The Holly chieftain., 1903-01-02
Colorado Sugar Beet Crop.

Beets for sugar manufacture have
proven the best money makers this
year OF any crop grown in this state.
The possibilities of this industry are
illustrated in the prosperity found in
the districts where sugar factories are
located. The manufacture OF beet
sugar in this wonderful climate mani
testify possesses great many advant
ages. The growing of beets is con-
Quoted on entirely different lines from
those governing the growing of cane
for sugar. With the latter the rule is
to raise the cane on large plantations
the laborers all being wage earners
On the contrary. beet production is all
in the hands of independent farmers,
and many OF them make large profits
Moreover. the making of sugar is not
the only profitable business depending
upon beet growing. The pulp, from
which the juice is extracted, is a fine
food for cattle and sheep, and such
feeding is carried on to q large extent
These allied industries are doing a
great deal to develop the resources Of
some sections that before seemed hope
less of ever supporting any consider
able population.
Thorough community OF interest eX-
lists between the farmers and the sugar
makers. The factory management must
see that the grower is satisfied or there
will be no beets grown to keep the
plant running and the beet grower is
stimulated to careful work by the
sliding scale paid for beets. Not only
the tonnage yield, but the sugar con-
tent depends largely upon agricultural
conditions. A land boom has occurred
In all sections tributary to factories
and the end is not yet. In operating
big Colorado factory from $50 to 500
men are employed at wages ranging
from 81 to 50 per day. A run OF fifty
five days should average $40 tons daily.
turning out from 500 to $500 bags
of granulated sugar Running at Its
full capacity such factory consumes
in one day 900 tons Of beets. the pro-
duct OF sixty-fve acres. With 500 op-
eratives. at an operating cost of 81 900,
from IS .0o0 worth of beets. a factory
produces $l5. coo worth of sugar. The
beets average $i7 an acre gross and the
sugar made from an acre of beets sells
by the car at $3.50. After due allow
ance for inevitable shutdowns and ac-
cidents during the season. the net an
nual capacity Of the factory is about
81 100000 worth of granulated sugar. in
making which It will disburse over
5000, coo for beets and $l20 coo for OPP
Grating expenses.
The first factory built in the state
was located at Grand Junction. but ex-
isencies arose and the plant shut down
after three years' operation. The bond
holders have now taken 1t over and
the farmers have promised to plant
sufficient acreage to make a good run
next season. 1t will be enlarged from
four hundred to eight hundred tons
capacity. The Rocky Ford plant. with
a capacity of 1000 tons, and the one At
Sugar City with 500 tons. have made
three successful campaigns. The popu-
ladon has trebled and land values have
greatly increased. Al Rocky Ford in
1900. 1000 acres were in beetS; in 1901.
900 acres were planted. and this year
the beet fields covered Is 900 acres. The
fourth factory was built in northern
Colorado at Loveland Larimer county.
and is now making Its. second success-
full campaign Ii receives the beets of
wide adjacent area and will this year
slice more than 10000 tons of beets,
averaging sixteen per cent. In sugar
and eighty-four in purity. Two new
factories were put into operation this
year-Greeley on October 9th and Ea-
ton on October 2ith. Greeley will use
approximately 5000 tons and Eaton
from 40.oo0 to 5000.