Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1891-11-20
FRIDAY MORNING, NOV. 20, 1891
THE BEET-sUGAR FACTORY.

fhiUAI mUnNlN0, EUv. ~, 1851.
THE BEET-SUGAR FACTORY.
The meeting of farmers last Saturday
could hardly be called encouraging to the
prospect of supplying beets to beet-sugar
factory. The interest shown in the county if
we may judge by the number of farmers
who attended, is not general. A compen-
sation however, was the deep interest
shown by those who did attend. 1t may be
proper to say that the enterprise is not
wholly dependent on Augusta county; the
counties of Albemarle and Rockingham, and
others in easy reach will all have the mat
ter of beet raising laid before them, and it
is quite certain that in the end enough
acres of beets planted will be pledged, to
secure the starting Of the factory. But if
Augusta takes no more interest than she is
showing now, she will be at the rear of the
procession. And this. in this instance
means something; for when the factory is
started, all those who first encourage the
enterprise by planting beets will have pre-
ference shown them in taking their pro-
duets at the factory, which, as it is cash
article and the beets bring 81 a ton, will be
a great consideration. On Monday last =,
Mr.. O. K. Lapham, who offers to build the
factory at his own cost, accompanied by
Judge Charles Grattan went down to Har-
risonburg, it being Rockingham court day.
Mr.. Lapham addressed the people there on
the subject and will next address the peo-
pie Of Albemarle at their court. At Har-
rlsonburg they met Nh. Stahlin, a well
known German resident there. who said he
had relatives in Germany who lived near a
town which has two beet sugar factories
and that the land in the vicinity had great
ly increased in value since the raising of
beets to supply the factories had been COM
menced. Land, they wrote, that had
brought 500 an acre (land is high in Ger
many compared with Virginia) now brings
81 500. The same result in proportion has
been realized it will be recollected in the
United States wherever factory has been
erected and beet raising commenced.
What must strike every farmer in this
matter. is the almost absolute immunity
from any loss, that be enjoys. If he put in
from % to so acres, more OF less, he can
lose nothing. MI. III. A. s. Hamilton, a
well known farmer and FLOODED stock raiser
of Augusta, informs us that some time ago
he put in beetS for cattle food and found it
the best he had ever used. The COWS he
kept on it through the winter, gave the
same quality Of milk that they did when
they were changed to grass in the Spring.
lie saw no difference between the beets
and the grass. We also hear of the
case of a farmer in Rockingham who in
formed Judge Grattan that he planted one
sixteenth Of an acre in beets and got one
and half tons from it, and that the pro-
duct of no whole acre of corn that he
planted, fattened his cattle as much as the
product of this One-sixteenth OF an acre of
beets did.
In order to impress on the minds of the
farmers of Augusta the value and character
of MI. Lapham S offer to them, we will re-
state it. He offers
l. 10 put up the sugar factory in
Staunton at his own cost.
>. lie offers to supply them with sugar
beet seed at his own expense and take his
pay i'll beets raised from them.
3. He offers to supply fertilizer at his
own expense and take his pay in beets.
I. lie offers to pay the market rate
$3.50 to S4.00 ton for their beets deliver
ed at the factory.
The farmer Of Augusta has 20 outlay to
make save for the labor in preparing his
land for the beets. The yield Of beets, tried
by experiments in Augusta and the adjoin-
ing county Of Notwithstanding the
present knowledge Of how to grow beets as
tons an acre, giving from $50 to $50. After
deducting every possible expenditure, does
the Augusta farmer know of any crop that
he now digs OF ever has dug out of the
ground. that paid him better?
We trust the farmers will consider this
matter between now and next Monday
tcourt-day) when another meeting will he
held. They will hot he asked to act in the
dark-Mr. Lapham will he there to answer
every question they may put. 1t would be
a great pity to have Il big sugar factory in
Staunton at which beet growers of Rock
ingham, AllemaTle and Rockbridge would
have the right to have their beets taken,
but at which Augusta could only sell her
beets after the other counties had disposed
of what they wanted to sell. And vet that
is the position Augusta will put herself IN.
The rule of all factories is to help those
first who help them first-those who first
undertake to plant the beets the factory is
to work on.