The Owosso times., 1904-04-08
The Beet Crop Prospects.
From rho MIchigaa sugar Beet.

The Beet Crop Prospects.
From rho Michigan sugar Beet
What's the matter with the sugar
beets, from farmers viewpoint2 That
should read differently. What's the
matter with the farmers who raised
sugar beets?
Perhaps we can cover all the ground
anyway.
| First let's take glance over the past
since we began to grow sugar beets in
'9S. That year the Michigan company
had the only factory in the state, and
about 5000 acres of beets were grown
for the factory all within short haul
from Bay City. The crop in this ordin-
airy season, proved to be a successful
one, and as soon as the results were
known, many went to that county to
satisfy themselves of the truthfulness
of the stories they had heard of this
wonderful money making crop. The re-
ports were confirmed and the different
sections of the state took hold of the
new crop, and for so there Were several
new factories ready for the campaign
and 10000 acres seeded for the crop.
This season passed into history as the
dryest ever known in this state, and the
beet crop being q new one, and farmers
not knowing just how to handle it the
results were not entirely satisfactory to
the growers. Then came the seasons of
1900 and 1901 which were more satisfac-
tory, many farmers receiving as much
profit per acre as that acre was worth
for farming purposes.
This put farmers in good frame of
mind and for 1902 it required little work
on the part of solicitors to get farmers
to sign contracts, in fact some of the
companies were obliged to close the
books in February and turn acreage
away.
This put everybody on their mettle
to grow beets and business men hustled
out, rented land professional men did
the same and hundreds of farmers de-
voted the greater part of their farms to
beet growing. 1t was what all had been
looking fora get-rich-quick PROPOSE
tion and many farmers even rented land
for extending their beet acreage.
The season opened bad-it was con-
tinual rain, but everyone felt that there
must be an end to it at any time and
consequently but few Of the contracts
were cancelled. New factories had been
contracted for and much new territory
had been opened up to this new crop.
The tale is easily told. 1t rained the
entire season through and the crop
could not be taken care of and much
money was lost.
1908 opened up more promising and
until about September waslall that could
have been desired in most sections of
the state, then the rains came on, prices
of labor went up because of the bad con-
ditions, and before the season of harvest
was half over many fields of beets, as
well as corn and other crops were
covered with water and practically
drowned out. To the man who did not
stop to think moment it proved to be
too much beets and he said he'd 20 back
to the old crops, not stopping to consid-
er that the beet crop had proved it
would grow where no other crop would
except rice. There are too many of our
farmers looking for another wet season.
How will the old crops stand it?
Farmers are only human and they will
find fault. The methods Of this factory
or that don't suit them and they become
dissatisfied They don't go to the
management and with him investigate
the complaint because they stand in ava
of the man at the head of the business
because he wears billed shirt" and
they feel that he's too high toned to give
them hearing. Nothing can be
greater mistake. The manager realizes
that the farmer is part of his business
and that he must work in harmony with
him. The farmer should make it part
of his business to know the head of the
institution.
There are farmers who have been
growing beets that will not contract
this year and there are hundreds of
farmers in new territory that are taking
up with the crop. Given good season
in 1904 and for 1905 farmers will be
stumbling over themselves to get con-
tracts. 1t has been so in the past and
history will only repeat itself.
THISTLE