The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-03-18
BACTERIA IN BETS.
The Sugar Variety Found to Be a
Prey to Parasitic Enemies.
Nebraska Experts at Work ON Cures
which Are Necessary to the
Prosperity OF the Industry
An That state.

Drought in Nebraska will be robbed
of most of its terrors when the Guilt
walton of the sugar beet becomes
general among the farmers of the
central and western sections of the
state. During the past season fully
100000 profit represents the amount
| garnered in by the cultivation of the
! plant.
In addition two specialists in the
employ of the government are busiIy
engaged in studying the parasitic en-
emies of the sugar beet and will pub
lish a detailed report of their ex-
periments in the spring before the
season for planting begins, says a
Lincoln report to the New York
Journal.
The great Platte valley promises
to be lucrative field for the sugar
beet raiser. There is an abundance
of water in the fall and spring. The
ground can be flooded at both pc
RODS, and as the beets can endure
six weeks of the worst possible dry
weather without injury, there is
nothing to fear in the summer sea-
son when the tickle stream becomes
an arid bed of shifting sand.
AT present there are three fac
tories in the state, two of them in
active operation. The Norfolk plant
has a capacity of 400 tons of beets
day. This means that from IS to 40
tons of sugar is prepared for the
market each day. The factory at
Ames, Neb., is still larger and can
dispose of 425 tons of beets in the
course of day. The prevalence of
beet diseases and the injudicious use
of the Platte river water during the
summer are the two causes which
have reduced the production of beets
near Grand Island and led to the
closing of the factory at that place.
But the plant is being remodeled
during the period of enforced idle
ness. The irrigation disputes are now
being untangled, and there is reason
to anticipate busy season next
year.
In the valley of the Platte sugar
beets excel in both quality and guam
tity. The yield is from is to 80 tons
to the acre, as against 8 to Is tons
in the eastern section of the state.
The market price varies from "a to
S4.75 ton.
The cost of production varies with
the skill and experience of the farm
er. 1t is only in exceptional cases
that the expenditure, including money
and labor, exceeds $50 per acre. At
Minden, North Platte, and Kearney
there are many growers who reduce
the expense to $50 per acre.
Planting the beets in the spring,
wedding them, topping and gathering
IN the beets must be done by hand.
1t is in the skillful utilization of the
hired help that the inexperienced lose
money and the expert growers adj
wise the amateurs to begin with small
patches and gradually learn the bust
ness. The beet farmer must be near
railroad. Unless this is the case the
labor of hauling them to market will
eat a large hole in the profits of the
season.
Two types of disease destroy the
sugar beets. The most prevalent dur
ing the last season was root decay.
George G. Hedgcock, sugar beet ex-
pert in the employ of the United
States department of agriculture, has
discovered seven forms of this dis
ease. He is now in Nebraska making
an investigation of these diseases.
The presence of mold in the ground |
leads to one kind, while the other six
are caused primarily by bacteria.
Root decay sometimes leads to a
bitter disappointment to the mex
perienced grower. The leaves -four
ish and the plants appear healthy in
every particular. But the disease has |
attacked the very base of the long
tap root. Steadily the bacteria CON
sumo the body of the beet, and when
the expectant farmer pulls the beet |
in the fall he is amazed to discover
that he has nothing except a field of
tops.
Spotted leaf" is the other pest
which annoys and discourages the
beet grower. 1t is a mysterious
chemical change in the plant, which
neutralizes the sugar producing quail
tiles and makes it useless for manu-
featuring purposes. Spots on the
leaves tell the story of failure to the
knowing ones, and sugar experts can
easily determine the trouble from the
soggy texture of the beet.
Changing crops seems TO be a sure
for either of these diseases.
but the government experts hope to
have some more efficacious remedy
by next spring. The rotation plan
allows beet crop only once in three
years. Corn, wheat and then sugar
oeets is the order recommended to
offset the ravages of the diseases.
Parental Duty.
Mr.. udparent-Bluffkins braps so