The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1897-02-25
A FACTORY IS NEEDED
To Stimulate Cultivation Of
Sugar Beets.
IN THE NORTHWEST SECTION

IN THE NORTHWEST SECTION
Farmers VIII Have An Interest ~
stockholdsrs-An Expert who
win instruct Thorn.
M. Richard Kuhne, Of Tigardville,
Or, was in Portland recently, and
showed much interest in the agitation
for establishing the beet-sagar industry
in the Northwest. Mr.. Kuhne is q
graduate Of the National Agricultural
college, Of Berlin, and for the last
twenty years has devoted his time to
the study and work Of producing sugar
from beets. With an extended expert
ence in Germany, and being one of the
prime-movers in establishing the Grand
Island sugar factory, in Nebraska, he is
in position to furnish valuable informa-
ton on the subject. Mr.. Kuhne was
connected with that factory until about
three years ago, and during the period
was for some time agricultural expert
of the state. When interviewed on the
prscticability of the industry in this
section, he was enthusiastic, and ex-
pressed great confidence that the move
ment on foot would result in some sub
stantial benefits, as it was a similar
condition of depressed markets that in
duced the Nebraska farmers to launch
into the business. Several tests and
experiments he has made in producing
the beets were said to be most satisfac-
tory. The Northwest needs an organ
ization, he thinks, which will take hold
of the matter in systematic manner,
and concentrate the minds Of the peo-
pie to the vast wealth that must follow
intelligent cultivation Of beets for the
Of sugar. He kindly offers
his services gratis if expenses are de-
frayed, to give instructions to any col
lection Of farmers that will take an
interest in the matter. To reporter,
Mr.. Kuhne said:
''The belief prevails that the dry
weather we have for period during the
summer and autumn months will be in
furious to beets grown for sugar manu-
facture. I have proven this to be not
true by actual experiments. Beets re-
quire deep soil, and careful cultiva-
ton. Given these, which the North
west is more capable of furnishing than
many other localities that are now inn
prosperous in the the same
business, beets require less rain than
other vegetables. While was connect
ed with the Grand Island factory, in
Nebraska, this quality of the beet was
fully shown. In 1890 the season was
so dry that the grains on cars of corn
would not form; oats, barley and wheat,
as well as vegetables, were failure.
Everything was dried up by the south
winds, except the beets. They stood
it finely, and yielded from six to ten
tons per acre, with from sixteen to
twenty per cent of saccharine matter.
This was the only income the farmers
had that year, and Immediately the
state gave the farmers a bounty, in
recognition Of the importance Of the
crop.
"Beets thrive best in sandy soil, with
q little clay mixed, or in q clayey soil,
with little sand. This combination
of soil has been proven to produce the
best and richest beets. Bottom lands,
along rivers grow greater quantities, but
the beets contain less saccharine mat
ter. BY careful cultivation, bottom
lands can be made to produce beets
yielding from twelve to fifteen per cent
while uplands will yield
from sixteen to twenty per cent sacch-
arine. The uplands have about aver
aged ten to twelve tons per acre, while
bottom lands go much over this.
During the three years that I have
been in Oregon, have each year raised
some sugar beets, part of which have
been submitted to analysis at the ex-
perimental station in Corvallis, and
few have been sent to other places for
tests. Ny experiments with beets on
the uplands has been a yield 4 twelve
tons an acre, with saccharine contents
from sixteen to eighteen per cent. This
test of saccharine was made by the ex-
perimental station at Corvallis, and by
careful cultivation the per cent could
have been raised to twenty easily. The
same beets, after many neavy rains,
about the 9th of November,
still showed fifteen to sixteen per cent
with the great purity Of
per cent.
''What we need is to get factory
started in some manner. The persons
who will then be eager to engage in the
business will surprise you. If the
farmers are not able to pay cash for
shares in factory, arrangements could
be made to have them pay them in
beets. This method of obtaining sufd-
cient support to start would have
double advantage. The farmer would
reap q profit, and the factory would also
receive benefit, as it is necessary for
them to have the beets anyhow. Euro
pean countries have adopted the plan,
and in Germany it is seldom that out
side capital Is used to erect factory.
There are 400 factories in operation
there, and in nearly every ono farmers
ire stockholders.
ssThe quickest solution il for each
farmer to SOW about 3 quarter Of IN
acre with beet sugar, and demonstrate
Tor himself what the ground will yield.
In sowing this amount Of ground. about
Eve pounds Of seed should be- used. In
getting seed it il very essential to obtain
The best, for in this rests large per-
centage Of the sugar content.
The most approved kind ] have yet
uaed IA 4 mixture Of half Klein Vans