The record-union., 1897-09-23

winter on bottom lands, and no loss
need be occasioned by long waits at
! the factory.
AN EARLY ATTEMPT.
In 1869 a sugar-beet factory was
erected in Sacramento and the promo
ters failed. Mr.. Gird said that he had
been met with arguments against the
culture of the beet, based on that '69
failure, from all points, and had in
variably made the following answer:
THE failure of the factory here in
| 1869 under the superintendence of in
experienced parties is not to be, con-
sidered as a criterion by which to form
| a deliberate opinion If factories can
be put in by experienced men-such as
are in the business to-day-there is no
reason why failure should be antici-
pated.
Il have found the farmers of this
| section" Mr.. Gird continued, ito be
men of business ability and push, and
feel certain that the proposition, when
properly presented to them, will meet
| their universal approval, and that they
will not hesitate to plant a large acre
age to beets as soon as a factory shall
be established accessible to them.
INDUCEMENTS OFFERED.
zone of the inducements to erect su-
gar-beet factories in Sacramento" Mr..
| Gird continued, lis the diversity Of in
| dustry which would be created. The
farmer would continue to get the prices
now paid for fruit, and at the same
time would have an equal and prob
ably a greater return from his beet
crop.
"a crop of beets will mature in from
| 120 to 140 days, according to the To-
cality and the crop is ordered har-
vested by a factory agriculturist, when
in his opinion the vegetables have
reached maturity
Mr.. Gird explained that the Chino
factory pays So 90 ton for beets that
show y per cent. sugar, that per cent
um being the basis of calculation, and
for each additional per cent, % cents
per ton extra This rule, applied in
Sacramento County, would mean an
average of between So and So 80 per
ton, which, allowing 1912 tons to the
acre, would give, return of from
$50 80 to S65 per acre per annum
THE factories" Mr.. Gird explained,
make monthly payments to growers
so that there is no call for them to bor-
row money from the banks, and best
Of the business is that before the sea-
| son opens the producer knows precise
ly what he will get per ton for his crop.
There is no f1uctuation in factory prices,
and whether the crop be light or heavy.
just so much is paid per ton. By
following this rule, the sugar beet mar
ket is never gutted.
PULP AS FEED.
Another and a great inducement to
farmers to turn their attention to the
culture of beets is that the pulp is
never wasted. 1t has been thoroughly
demonstrated at Chino that pulp for
dairy cattle is the most economical
feed known where readily obtained.
1t is the best feed known for the pro-
ductiOn of first-class butter, and the
beef fatted on pulp is equal to that of
corn-fed stock. In short, the grower
can feed pulp and make a profit of
from $50 to $50 per acre over any other
feed he can grow"
In conclusion, Mr.. Gird explained
that with the latest improved planter
ten acres of land can be planted each
day, and that with the best cultivator
man with a single horse can easily
cultivate ten acres a day.
Professor E. w. Hilgard, Director of
the Agricultural Experiment Station
at Berkeley, recently made an analy-
sis of beets grown in Sacramento
County, and it did not differ widely
from that made by Mr.. Gird, which ap-
pears in this article. Mr. Gird, how
ever, is a practical sugar beet agricult-
urist, and his opinions, after having
made a close examination of the soil
and thorough analysis of the beets
grown in it, beyond doubt carry more
weight than would similar ones from
any other source.
Professor Hilgard and Claus Spreck-
els are both of the opinion that the
soil of Sacramento County is peculiarly
adapted for successfully growing phe-
nomenal crops of beets, and, when
backed up by such a recognized au-
thority as William R. Gird, the matter
is certainly worth a practical test
The sugar industry is of vast import
ance, and the establishment of a fac
tory. or two factories, at Sacramento
would seem to mean millions of dol
lars annually for home people, In
1896 over S90,000,000 worth of sugar
was imported. The United States con-
sumo about 100000 tons of sugar an
nually, while last year only 50, 900 tons
were produced in California, and but
100000 tons in the entire country.
The only thing that seems to be lack
ing in Sacramento County are sugar
beet factories, and that factories will
come, provided the farmers show an
inclination to take up the culture of
beets with a will, goes without saying.
Senses Sharpened in the Wilds.
I made bold to say to DR.. Nansen