The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1891-02-12
Sugar BeetS in Augusta.

Has any reader of the sugar beet arti-
Gle published recently in the VIRGINIAN
determined to try the culture of such
beets next season? Their culture is un-
doubtedly worthy of thoughtful atten-
ton from Augusta county farmers.
What ought to be determined in the
approaching season is the average per-
! centage Of sugar that may be depended
upon from beets raised here. TO estab-
fish Il reliable average, beets raised i'll
different parts of the county and in diff
terent varieties of soil should be sent to
the United States Secretary of Ag-
ricuIture next fall for ANALYSIS. From
his report OF the percentage Of sugar in
each sample of hcets sent to him, farm
ers can determine which variety of beets
and which kind of soil will yield the
best results.
A letter sent to the Secretary CT
Agriculture, Washington, D. c., request
ing seed of different varieties Of beets,
Hartling their culture, will probably sup
ply any farmer with ali he needs for his
experimental crop this year.
Nothin" need be lost in giving sugar
cts a g.: rial. As feed for stock the
let's raid will be worth the tabor and
tionble involved i'll their production.
But II great deal can be gained by
raising sugar bp4ts in Augusta county if
the average percentage of sugar proves
high That his percentage will be ut
least as high as the average has already
been partially proved, and there is good
reason to believe it will be considerably
higher that the average in the West. 1t
is quite probable that $35 per acre can
be cleared Ill Augusta coul ty from rails
ing sugar beets. The Kentucky Irades
| IOHrH62 says it expects to see The Shen~
andoah Valley the garden spot of sugar
beet culture in America, and predicts
wonderful success for beet raisers who
engage in it.
| If Il dozen or two of farmers prove the
| protitableness of beet culture in this
county 10y carefully raised experiment.
crops in the season soon to begin, and if
| proper assurance is given that Il supply
of heets will he raised in the seasons fol
| lowing, Il factory for making beet sugar
will be started III some convenient point,
to which Ill beets raised within a large
territory may be shipped. Sugar is one
of the great staple articles OF food, a
staple not now produced in this country
| to an extent anywhere near the consllmp-
ton, and plenty nj capital for its pro-
duction will be invested in beet sugar
factories as soon as the farmers supply
the necessary beets. The article pubs
lished in the VIRGINIAN of JANUARY 8
contains. much valuable information re-
gtrding the culture Of sugar beets and
their manufacture into sugar
The farmers of Augusta county can
not afford to be Indifferent toward new
Zines Of industry suggested for them. -
The net annual results of their opera
lions at present tire too small for their
invested capital and for the labor that
they spend. Without doubt the prof
its of farming il Augusta county can
now be incfeased, not only through bet
ter methods but also through Il better
selection of crops. Farmers here must
take every possible advantage OF their
nearness to market and favorable climate
by raising the cropin which they can com
pete most successfully with farmers oc-
cupying the ineXhaustible, rich prairie
lands of the West. 1t may be that sul-,
gar beets can be rased heue to better
| advantage than in any other portion of
the country. \ solution of the question
is certainly worth IL trial without cost.