for the successful cultiva.
tion of sugar beets.
Prof. Babcock, says the Tribune, op.
ems with the statement that, after 81
years of culture in Germany and
France, the beet has become the rival
of cane and is the only sure and pro.
fitable source of sugar that can be pro.
duced in the cool climate of northern
ATTITUDES. By analogy he reasons that
in this country the soil and climate OF
the Northwestern states are best
adapted to the culture of that vege-
table and that intelligent inyestiga-
ton of the subject must therefore be
profitable to North Dakota. ProfeS-
Sor BabcOck has made scientific eXami-
nations of soil from different portions
of the state together with analyses of
beets produced from seed distributed
by the department of agriculture, and
finds, to quote the language of his re-
port, 'that much of the soil of North
Dakota, that is not too new, will pro-
duce sugar beetS of a high quality.
The deep, black, mellow loan so char
acteriStic of the soils of many locali-
ties in the state will give a soil easy
of deep cultivation and readily warm
ed" From extensive observations, he
finds that Minnesota, the Dakotas,
New York, Michigan, Wisconsin, and
parts of New England enjoy climatic
conditions best adapted to the culture
of the sugar beet, though portions of
Kansas, Nebraska and California have
also proven we'll suited.
AS to the direct and indirect bene-
fits of the introduction of this new
crop Prof. Babcock writes:
From an agricultural point of
view, sugar beet culture is important
as supplying another profitable crop.
a crop of fifteen tons per acre would,
at 81 per ton, make the gross receipts
$50 per acre. 1t has been estimated
that the average yearly returns to
the farmer for his beet crop will be
from $50 to So per acre, which would
net far more than the ordinary grain
crop. 1t would require an exceeding
ly large crop of wheat and a good
price to bring more than SIS per acre.
Sugar factories would supply an indie
pendent home market, thus insuring a
better and more uniform price than
can be secured when dependence is
put on the quotations Of a distant
city, as is the case with grain pro
ducts. 1t would further enlarge the
local demand for other products by
interpreting a manufacturing with
an agricultural population. The good
effects would not be confined to the
narrow district surrounding the fac
tory: The money expended for beets
and labor would be scattered to sur
rounding villages, would improve
markets, and foster other branches of
industry"
What has been said of the soil and
climate of North Dakota in the
pamphlet under consideration, says
the Tribune, can with equal truth be
said of Minnesota A crop worth from
$50 to S65 per acre, bringing with it
factories furnishing employment to
thousands of hands, would be a great
er blessing than all the gold mines of
California. Every branch of business
and every individual in the state
would be benefited by it. If the pres
ent legislature is in mood to fulfill
it's promises and do something really
practical for the farmer as well as for
every other interest let it take steps
to determine at once whether sugar
beet culture can be madea profitable
industry in Minnesota. The results
of Prof. Babcock's Investigations in
dictate that it can. $4,000 or even
$4,000 intelligently expended in that
direction would not be wasted.
Beware of Ointments for Catarrh that