Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1892-03-30
Nice ting of Farmers.

subject Of sugar-beet culture was held in the
Monday. There were not many present. bu
were of the class of intelligent and progressive
farmers. On motion of Capt.. David W
Drake Col. A. A. Sproul was called to the
Chair and R. Mauzy requested to act as Secre
tary. The Chairman briefly stated that the
object of the meeting was to confer with each
other on the subject Of the propriety of en-
gaging in the culture of the sugar-beet. He
said he lived some distance from the railroad
yet he felt much interested in the question
for the farmers could not lose and might
make a great deal The meeting was of q
colloquial character, and consis ted chiefly in
getting information from Mr.. O. K. Lapham
in response to questions asked by the different
members as to cost of freight, the cost of cult
walton, the yield per acre, the best fertilizer,
&C.
Mr.. Lapham stated that the freights here
were reason able and cheaper than in many
other places.
Mr. Chas W. Patrick added his name to a
list held by Mr.. Drake and agreed to cultivate
5 acres.
Mr.. Lapham recently visited California
where he found the beet-culture on the in
crease and profitable. He read from a letter
received from a factory in Canada, which
stated that it could distribute 10 per cent. of
the capital invested and that 80 per cent. of
the farmers were satisfied with the results of
last year. One of the great advantages at
tending the culture of beets is the beneficial
effect it has on the soil, enabling it to produce
other crops more abundantly. He stated that
in Europe, where they now put one-fourth of
much improved that three-fourths will raise
as much of other crops as the whole did be-
fore.
The labor the crop of beets requires is some
what more than that for corn, as there are
double as many rows of beets as of corn. He
thought that $50 to $50 would cover all costs
of cultivation and delivery of beets to the
factory. The seed should be planted u
inches in depth; and as early as practicable !;
but any time from the 18th of April to the
18th of May. They are not very liable in this
climate to be injured by the frost. The cult
walton of the beets should begin as soon as
the beets can be seen in the rows. He said
that labor was more costly and more difficult
to obtain, and less reliable in the West than
here.
In consequence of the great fruit crops, de-
handing more sugar, and the low price of
sugar, the consumption was greater in this
country last year than ever before, being esti-
mated at about 81 pounds per capita.
The soil and climate here are well adapted
to beet-culture, as the test of the beets raised
by Mr.. VIM. H. Norman showed that they
yielded II per cent. of sugar, greatly over the
average elsewhere. The prices which the
beets will command, will depend on the per-
centage of sugar they will contain-being
from 81 to 81 per ton according as the
quantity of sugar ranges from II to IS per
cent. Mr.. Lapham said he expected to raise
from 25 to 80 tons per acre, with a sugar per
centage of IA. Beets of that percentage of
sugar would bring SIS per ton.
AT this point the Chairman remarked that
Is tons per acre at IS per ton would be S75
per acre, and even putting the cost of cultiva-
ton at $40 instead of $50, as estimated to be
sufficient, it would leave profit of S35 per
acre, which is much better than on other
crops.
Mr.. Drake, on the question of labor re-
CURED, said he was informed by gentleman
who had raised beets, that it was about as
much as that required to cultivate potatoes
As to the pulp Mr. Lapham said, when
Tried, it was worth $50 per ton. The cost of
seed per acre-15 lbs-would be about $3.50.
AS to fertilizers-the beet leaves are very
good as they contain large percentage of
potash. An essential element is phosphorc
acid obtained from dissolved bones There is
no country better adapted to beet-culture
han this except where they have the ad-
vantage of irrigation where they can regulate
he moisture at will and as needed.
The Chairman made the very wise and
practical suggestion which was universally
that it would be well to address a
circular Merchandising postage stamp for
reply-to farmers living near railroad de-
pots, and thus it could be ascertained how
many would agree to cultivate beets, and how
many acres would be pledged.