Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1906-01-17
The Beet Sugar Industry in Wisconsin

organized to build beet sugarsfactory
at Menominee Falls. From this
beginning the Beet Sugar Industry in
Wisconsin has grown. In five years,
this business has become one of the
most important factors. Ein the agri-
cultural and manufacturing interests
of the state. 1t has not only had a
phenomenal beginning, but has also
become permanent. So earnestly
have the farmers entered into the
work, that it threatens to take the
place of tobacco raising.
This rapid growth may be accounted
for in several ways. The nature of
! the work and the advantages derived
from it are the most prominent fac
tors, however, in it's rise as an industry.
| The work to be done in the beet fields
comes at time when no other very
important work demands the farmers
time. The blowing is done in the fall
after the harvesting. Planting comes
5! just before corn planting time. The
thinning out of the beets, after they
are above ground, is done just before
! the usual time for cultlvating the
i corn. After everything on the farm
| has been harvested the beets are dug
| up and hauled to railroad or factory.
The labor of blowing and planting is
| of course about the same as with any
other product. In place of cultivation
| thinning out is necessary in beet rails
ing. Each seed is apt to grow three
or four beets and in order to get good
- i
! thinned by hand until each beet is
separated from the others. Three men
can block and thin an acre in day.
Harvesting and hauling is of course
the same as with any crop. From the
above description of the method of
raising it can be seen that the work of
tending to crop of beets is as easy as
any farm work.
The advantages to be derived from
beet raising are greatly helped by the
certainty of the crop. Summer hail
and storms nor fall frosts have no
effect on beets. The fact is that only
small number of acres is ne 1essary
for good income from beets as com
pared with other farm products. From
eight to ten acres is more than most
farmers plant. The expense of raising
| and marketing the beets, also has a
great deal to do with the farmers TAX
ing up the industry as they nave.
Land may be prepared and beets
sown, cultivated, thinned and har-
vested at an average cost of about
thirty dollars per acre, with labor at
an average rate of one dollar and a
half per day. A fair crop on each
acre should yield at least seventy five
| dollars, while a good crop would pay
the farmer from nine.y to one hun
| dred twenty-five dollars per acre.
After the average expense per acre is
| deducted from this price, profit of
| from forty-hve to ninety-five dollars
per acre is left for the farmer. This
profit and the sureness of it has had
| great deal to do with the develop
ment of the industry in the state.
In some localities factories have es-
tablished weighing stations in charge
of their agents. At these stations the
| amount of tare for dirt and other
reasons is estimated, thus saving
trouble for all concerned. At Morri-
sonville, Wisconsin, hthe GAINESVILLE
| factory has one of these stations. From
this point the company pays the
| freight on beets to GAINESVILLE, dis
lance Of about sixty miles. Around
| Morrisonville about two hundred and
fifty acres are planted to beets an
nually. A town about three miles
south and another about four miles
north ship, respectively, the yield of
! one hundred to one hundred and fifty
| acres. This district is all tributary to
| the GAINESVILLE factory. Last year a
Morrisonville young man, though part
| of the time in school at Portage, raised
| eight acres Of beets on which he
cleared ffty-five dollars per acre or
four hundred and fifty dollars for the
! season. On account of his school
work he was unable to do much work
| himself but hired four men during
| the season, at rate of one and a half
! to two dollars day. With this ex-
| pense for labor he still made the
above mentioned profit. This year he
has planted twenty-five acres. He is
in college this year and is hiring the
" ,rk done as last year. The crop for
t lis year, though not shipped yet, ap-
pears much better than last years
| WELD. He is satisfied with his invest
ment and will raise beets again next
| year.
The price paid for beets varies from
| four dollars and half to six dollars
per ton. When the beets are planted
| the crop is sold at a guaranteed price
of four dollars and a half If the
beets test better than the ordinary
run, the price paid is better. AS high
as eight dollars per ton has been paid
for Deets, but the average price is
five dollars and a quarter per ton.
From this it is seen that the farmer
is sure of his price of four dollars and
i half and has chance to get from
five to six dollars per ton.
1 L To- hoi Ack