The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-01-30
Central Railway between Oroya and Lima
has been completely stopped by landslides.
~SUGAR-BEET ULTURE.
Figures Showing that 1t Can Be Prof
itabIy Pursued in Indiana.

To the Editor Of the Indianapolis Journal:
1 notice in to-day's Journal an article
addressed to indiana farmers by the Hon.
+. 3. Martindale on the "Sugar-beet In
dustry." This, to my mind. is the most
important subject 10 the farmers of In
diana to which their attention should be
turned. The farmers of Indiana lost last
year more than $50, 600. 00 in the shrinkage
Of the price of corn. wheat and oats over
their value in 1852. 1t would therefore seem
that the time has come for the average
Hoosier to wake up and begin to turn his
attention to more profitable farming. In
his article Judge Martindale brings before
the farmers of Indiana the most expedient
way to remedy a great evil. / believe that
Congress should be asked TO make appro-
priations for the purpose of helping the peo-
pie erect sugar factories so that we might
manufacture our own sugar and thereby
save the greatest amount of money TO our
own people. We have been trying the ex-
pertinent of raising sugar beets in Henry
county, and find the Blue river valley
country well adapted to their production.
From an analysis made by the United
States Department of Agriculture on Nov.
II. 1882, from beets raised on Mr.. A. ID.
Ogborn's farm near New Castle, 1 find the
following results: Variety, Klein WanZle-
bener; average weight of beets. ten ounces;
e eit U sugar. 1f.SD, Nltlu, lOflS pei
acre, 1886; coeffecient of purity. 49,: esti-
mated yield of sugar per acre from a crop
of sixteen tons, 3.149 pounds.
1t is a big undertaking to manufacture
the sugar consumed in this country. 1t
would probably take six hundred factories
running 1O days each year, MANUFACTURING
nity thousand pounds per day each TO sup
ply the demand, but il can be done, and
would be the greatest money saving indus
try to our people that could ever be estab-
lished. 1t is hard to get the farmers to
take hold of an industry of this kind and
can only be done by a great deal of agita-
ton upon the part of all the people, but
why should not the American people, with
the garden spot of the world for soil, stand
beside such nations as France, German
and Austria in the production of this great
necessity? L am glad to see Judge Martin,
dale take an interest in this question. and
L believe if he will devote his time and
energy TO this subject it will eventually be
a great success and he will be entitled to
the credit for having brought about the
greatest beneficial revolution to our people
of modern times. Judge Martindale was
born and reared in Henry county. and if he
will observe carefully the above analysis
he will see that the question of profitable
production of sugar beets is well settled, at
least, so far as his native county is con-
cerned.
| nave talked to a great many of our
farmers on this subject, and they seem to
be ready and willing TO take hold of the
growing of the sugar beetS. What we now
need is a factory. We have enough rich
land in the Blue river valley to grow suffi-
cient beets to operate a factory at New
Castle. The question is how to get the
factory. l would like to hear through the
columns of the Journal this question more
fully discussed and would like to see Purdue
University turn its attention largely to this
question and have the local press through
out the State thoroughly discuss and adj
vertise this great question and finally bring
about such good results as may save to
our people annually the enormous amour.
of money sent abroad for sugar.
s.
New Castle, Ind, Jan. 29.