The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1897-03-11
FAVORS THE CULTURE
w. c. Waters, Of California,
Talks of Sugar Beets.
ENCOURAGES THE INDUSTRY

@~'~V - As<AUANo AIM xNOO01 N
A. supsrintsndent Of the Sugar Fac.
tory ut watsonvilIs, Cal. He Gives
Some Valuable Information.
Mr.. G. w. Waters, superintendent Of
the great sugar factory at jacksonville,
CAL, visited Portland recently. Mr..
Waters is taking his annual vacation,
and during the time intends to 60 East
for the purpose of purchasing machin-
cry to be used in the factory at Sa-
linas. The proposed factory at Salinas
will be the largest in the world. as the
estimated daily capacity will be 5000
tons of beets. Claus Spreckles is erect
ing it, at an outlay of about 81, $780,
600. Its capacity will be twice that
Of the jacksonville factory, and the
country adjoining that will be engaged
in raising the beets will be about eighty
square miles in extent. The daily out
put of sugar will be $50 tons, and the
campaign in California ordinarily lasts
about five months. This would make
. total of about $1,000 tons annually,
no small factor in the production Of
the home consumption. =
Mr.. Waters has been in charge of the
jacksonville factory ever since it began
work. His knowledge Of necessary
conditions consists of study from a
business standpoint Of the question for
period of nine years. During the
course Of his work in the factory, he
has seen reproducing community
start, struggle into permanent posi-
ton, flourish, and become diligently
sought locality. Dealing with the
farmers at all times, their interests
have been constantly before him, and
the varying success Of beet culture, ac-
cording to experience of growers, has
been very marked. In speaking of the
jacksonville factory in general, Mr..
Waters said:
1.-THE factory was startetd in Wat
sonville in 1883, and has been run ever
since. In the year 1892 the capacity
was doubled, and in the year 1894 in.
creased tLere-fold, making it now about
1900 tons of beets daily. The business
has grown very much since the begin
ming. The annual average at first was
about IA, 900 tons. Since the establish
ment at jacksonville, the farmers Of
that locality have been paid more than
81, 500, 900.
"We pay 81 per ton for beets, with
out regard to the per cent of sugar con-
tanned. The only limitation is that
beets weighing over five pounds will
not be accepted, the average weight be-
ing about 81 pounds.
Last year there were IL, 900 acres
of land sown in beets for the factory.
The average yield is fourteen tons
per acre, which, at the rate of 81
ton, would bring the farmer $50 an
acre for his product. The average cost
of producing is $26 to $2S per acre.
The beets are grown in an area Of
about thirty miles in length, and from
five to six in width. Of course. all of
this was not used in beet-growing, but
as beets are grown only one year out Of
three on the same piece of land, there
would be about SO, 900 acres in all nee
essary. The crops which alternate
with beets are almost any cereal, and
crop of summer vegetables. The land
has not become exhausted, but, on the
contrary, yields better crops of not only
beets but even cereals than before.
The yield of barley is larger than be-
fore the alternating system was
adopted, and as the grain is much freer
from cheat, it brings higher price.
At the time of introducing the beet
industry into the jacksonville district,
the land was badly run down. Now
it is regaining it's old strength in all
growths, and barley brings 20 cents per
100 on account of being cleaner. The
land produces larger quantities OF
beets, and the per cent Of sugar is
growing all the time. No fertilizers
are used at any place in the valley, ro-
tations Of crops being depended upon to
keep the ground in condition. The per
cent of sugar in the sack is about IL n
or Is, which would be from IA to l6 in
the juice.
''Most of the seed is imported. We
raise some at our place near San Jose,
where we have man engaged in that
business. The factory furnishes all
seed, and the hope is entertained that
when the business becomes more thor
oughly developed, seed will be grown
in the state in sufficient quantities to
supply the demand. From results SO
Tar obtained, we believe that when
seed-growing has received attention, a
quality of seed will be furnished from
our own farms that will be superior to
those imported. It seems that when
seed is raised here, it is acclimated,
and yields better in sugar.
1.-THE soil is not matter of much
Some extreme grades fall
short, but ordinary soil. where vege-
tables or cereals are grown on q heavy
adobe, and some on black loan.
1.-THE average tract cultivated by one
farmer is about thirty-five acres Some
Portuguese living on the foothills near
the factory have small plots cleared,
where they are able to sow about i've
acres annually. They hire no help,
and are only at the expense Of seed,
which leaves them neat profit that 10
rapidly making them comfortable.
'sThe farmer with thirty-fve acres
usually makes contract with either .
white man or Chinaman for thinning,
and hoeing, ct the price OF
from 90 cents to 81 per ton. This com
- L.