The record-union., 1897-01-08
beet. SUGAR.
The Growing Of BeetS-COSt and Profit
Stated.
Valuable Information Concerning a
Factory-The Requisites in
Locating Same.
(From the Napa Register.)

VI rom the Ndpd heSISptI.J
The following letter was received
from Manager Burr of the Alameda
Sugar Company last week and re
ferred to the Manufacturers Commit
| tee of Napa Board of Trade:
Geo. E. Goodman, Esq, Napa-Dear
Sir: Thanking you for the interest you
| take in the beet sugar industry, l beg to
submit to you the following:
| Previous to 1889 this locality was like
the majority of California S dead and
alive towns. Under the influence of the
sugar industry it has become thriving
and wen to do. The same may be said
of the country surrounding Watsonville
and Chino. Where once the farmer was
overburdened with debt, to-day q speak
only of this locality the reverse is the
case In 1889, with an acreage of 900,
we advanced to farmers about $1,000.
| In 1896 our advances to them did not
exceed S11, 900. although the area
farmed to beets amounted to $500
acres. The farmers who borrowed
money from us in 1SS9-90 no longer do
so, being able to do without borrowing
and our loans are limited to new areas
and new farmers. The conditions which
prevail in the beet centers of this State
may be made to prevail throughout
very great portion of California, and
NO EXCESS OF PRODUCTION
| Need be feared until the annual yield of
sugar exceeds the consumption within
our national limits.
| Naturally the price of sugar must
decline with large production and ship
rlents must be made to more distant
points than at present. But in the
meantime, the cost of manufacture will
also decline as factories improve pro-
cesses and handle larger quantities.
Eight years ago it cost $6 to work a ton
OF beets, while this year the cost is 50.
| All land is not adapted to beet cult
ure, but any soil which will yield to cul-
tivation during our dry months will be
found suitable. C1ayey and adobe
lands are not to be recommended in the
beginning, although we have farmers
who do we'll with adobe soil.
THE BEST SOIL
is loose, more or less sandy, loam or
sediment land. I am not sufficiently
acquainted with Napa Valley to classify
1t, but find that it is classified in the
Agricultural Reports of the United
states as suitable. The time EMPLOYED
on an acre of beets, from first to last.
amounts to fifteen days, and the cost of
LABOR, seed and horses is, in this local
ity, about S21 or 500.
THE YIELD PER ACRE
VIII vary according TO climate and la
| Dor expended very greatly. The be-
gfnner generally does not do we'll for
several reasons. First, he generally
uSHS land which hac
plowed before, and when planted to
beets the deep plowing brings up too
much acid soil. Then he gets fright
ened at the necessary cost of cultivat-
ing and omits the use of the horse hoe.
And above all, he does not listen to any
advice
The consequence is a small crop But
If he continues he profits by his expe-
r1ence and produces profitable crops.
Our most experienced growers exceed
nineteen tons per acre and more than
oo per cent exceed fifteen tons. It gem
orally takes three years to convert a
farmer to factory ways, but he stays
converted. The average yield per acre
in 1889 was nine tons per acre. and
this average has advanced to ten. ten
| and half, eleven, eleven and one
third, twelve and a half and fourteen
tons in the eight seasons, and includes
all growers, new and old
This year at fourteen tons and 81 per
ton delivered, the gross average income
amounts to $50 per acre. The cost per
acre, delivered at factory, excluding q
rent, does not exceed $24 and S25. Rent
is to be deducted from the difference
between S25 and $50, or S31. This may
be cash or shares. If the latter, it is
ore-fifth or one-quarter of the crop. In
our case of fourteen tons at one-quar-
| ter, 1t would amount to S14, leaving a
net return of S11 per acre. Many farm
ers claim less expense than S24 but
probably this represents very nearly
average cost
AS to factories, the day has gone by
when small beginnings can be made
| profitable, and larger ones, not less
than 800 tons daily capacity, are de-
manded. Within certain limits the
larger the factory the cheaper the cost
| OF production.
| Mr.. Spreckels is quite correct in
building 5000 ton factory, but his ar
/ gument, i. e., to have the biggest fac
! tory in the world, is wrong.
| A 300-ton factory ought to produce
white sugar for "a and 81 cents per
pound, according to quality of beets
and locality.
| The chief items of expense are fuel.
| lime rock, coke and labor and repairs.
| had almost omitted the latter item.
but the wear of any factory using ma
ckinery is quite great.
The requisites of location are trib-
utary AREA, plenty of water, cheap
| transportation and facilities for fuel
and lime rock. OF market / have not
spoken, but west of the Rocky Mount
aims the consumption requires about
| $4,000 tons; between the Rocky Mount
aims and the Missouri River it is about
| 100000 tons.
So for the immediate present there is
room enough.
/ The trust pays here from 3 cents up
for % degree sugar. Cost of refining
% cents per 100 pounds, making it's
most advantageous cost of white sugar,
3112 cents per pound. China sugar can
be laid down for So 92 per 100 pounds.