The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1894-04-28
BEET CULTURE.

The letter Of Mr.. Richardson, pub.
llsned in late issue of the TINES on |
the subject Of Sugar Beet culture, has
created, we are glad to note, wide
spread interest. The packages of seed
he sent out for distribution to num-
ber Of planters in the Delta, have been
generally planted, and the experiment
OF raising the beets will be faithfully
tried in this and adjoining counties.
Mr.. Richardson is still sending out
the seed, as be Is determined that
the experiment shall be thoroughly
and intelligently tested. A thought
ful article In Farm Machinery treats
this subject exhaustively, and Its con-
clusions are that the requisites for
success are subsoll blowing iu the fall,
q soil naturally fertile, or rendered SO
by artificial means, the experience
gained from year or two of expert
ment and conscientious effort, and q
dry and favorable autumn for the
harvesting of the crop. Sugar beets
are not a slovenly crop, or one that
can be made remunerative by the
desultory aud halfearnest attention
which is usually given In this country
to all crops including cotton. Shallow
plowing must result in stringy beels,
growing with the body of the beet
half out of the ground, and making
harvesting by Improved machinery
very wasteful and unsatisfactory. Del.
Ia conditions Of soil and climate would
seem TO be intended by nature for the
perfection of this crop. The harvest,
in sections devoted to this product,
usually commences about the lst of
October a period when Winter
weather and storms are beginning In
the Northwest, but which is with us
the perfection of the year. The usual
rule in beet planting In Europe is TO
put the same land In bcets every
third year. Experience proves that the
thorough cultiv alton required by the
beet crop has been of incalculable ad.
vantage In increasing the yield of In
termediate crops-an increase Of sc
to so per cent being common on land
whereon beets have been cultivated
while land on which no beets hav'
been grown shows much smaller pei
centage of increase. Another item o.
importance Is the utility of the bee
= tops and the residunm of pulp aftel
extracting the sugar, as a feed fol
stock, great fattening properties beinl
claimed for them.
., II may be of interest to those witt
are turning their attention to thi
: matter 10 know something Of the ex
perience of beet growing in th
Chino Valley, in California, as recent
ly laid before congress in an exhau'
tive address by Senator Pefier. Th
!. rancho cited as an example consisted
le 10000 acres. When purchased It was a
exhausted sheep and cattle range. Th
" owner fenced II aud commenced the Gu
ID ture of the sugar beet accordingto Ell
ropean methods. Mistakes were mad
at first, aud discouragements were Ell
countered, but perseverance triumphe
and lu 1898 the total value Of the bee
crop upon this 10000 acres was est
mated at $25O,00O. The average prit
y paid by the factory was S5 per ton
, the production per acre was 10 tons
y the cost OF production per acre was 50
making the net profits per acre abo'
$50.
% Following Is q table showing the r
: suits upon one ten acre tract Of Il
ranch for 1892;
22QH tons sold, at AoS. s@m '"'