Missouri Valley times., 1901-02-28
Sugar Beets.


that the practical side of the question
Is the one that will most interest us
here at this time.
The first question l am asked, "ls
there any money i'm beets? DO they
pay rs we'll as corn - Invariably the
answer is yes An average crop of
beets will pay you more than double
that of corn at present prices. One
acre of ordinary crops well cared for
Will bring AN. average of Sis, while one
acre of heets, we'll cared for. will bring
500, being gain 20 the community of
S45
The next question is. "What kind of
land is suitable for raising beetsy" In
reply ] would say youshould select the
best soil you have, and there is none
too good; choose the lard that you
would take if yon we've going to raise
q prize acre of carn or potatoes. Any
5,
The soil should be deep enough to al
low the roots to penetrs te to a sutl' :
cient depth, in order to have the beet
grow entirely below the surface. In
beet culture, deep plowinr, and if pos
slble snhsoillng is absolutely essential.
Tie next logical question is, GLOW
much labor is required?' Ittakes not
only more labor, but a different kind
to what we have been accustomed to
in growing corn, oats and wheat The
preparation of the soil. and the seed
ing is very much the same as that re-
qnired for wheat The cultivation is
similar to that of corn, and the har-
vest corresponds somewhat to that of
potatoes. IT. used TO he the case that
nearly all the cultivation was done
with the hoe. which The average west
ern farmer has very little admiration
for, but at present the hoe is almost
eliminated from the culture of sugar
beets in Nebraska.
Next, "Can we raise sugar beets i'm
Harrison county that will yield the
tonnage and richness that is necessary
to make them paying crop?' fee
safe In saying yes. The past season, a
number of farmers near Cal Junction.
myself included, planted from two 10
five acres each of beets, growing them
for the Standard Beet Sugar company
OF Ames, Neb., they agreeing to pay
all freight charges and $40 per ton for
oeets testing l2 per cent sugar and 7S
per cent purity, with sliding scale of
price above and below. In my own
case / shipped little over 3OC tons,
being q tritls over Is tons per acre.
which came up to the standard, that is
they brought 81 per ton.
Our reason for planting in the TWEEN
ty-inch rows was, that we had been ac-
cnstomed to wide rows for corn. pota-
toes and the like, and we feared we
would be unable to make our horse
walk in a narrow row. We know bet
ter now, and assure you that you
will have no trouble on that score.
| AS to the tonnage, | feel sure with
proper preparation of the seed bed,
care in seeding, planting in eighteen
inch rows, and using sufficient seed to
insure good stand in the row that
the average yield should be from
twelve to fifteen tons per acre in this
locality.
Now as to the test or sugar in the
beets. All the beets shipped from
here last year, something over 800 tons,
came up to the standard of $4 per ton
with the exception of few cars, which
was grown on very rich soil, without
being thick enough on the ground. to
restrain a too coarse and rank growth.
However, the sugar factory people are
satisfied that Harrison county is a
|sngar district, as they are contracting
to pay 81 per ton for all beets grown
here, regardless of the test, they as
suming all the risk, as to the richness
of the beet. They will also pay the
freight as before.
1t is not expected that the growing
of sugar beets will take the place of
all other crops, bat that it will add an.
o.her money crop to the farmers list
would not advise any one to attempt
more than three to five acres the first
year, which will give them experience
and confidence to handle more in The
future, if they are so inclined, with
aclrcely any risk incurred in making
the first attempt.
The growing of fair crop of sugar
beets, not only adds to the growers
bank account, but is benefit to the
community as we'll, as a part of the
gross proceeds is paid out for labor,
which always has its effect. From the
4act that the growing of sugar beets
demands more careful, exact and
thorough attention, believe that a
farmer who has successfully raised
sugar beets will do much better farm
ing in other crops
am often asked whether IT is pos
sib'e to get q sugar factory in Harri.
son county: | am confident that we
can get a factory here just as soon as
we can demonstrate the fact that we
are willing to furnish the beets for
such a factory, and we have splen-
did opportunity to demonstrate such d
fuct LIN hoinn q hla 70 rrn.u haafa fnr q