The Western news. [volume] (Stevensville, Mont.) 1890-1977, 1901-11-20
THORNTON TELLS OF
BEET EXPERIMENTS.

IHORNION IELLS OF
BEET EXPERIMENTS. I
Gratifying Results Higher Percen-
tsgs 81 Sugar and Purity IN Bitter
Root Than n Any Other Locality. /
M W. D. .Thornton, who accompanied
his bfother-in-law, Pres ident Henry Z
Oxnard Of the American Beet Sugar
CD, sonahis visit here last simmer. was
interviewed by the Butte Inter Noun
tain last. week anent the sugar beet
ex periments. The article follows:
W. D. Thornton, who has been sup
ervising series Of sugar beet expert
mentsin the Bitter Root valley this
season, has some interesting facts con-
cerning the possibilities Of beet cult
lure in Montana.
| Mr.. Thornton is stockholder in the
American Beet Sugar company, and it
was Thomas Loynd. representa-
tive of that company, who directly
conducted the experiments.
The results of the experiments are
Gratifying 70 Mr.. Thornton and have
been submitted to the officials of the
American Beet Sugar company. The
|story OF the manner in which the cx-
Iperiments were conducted and the res
ults obtained can be best understood
in Mr.. Thornton's own language. He
told it in this way:
"The series of experiments in rails
ing sugar beets in the Bitter Root val
ley show the results of 13 patches
which were planted on the Bitter Root
stock farm owned by the Daily estate
and of 80 other patches throughout til G
valley.
TESTING OF THE SOIL.
"Thomas Loynd was sent out as ar
agriculturist by the American beet
Sugar Company and conducted tn
experiments in such manner as H.
Thoroughly test the different character
of soil in the valley and in such wa
that the results might afford an accu
rate understanding of what might b
expected from raising beets on larg
scale, with the idea of arriving at II
5-tresuits to the farmer and the qualit
from the factory standpoint.
'.These results are now all i'll an
are, highly satisfactory from eve,
stndpoint and are about as follows:
"The beets were all planted betwee
the middle aud last of April and ha
vested from the middle to the last
- October. The results show that t
= above IS per cent sugar in the beet a,
= Sc per cent parity aui yielded II tor
I per acre.
q The significance of these results
s. best understood III comparison wi
, other localities. The great beet raisir
E districts of Europe average under
Z per cent sugar and under 80 in quait
CONDITIONS IN UTAH.
p .In Utah, where like conditions pl
vail as those in Montana as to irrig
>, tiou, ETC., the average is about II
= per cent as to sugar AMI about 80 as
= parity, the yield per acre being
81 tween Is and IA tons. .-.-a
cat Oxnard, Cal, where fl,
y qual,ty of beet is grown, than All
= where else in the world, the avera
II for Last year was II 6 per cent and
- parity with a yield per acre of l
, tons. In Colorado at Rocky Ford, thu
u is shown an average of II per ce
- and 81 purity.
''The results as indicated to the
mer will be best understood by &C
- [paring the value os land in beet .
tricts before aud after the establi
- nent Of the sugar factories.
- In Rocky Ford land that was wo
$50 per acre, is now worth $500
acre; in California, land that
- $50 to 800 per acre. now sells for f,
$500 to $500. There is every reason
believe that similar increases VIC
~ ootain in the Bitter Root valley.
r TALK OF FACTORY.
~ "Plans are under way at the pres
time looking towards the establ
. rnent of factory in the valley
matter will be further considered
the officers of the American ]
Sugar company in New York
winter.
''1n case the factory is built it
probably be located at or near Ha
..A-
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