The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1893-11-30
1CharlCtte OhSerYer.l

fCharlCtte Observer
At the request of the Observer,
Congressman Alexander, who has but
recently returned from trip to Ne
braska, to study beet culture, kindly
prepared for it the following highly
interesting and instructive paper on
the beet industry. The contribution
will be read with keen interest by all
the farmers, as we'll as by many Others
Capt. Alexander writes of his trip and
subject as follows:
81 visited Norfolk, Nebraska, at
the request of Mr.. ]. w. Kjelgaard,
OF New York, who was convinced that
the Northern part of the cotton, and
the Southern part of the tobacco sec
ton, was the best in the United States
for the sugar beet industry.
"He has organized syndicate of
German capitalists to build twenty
sugar factories, and the syndicate de-
sired to make a test of raising sugar
beets the ensuing year. He submitted
the following proposition to a number
of Senators and Representatives To
! visit one of the Oxnard's syndicate's
. factories at Norfolk, Nebraska, ex-
anime it and visit the farmers and
examine into their method of beet
culture, and if they believed sugar
beels could be successfully raised in
their respective State, the syndicate
would furnish beet seed free to farmers
for making the test. All they would
ask Of the farmers would be to meas
ure the land planted, give the amount
raised and send one dozen beets tc
their agent at their expense.
"From experiments made by the
late Professor Kerr, former State Geo
logist, | believe a large portion of ou1
| State is suitable for sugar beet cul
ture.
con Tuesday, the 7th of this month
Prot. Massey, of our Agricultural Col
lege, Mr.. kjeigaard and myself ar
rived at Norfolk, Nebraska We wer,
met at the depot by Messrs. Oxnarc
and Hamilton, and driven to tn
factory. After lunch we were shown
through the factory. Having bee,
through sugar cane mill, | expectet
to see one similar, but was surprised
to find they were very different,
sugar beet factory being the diffusion
process.
The factory is a very large brio
structure. South Of it is very larg
covered silo, with quite high WACO
way leading to the South end Of il
Here the neighboring farmers deposite
their beets.
"West of the main building were
number Of open silos with railroa
tracks between them. They receive
the beets which were brought on tn
: cars. Under each silo there was
waterway that led to the main water
way at the factory. BY taking up tn
floor over the waterway and pushin
the beets into it, they were carrie
into the Southwest end of the factory
where an ingenious water wheel tosse
them to an fro until they were quit
clean. Then they were carried som
twenty feet farther, where they cam
in contact with a large iron scre'
(set at an angle of about IS degrees,
which elevated them about fifteen fee
and dumped them into a machine tia
weighed them. From there they wer
dumped into large reservoirs that con
tanned the machinery for cutting then
I Here they were cut into strips abou
n two inches long and one-eighth of a
1 inch square. They were then carrie
into boilers containing pure watel
After passing through a number {
these boilers, they were taken ou
Il drained and carried to pulp pile. Th
J watery Juice was carried into boiler
q of a much higher temperature and tn
y water driven off as steam.
"The syrup was then sent throus
|, the lime mats and clarified. 1t We
then taken to sugar boilers and boile
g until granulated and then run int
+ centrifugal machines and the suga
collected on the inner rim, the mOla:
| ses passing through the center below
The sugar was very white. y no:
l. was brought and blue solution w
squirted on it Cthey explained that II
trade desired it little blue.)
I. The sugar was then carried throus
to large drum that revolved slowl,
and from thence to the sugar bin, III
derneath where it was run into saCl
OF 100 lbs. each. | noticed on Il
- sack being filled the number 1904
Everything is done by machiner
The beet, or its product, Is not touche
, by hand from the time it is pushed
> the water way OF the sllo until Il
sugar is sacked The factory uses {
', tons of coal and 1905 900 gallons
M water per day, and a large quantity
a. lime rock, very rich in carbonate