The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-05

Gators are very strong in urging that In
diana farmers shall devote more attention
to the subject.
Professor Stone discussed the subject for
two hours, illustrating the technical de-
tails of the business with stereopticon pic
lures. His lecture traced the various phases
OF the industry from the planting of the
beet seed TO the sacking of pure sugar.
He spoke of the most useful varieties of
beets and talked of their culture. He said
that the best beet is one that grows far
into the earth. To aid the natural tenden-
cies of the saccharine vegetable, he said
a loose soil of loan should be chosen in
preference to clay. This should be plowed
very deep. as the best beets grow far into
the soil. In his opinion it is best to first
pillow the soil with an ordinary pillow, and
then Use another ploW, for subSoiling, that
will reach sixteen to eighteen inches below
the surface. After the beets spring up and
have grown a sufficient period, they should
be thinned out. In Germany this is done
by women. This portion of the work must
necessarily be done by hand and is about
the most expensive item in the culture of
beets. So far no mechanical method has
been discovered for this work. In Germany
90 cents to 60 cents day is paid for this
work. In America it costs considerably
more Prof. Stone showed a picture of a
German beet field with a long row of wom-
en- extending across the entire patch en-
gagged in this work. After the beets have
been thinned out they should be seven to
eight inches apart 1t takes, according to
Prof. Stone, from ten to twelve cultiva-
tons year TO derive the best results.
1HSES must pS Hlucn care TO keep the DeelS
'hilled,'' as the best efforts are lost when
the plants are permitted to grow above the
surface. He presented figures showing that
the gross gains from an acre to the farmer
should amount to about $50. OF this amount
something over SIS would have to be ex-
pended for labor Deducting the cost of
seed, land rent, etc., the professor eSti-
mated that there should be profit net, of
SHIP an acre.
His lecture dealt with the various pro-
cesseS of Transforming the crude beets into
bagged sugar ready for the market. 1t was
an interesting subject to the auditors pres
ent. Prof. Stone said that>it is impossible
to distinguish between cane, maple,
sorghum and beet sugars after they have
been reduced to the refined state of granu-
lated or loaf sugar. Beet sugar has to be
refined as it has an unpleasant taste when
in d crude state. His lecture showing how
the beets were Clipped up, placed in watts
of water, which was further reduced to
molaSSes and then crystallized into sugar.
The pulp that remained behind, he said,
was a valuable feed for cattle, especially
for milk cows, while the tops could be used
both for feed and fertilizers,
Numerous questions were asked after the
lecture, a great interest being manifested
in the subject. Prof. Huston explained that
the conditions in this State were far super
Tor to those in Nebraska, as the soil is bet
ter, the climate is milder and the season
from thirty to sixty days longer, beside
professors stated that they would be glad
to render any assistance possible in eX
periments in the new industry, and would
gladly furnish seed. e. b. Martindale and
other representatives of the Board of
Trade which proposes to develop the indus
tested much interest, Mr.. Martindale ask