Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-11-28

than heretofore. Ii will be new cree
alton for the neighborhoods engaging
in tia, creation fresh from the soil
and atmosphere that did not take place
before. The expenditure in neigh
borhood of two hundred thousand dol
lars for beets, labor, skill and other
things, would work quite revolution
in many of our Iowa towns and vii
lagos throughout the state. The in
dustry would result in the cleaning up
of many of the farms. Systems of ag-
riculture would be inaugurated that
would result in the destruction OF
weeds and other parasites, and would
add rs per cent OF increased value to
land. Crops should be grown after
clover has enriched the soil with nitro
gen and other atmospheric elements
and rested the land from crops that
contribute toward the reduction of the
hnmus in the soil. Time will deter
mine whether it is wise to take crop
of corn or oats following clover be-
fore the beets are grown. 1t will be
ascertained that crop would not be
taken oftener than once in four or
five years from the same piece of land,
for the reason that these hard-leaved
plants are gross feeders on potash, and
while there is plenty of potash in Iowa
soil, as is demonstrated by our heavy
crops OF corn, yet the successive grow
ing OF any one crop that calls heav-
lily for potash will reduce that ele-
ment.
After the crop of beets is taken, corn,
clover, the grasses and the grazing AMI
NAL should intervene, so as to bring the
soil back to its best possible condition
for growing crops. The most profit
from growing sugar beets will be had
BY the sneighborhood that feeds the by
product or pulp to the dairy COW. We
grew sugar beets and other roots at
Ames SO as to have something of that
kind to give to all the animals on the
place in the winter time. Europeans
who have had experience feed this by
product to every animal on the place.
The managers of the agricultural col
lege of Iowa, where the finest animals
in the United States are found, and
where the best beef, mutton and pork
ever taken to Chicago is finished, find
it necessary to have roots; and have
no hesitation in saying that the Iowa
farmer can afford to grow roots for
his animals, no matter how cheaply he
can get other feeds. The Iowa farmer
can afford to grow beets for the pulp
alone. The carbonaceous matter that
goes to make sugar is of no value to
the dairy COW, which has jall the the
carbonaceous matter she requires from
her hay and corn and other carbonace-
Gus feeds. This pulp is a necessity in
the finishing of fine steers. We, have
~ n,
an eye on the South American repub-
lies. The Argentine Confederation
has learned to grow alfalfa, and is
sending very fat, grass-fed animals, to
the European markets. We. must send
something better than they can posi-.
bly, produce: we must finish animals
young, and finish them. completely, and
put such product on the market as
the South American cannot compete
with. Well informed dairy men are
aware that the dairy COW must have a
highly heterogeneous ration in order to
do her best work. For this reason the
by-products of the mills are purchased
bran, oil meal, etc. When the sugar
content has been removed from the
beet, the heterogeneous element is left in
the pulp, and the nutritive ratio is re.
duced to something like the nutritive
ratio Of oats, which makes a very val.
liable feature in the ration of the dairy
COW. The neighborhood producing SUI
gar and butter and sending these
things into the worlds markets, will
never reduce the fertility Of the soil
for the pulp is returning to the fields
through the domestic animals, And
this is quite an important consideration
when we are thinking of introducing
new crops. We are admonished by the
experience of our fellow citizens in the
east and south and west In this regard
that we should avoid reduction in tn.
fertility of the soil as they have re
duced and are reducing it. 1t is true
we have richer soil than the people
4 of New England and the southern
states have, but we nave no richer sol
than the people in the valleys of thu
Rocky mountain, states and the Pa
cific coast states have; and they have
succeeded in SO reducing the fertilit,
of their lands that they take crop q
wheat only once in two years. VIZ
must avoid reducing Iowa soils to this
condition. Here is a promising crol
that will grow on what comes from the
atmosphere duu llOb WudL comes IrOu
1 the soil.
The principal question affecting SUI
gar beet factories in the United. States
at This time, is to get full supply o,
beets. If we consider the fact that the
western half of the United States lis ;
dry country, and that most of the su
gar beet factories are located in thai
country, and that lack OF water fire.
quently cuts short the tonnage, YOU
will appreciate this feature of my OBJ
servations. 1t is necessary to hav,
plenty of beets to keep the factory go
ing, to make it profitaOle, and tn,
more beets the factory gets the NOR,
/ it can pay by the ton for what i
4 takes Factories should not be bull
nearer than 100 miles of each other il
the state Of Iowa, for the present, 81
that advantage can be taken of the un
usual and customary low rate on tn,
railroads, fifty miles in every direc
ton. This would help. to. insure tn,
factories getting enough raw materia
and thus insure it profitable run
ming.
i With regard to the ability of TIN
1 state of Iowa to produce sugar, W,
can make here all the nation wants.
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