The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-05-26
cuL1uRE OF SUGAR Rrrrs.


There is no doubt but sugar beet culture
would add very largely TO the revenue of
many sections of this country where the
work is pushed intelligently and persever-
ingiy. There are many sections of the
country as well adapted to the cultivation
of beeis for sugar as those localities in
westernE Europe which have become famous
for this crop. Not only in California. but
also in Oregon and Washington are found
extensive localities where a beet rich in
sugar can be grown. On the eastern side
of the Rocky Mountains, Northern In
diana, Southern and Western Michigan.
Northern Ohio, andINew York also present
soil and climate favorable to the culture of
the sugar beet
Many have become skepticai about the
profits of this crop, and the feasibility of
attempting to raise the beets for purposes
Of sugar making, owing TO the fact that
number of large and small factories, estab-
lished for the purpose OF producing sugar,
have failed In this country. The sugar
trust and the high cost of labor in this
country have been factors figuring promi-
nently in all attempts 10 make sugar max
ing from beets profitable, and these appa-
rently insurmountable obstacles have dis
couraged many and made others skeptical.
Notwithstanding these facts sugar making
from beets under the new conditions of
things, with bounty paid upon sugar,
and with improved machinery for manu-
featuring it, is rapidly increasing, and
such favorable reports are coming In that
great promises are made for the future of
this industry.
Present methods of growing the beets,
however. must be improved upon. Trial
experiments have verified the fact that
with good cultivation beets of superior
quality, and possessing large percentage
81 10 Hs2ra
localities the products are higher in quail
ity than those grown for European factor
les. In growing the beets for sugar MAX
ing the main purpose should be kept con-
siantly in view-the high production of
sugar in the beets. Size of the beets does
not always count, for many of the smaller
ones produce more sugar than the great
large beets.
One of the chief essentials to growing
good sugar beets is q rich mellow, loamy
soil, and another is an abundance of clear
weather and sunshide. Where both of
these can be had, beet sugar culture can
be made profitable, and most of the analy-
ses of beets show that those which are de-
ficient in sugar making qualities are those
that have not been growing on this kind
of soil, or those which have had to con-
tend against cold, wet climate. Such a
climate will make the beets large and
coarse-grained, apparently good enough
tor feeding purposes, but not for the sugar
factory. With the right soil and fair
climate the American beets are above the
average of those grown in the moist eli
mates of Europe.
The loamy, well-6raIned soil should be
mellowed carefully before the beet seeds
are put in. and medium applications OF
we'll decomposed manure should be made.
Too much manure is not beneficial, but il
should be we'll rotted and ready for assim-
all boz. !, fx.
preparing the seed bed is very essential so
that the warmth can get down to the roots
of the beets. The soil should be free OF
weeds, and rotation of crops will often
accomplish the purpose better than any
thing else. Such crops as can be kept
strictly clean OF weeds should be adopted
The fall is the best time TO do the blowing
for the heets, and il should extend down
ten or twelve inches.
The seed should be sown with the ordi.
nary garden seed drill. which will SOW
them thickly. The rows should be about
eighteen inches apart. which will make
about fifteen 10 twenty pounds of seed "a
the acre. When the beets are M thor.
cughly all of the small ones should be
pulled ont, leaving about one plant every
i've or six inches apart in the row. When
kept this distance apart the beets weigh
about q pound each. hut they contain s
fun share of the rich sugar qualities. The
object of sowing thickly is to get the right
kind of beet plants and plenty of them.
Some may be trSnSplanted If desired. The
cultivation then shoald he attended Ia
promptly, first wedding them with the
hand wheel. and afterward by the hand
This is the best method yet experimental
with. bat probably later horse machinery
will come into vogue for cultiyating the
heets. Then the rows can be planted
twenty inches apart so as TO allow the i'm,
riement 20 pass between them For the
present, however, the simpler method
must be adopted. A. T. RsRRErr.
THE AFfARY.
The care of the bees in spring is very
important, for the ehangeable weather is
Ekaix 90 40 an sD,roeDSa zrtDsrut NJ harr,