The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1896-11-04
Sugar Beets.

Few people in this part Of the country
probstiy bave any idea of the extent and
rapid growth Of the movement In the far
West for the manufacture OF beet sugar.
It Is q subject which may concern the
farmers of the South also, sooner or later.
and the following notes which We obtain
from the American Agriculturist are
therefore of timely interest.
One of the Spreckles factories, at Wat
sonville, California, says the Agriculturlst,
will alone pay out for beets and labor this
wear $75O,O00. During the past eight years
it has disbursed over $4,000, 600 on the
same account, or an average OF Sl,OO0 per
day since it started work, "and has pro-
tected the whole section from distress
during the hard times" This year the
mill will handle not less than l20, 900 tons
of beets and it will be ea'ly christmas
before the crop is harvested
Att 5hi, Utah, for the week ending
October IL, the local factory paid out
S37. 900 for beets. Up to October IA the
factory had received 1000 tons of beets,
had worked up 1000 tons, "and had
made Il, 900 sacks Of refined sugar" The
local paper states that 5000 acres have
been planted in beets this year; that to
raise, harvest and deliver them costs $50
an acre; that the average crop this season
Is Is tons per acre, (which at 81 ton
brings $50 an acre. and, therefore, means
$50 clear profit per acre to the farmer"
On the whole acreage planted "this means
that 500, 900 clear profit in cash will be
distributed among the farmers this year"
t.There is no place in the world" the
same psper adds, 'where the farmers are
dong better.
At Watsonville, California, 1t is further
noted, S150,000 cash was paid out In one
day by the factory, Sl2O.0 600 Of it being for
beets alone. cover 900 ca tie are being
fed at the creamery, mostly with beet
pulp" and :, ,196 tons of sugar were turned
out ea the product Of about four months
work.
The factories at Grand Island and Nor
folk, Nebraska, "are shipping large quan
titles of sugar." and "the new factory IN
the Pecos Valley OF New Mexico viii
probably begin making sugar this week. H,s;
The industry has also extended to Wis
consin The first factory erected In that
Stare. it Is expected will be making sugar
by December. "The beet crop looks hne,
the WELD is wonderful, and but for the
delay in starting the factory the farmers
would be enthusiastic" It Is explained
with regard to this enterprise that the
greatest difficulty found was to get the
farmers to grow the beets. CATER eighteen
months steady canvasslng," however, 70
ten years contract for the growing OF
$500 acres of beets was closed with sou
farmers within radius of ten miles OF
the factory" the price agreed on being
81 to S5 ton for the beets according TO
qualify. The capacity Of the plant Will
be from 275 to 300 tons of beets daily:
So many farmers want to grow beets
for the Spreckles factories after their sue
cess has been demonstrated, 1t is added,
that the company proposes to prorate the
necessary acreage among the applicants
about the "big factory now being con-
strncted at Salinas, California.
The experience Of the Western farmers
appears to prove that beet sugar factory
is good thing to have in county. The
way to get one, says the authority We
have quoted, "is TO demonstrate that your
township, county and district can grow
the right kind OF beets in profitable guam
tity." ''Get all the plants you can from
your experiment station-that is what 1t
Is for-and then call on Us for light on
any other desired point"
The company which has been organized
to develop the Calhoun Falls property on
the Savannah River, 1t is reported, con-
templates the introduction of the beet
sugar industry among other important
enterprises. It is 10 be hoped that the
report is true. IF the beets can be grown
in this State, at all, the local conditions
should insure their cultivation and man
ufacture in safeand proft- BILE competition
with any other part Of the country
News and Courier.