The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-10-21
Sugar Beet Raising.


auled to Nebraska by Colonel G. G.
Talisietro, an ex-member Of the
Legislature aud an agricullurist
known beyond the borders OF his
native county of Orange, returned to
Richmond Saturday night. That only
the two gentlemen named composed
the party Is due to unavoidable post
ponement of the trip, which was
projected for the middle OF Septem'
Der. The busy farm season prevented
the other Virginians from making the
trip at this time.
Commissioner kOIner spent most
of his time familiariziUg himself with
the details OF the industry as he found
il conducted IN Norfolk, Nebraska
aud vicinity.
A large factory is located in Nor
folk, town of 5000 people, and the
farmers who raise the beets for the
factory live in a radius Of thirty or
forty miles. Opportunity was thus
afforded the Virglniaus TO study both
sides of the industry-that OF the
manufacturer and that of the farmer.
~ A BIG FACTORY.
" Toe Norfolk factory cost $3.50,
600 to build aud equip" said Mr..
Koiner to a Times man last evening,
d" and employs $50 hands. The plant
must be kept going night and day
and on Sundays, the nature OF the
industry requiring it to be constantly
in operation. Ii was established nine
years ago, and has passed the expert
mental stage. | was surprised to
fad that the juice of the oset ls
extracted, not by pressing, as one
might suppose, but by a system of
washing The beets are cut up,
placed in receptacles, and water
forced through the mass by hydraulic
pressure. found too, that q llmeklln
is an indispensable adjunct of q beet
factory. Lime is burned to obtain
csrb)Iic acid gas, which is used IN
purifying the sugar juice. When the
Juice finally reaches the centrifugal
kettle it is of the consistency. and
very nearly of the color of thick
molasses. The motion of the kettle
throws thesugar,ss it isrendered into
a solid state, against the sides of the
vessel from which it is removed from
time TO time. Emerging from the
grauulating process, the sugar is put
up in 200 pound sacks. The quality
of the sugar compares with the
whitest aud purest in the world. The
market quotation on it is the same as
on standard granulated sugar"
A VALUABLE BY.PRODUCT.
Mr.. Koiner says the pulp of the
beet is in great demand as food for
stock. Cattle, hogs and even horses
eat it. The pulp from the Norfolk
factory is fed to | 400 head OF cattle,
which require little else in the way
of food. The pulp is disposed of at
the rate of fifty cents q ton. This
pulp, Mr.. Koiner says, would be OF
greater value in Virginia, because IN
the West there are other cheap cattle
foods that compete with the pulp an d
bring the price down. =;
&" Beets for the Norfolk factory"
said Mr.. Koiner, addressing himself
to the farmers side of the industry,
in which he is more particularly
interested, "are grown on $4,000
acres of land in the Elkhorn Valley,
in which Norfolk is situated. The
land is rich, but not so well adapted
to sugar-beet raising as the soil oil
Virginia. The season, TOOLS shorter
la Virginia the climate is much more
favorable to the full growth and
maturing of the beet. While over
three thousand acres are in the bee'
cultivation, the size of the plat each
farmer deyotes to beet raising viii
not average more than fifteen ol
twenty acres. Very often they raise
only one crop on the same ground
transferring it almost invariably aftel
the second year, certainly, to new
ground Bat land devoted to beet'
one year will, if properly msnured
be better the next year for otneI
crops than it was originally.
HOW RAISED IN NEBRASKA
Beets are grown and cultivated
much like corn. Virginia farmers
by removing every other point, coul'
use the ordinary drill for sowing
The Nebraskan farmer gives hl
heets three plowings, and ends witt
either hoeing the crop with peeu
liarly.shaped implement sptly name'
'poose-f foot, or by plowlng 1t 8
that the earth is thrown plentlfull
about the beets, which must be com
pletely covered. When harvested
the beets are kilued, and very often
in that harsh climate, the origins
covering Of earth has to be increase
as the weather increases in severlt
TO prevent them from freezing. Tb
crop is hauled to market from tim
to time, as the factory calls for then
the farmers taking their turn
marketing in rotation. The factor
gives notice of from a week or te
DAYS in advance TO each FARMER.
10 Nebraska it costs from $25
$50 an acre to produce beets. |
Virginia they can be raised for a llttI
more than half that sum, | am col
ident. Msny of the Nebraska farm
| ers, was told. pay five dollars p'
, acre rent for their land. Most VI
einia farmers would save that. Agaii
: in Nebraska farm labor is paid at 10
rate of one dollar per day.
9 Much of the work, such as tnlun'n = !
= the plants, when they are youog,sp
topping the beets, when tney nay
bsen pulled, could as well be done
! half. grown men and women, who r
, eeiye in Virginia from twenty-five
6fty cents q day. That would
another considerable item in OF