The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-17
SUGAR-BEET CULTURE.
How 1t May BE Made Profitable to
Farmer and Capitalist.

To the Editor of the indianapolis Journal:
The correspondence which has been re-
ceived at the Indiana Agricultural Exper-
iment Station at Purdue University this
spring shows an unusual interest on the
part of our farmers in sugar-beet culture.
Many more demands have been made on
the station for seed than ever, so that many
persons could not secure 1t from us. We
to obtain more seed, both from
Washington and Nebraska, but were unable
to secure it, the demand being greater in
the West than producers can supply.
There is one important thing in eonnec-
ton with this subject that desire to inn
press upon the readers Of the Journal. Cap
ital is now directing its attention towards
the sugar industry in America, and large
sums of money are destined to be invested
in this field. and, without doubt, large
sums will be squandered and lost. Indiana
comes within the range of profitable sugar
beet culture, and so we must expect spec
ulation to occur in this State. This specula-
ton will involve a necessary cooperation
between capital and labor, the former to
erect the sugar mill and the latter TO grow
the beet that viii produce the sugar. The
labor in this case will, as a rule, be pro-
duced by farmers, who VIII grow the beetS
for the factory. Too much emphasis can
not be laid upon the necessity of capital
insisting that labor contract TO produce
lOoa y L 49, $3.50 - 49, ~ A0E&fA
support the expensive plant erected to make
the sugar in. Many creameries were estaD-
lished several years ago in Indiana, and
thousands of dollars sunk, because Toe
were erected in communith
where the supply of milk was not adequate
TO run them without losing money, and
so many of them collapsed. The same
thing may occur in the sugar industry N
our State.
The sugar-beet factory is a huge thing,
costing $250,00 or more. and. like a great
furnace. ii consumes an immense amount or
material. A factory should have a capacity
of three hundred tons of beets per day Tor
about three months in the year, ana. IL
forced. 1t should be able to handle much
more than this. With this being the con-
dition of affairs you can conceive tndt IL
win be necessary for the farmers TO agree
10 produce the requisite beets TO run the
will be required for this purpose. VIII the
farmers do this? Beet culture requires
very close attention fer some weeks during
the early growth Of the plant, far greater
than corn or any of our other staple farm
crops. Many will find It too painstaking
work. and will refuse to continue IL a second
season. Others will feel Indifferent. Much
work will be necessary 10 secure the need
ed cooperation. Beet culture in Indiana,
however, will be a great thing FOR the state,
but If carried to success IL Will cause a
radical change in our farming operations
i'm the amount of labor involved, although
the profit, no doubt, will more than repay
the cost. So. before going into this new
thing. IL will be we'll for our capitalists
and farmers to look into the matter most
carefully and each be very sure Of the 9TH
er's cooperation. G. s. PLJMB.
Purdue University. May Is.