The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1905-03-09
SUGAR BEETS
Offer Many Sources of Profit to the Farmers-Have
LArae Money Value in Pulp and Tops. Are
an Actual Benefit the Soil. Have q Sure
Market and Extend the r1arket for
Farm Produce.

The second feature is 1.-The effect OF
the crop upon the fertility of the soil'.
On this point students OF the in !ustry
seem to be agreed that the net results
show benefit to the soil, and lead
much cided value to the succeeding
crops. This has been proved by actual
experience.
The great benefit comes from the
continuous cultivation and stirring Of
the soil which the crop requires aud
affords This cultivation opens up the
soil to the action of the air and the sun.
light and puts new life into it. TO get
at net results we must consider what
the crop takes from the soil. Like
mo other plants IL requires and takes
potash, lime, phosphate and nitrogen.
The amount of each is not material in
this connection, but we will remark
that experiments show the totaI does
not equal that taken out by good crop
of timothy hay.
We say it is not necessary to consider
the amount used by the beet crop in
this connection because good farming
will restore practically all of it TO To"
land.
All the elements taken from the SOIL
enter into the structural part Of the
root and top Of the beet. None OF them
are found in the sugar. by returning
the tops and pulp to the farm aud feed
ing them to the stock, and the proper
handling of the manure, it can be seen
that practically ali the fertility taken
from the soil may be returned, thus
leaving the benefits from extra cultiva-
ton as net gains.
The third branch of the subject,
The effect of the crop upon the soil
in the killing out or prevention OF noN.
ious weeds is very important. AS the
crop is cultivated more than most
others the effect is to prevent the
weeds from going to seed and to con
stantly subject the roots TO wind and
sun. tending to destroy them.
The noxous weed problem is one for
the serious consideration of farmers
The beet cultivation being an enemy
To such weeds should be favored by
progress ,ive farmers.
The fourth, branch of this topic is
market Advantages Tho fact that
the crop is contracted in advance makes
the market certain. The farmer knows
that what he has 30 DO is to raise the
beets and, no matter how large, the
crop he will get his fixed price per
ton 1t is not so with mostcrops. As
a rule where there is Il large crop Of
potatoes, cabbagcs, onions, etc, the
price Of said crop Is corresponding
low. Many times the crops last mon
t oned have to be stored and repeated
ly handled, and they lose considerable
weight by decay and shrinkage, all of
which have marked effect on the net
MARKET value Of such crop. Practical
~ move OF these lo,es,occur in the hand
ling o. sugar beets.
But there are other market effects
to br considered. The values Of farm
products generally are gagged 10y the
markets and it behooves the farmer tC
br;id up, preserve and keep open a
the markets possible for his products
He know, he has fixed market 70,
his beets no matter how large i CroH he
or his neighbors may have.
Every acre planted to sugar beet puts
Just that much aud ou; III competit OF
with other crops, and therefore tends t.
increase the prices Of other crops.
The fifth branch Of our topic is "Tho
safety of raising heets in our climate. v
}eets like good treatment and respond
readily to good care and favorable con
| dtlons yet they survive either drouth
or food better than almost any Other
crop. The young plants are more bar
\ dy than orr or beans and they survive
! the effects Of frOsts that Kill either ot
/ those, while the crop in the fall will
stand all hard frosts until the actual
"frccz,ng up" OF tn ground. 1t .cs
a long season but will do well even
/ il "A short one. The chances OF failure
of IL beet crop are light il good iddg.
ment is used in selection of soil aud
proper cultivation Is given In every
way it IS one OF the safest crops tha'
| can be raised I'm this climate.
/ We do not claim that beet grow =
should supplant or dsplace any othe,
4 branch OF farming, but simply that Il
/ should he given place among them.
We think the reasons above giver
are sufficient 10 insure the sugar beet q
place on the farm Of every progressiv,
/ farmer who Is within hauling or ship
ping distance Of a factory.
rthwcstcrn Farmer. Menomince, Mlch)