Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-09-27
SUGAR BETS N IOWA.
Experiments Prove That the Beets
Can Be Successfully Produced
In Iowa.
The Crop Now Being Harvested
and Shipped to the Illinois
Factory.
Prospects Excellent for Storm Lake
Securing Factory Next
Year.

been heard of sugar beetS locally since
last fall and early this spring, the SEN
timent is mot dead but sleeping"
Whether 1t be a fad like the Belgian
hare or not it is net yet determined,
but II has been demonstrated beyond
dispute that the sugar beet industry is
practicable. to assume that it differs
from the Belgian hare industry In this.
Tho little has been heard of the beet
growing, hundreds of acres have been
grown within few miles of Des Moines
this year. and are even now being
shipped to Pekin. H., there to be con-
Nerted into the saccharine product. In
many places the harvest commenced
the latter part of last week and the
harvest is general all over Iowa this
time. Beets that We're planted in May
should be fully matured by this time.
The local yield has been all and more
than was expected. The size of Polk
county beets is better than the average,
the samples raising from three to six
pounds. The sugar yield analysis Is said
, 20 have been equally satisfactory and
on the whole the result has been most
Encouraging to the scheme to build a
big plant in this city.
D.5B. Lyons contracted for nearly 81
600 acres of beet growing this year but
when it became apparent that 1t would
be impossible to raise the capital to
build local plant this season. many of
the farmers who had contracted for a
considerable acreage dropped out, not
fb fhe,,t
they would be paid the local market
price Of s4 FER ton, the same as If the
bests were to be converted into sugar
product to the factory at Pekin, ILL.,,
would be attended by no expense to
them.
Those who have raised beets express
themselves as more than pleased. The
shape of the beets shows careful culti-
walton by most farmers and strict com
plianee with the Instructions sent out
by Mr.. Lyons and other promoters
Small boys have beerl employed to do
the wedding during the summer yaca-
ton at slight cost, and the expense of
beet culture is proving far less than
expected.
However, from the present attitude of
local promoters. il ia apparent the loca-
tion of the plant is not seriously con-
latenplated for next year. The work of
lsoontracting for the acreage would have
/ been extensively undertaken earlier in
1.-THE fail had this been the case and
wouid have been we'll under way by this
Itime.
/ Storm Lake seems destined to be the
/ firs. Iowa city having beet sugar
plant. Money ia already in sight there
/ for s7h.00O plant, according To the
county papers in that vicinity, and D. 3
4 Lyons, of Dea Moines, is the chief pro-
rnoter of the enterprise.
From FIT. Dodge also comes the claim
that there is likely TO be a great beet
sugar factory erected next Year. Dur
ling the past season over 300 acres OF
sugar beets have been grown near Fort
/ Dodge and the yield has averaged near
/ ly forty tons TO the acre. The expert
jmentsa have proven so successful as tC
4 greatly enthuse the farmers in that
4 neiShborhood over sugar beet culture
i ana President 'rhieden. of the Minnesota
i Sugar cu&pany who already has q
large planteat ST. Louis Park, in south,
4 ern Minnesota, is known to have made
4 uSeItures, With local capitalists at For
4 Dodge looking to the erection of plan,
of AGO tors capacity next year. The
Il beets raised about Fort Dodge hav,
1. beer tested a, Mr.. Thieden's plant ant
4 have proven superior to those raised il
\ southern MinnesotA
i 1t is beginning to be admitted tina
Il Iowa soil is perhaps better adapted I,
sugar beet raising than that of any o
the surrounding states in which i'm
lmense factories have been erected ant
are now turning out hundreds OF barrel
of sugar daily. Northern Iowa soil i
particularly adapted to the culture an,
s. il is believed to be but question Of
short time until Iowa cities are create
81 centers of sugar manufacture than thos,
Iof Nebraska. Minnesota and Illinois
Norfolk, Neb., and Pekin. ILL.,. now con
tain the largest factories in the Unite
States.