The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1897-02-26
.FARMERSURGEDTO0RGAN|ZE
Stimulate the Cultivation of
Sugar Beets.
INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN GRATIS
By Graduate Of National A Agricu1tural
College, of Berlin, Mr.. Richard
Kuhne-Satisfactory Tests Made.

showed muCQ interest IN the aS1baClOu
for establishing the beet-sugar industry
in the Northwest. Mr.. Kuhne i a
graduate of the National Agricultural
college, of Berlin, and for the last
twenty years has devoted his time tp
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-
tion 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
practicability of the industry in this
section, he was enthusiastic, and ex-
pressed great confidence that the move
ment on foot would result in some SUBJ
stantial benefits, as it was 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
manufacture 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 a period during the
summer and autumn months will be in
furious to beets grown for sugar manu-
facture. have proven this to be not
true by actual experiments. Beets re-
quire deep soil, and careful cultiva-
tion. Given these, which the North
west is more capable of furnishing than
many other localities that are now i'm
mensely 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 ears 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
little clay mixed, or in 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
saccharine, 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 have
been in Oregon, I have each year raised
some sugar beets, part of which have
been submitted to analysis at the ex-
perimental station in Corvallis, and a
few have. been sent to other places for
tests. My experiments with beets on
the uplands has been yield Of 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 heavy rains,
occurring about the 9th of November,
still showed fifteen to sixteen per cent
saccharine, with the great purity of
ninety-one 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 suffi-
cient support to start would have a
double advantage. The farmer would
reap 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 one farmers
are stockholders.
tThe quickest solution is for each
farmer to SOW about quarter of an
acre with beet sugar, and demonstrate
for himself what the ground will yield.
In sowing this amount of ground, about
five pounds of seed should be used. In
getting seed it is very essential to obtain
the best, for in this rests a large rer-
centage of the sugar content.
The most approved kind I have yet
used is a mixture of half Klein Vans
lebiner Original and half Wilmorin
Blanche Amelioree. If farmers will
procure seed, and get together in some
kind of meeting, am willing to at
tend such and furnish them whatever
instruction may be able to give, pro-
vided my expenses are paid.
By organization in some way, through
which information can be distributed to
producers, individuals entering the
beet producing business can be aided
immensely. l would urge farmers to
take these preliminary steps at once,
as they do not have to incur any ex-
pense, and the possibilities of obtaining
whatever information is necessary are
plainly advanced. If the fact of an or
ganization is known, the officers of such
an institution will be common center
both for receiving and distributing
knowledge on the subject.