Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1908-08-12
ST. LOUIS SUGAR CO.
One OF the Big Industries OF
Which Central Michigan
Can Boast.
DOES BUSINESS WITH FARMERS
Annually Manufactures Ten Million
Pounds OF Sugar.-Pleasant ReIs-
tons Between Co. and Farmers

II is an immense territory that the
company taps for its great supply of
beets. Beginning with Howard City
and Mcbride on the west, they go
three miles east of Hemlock. North
they go to Shepherd and Midland, and
south to North Star At moments
comprehension it will be seen that the
location of the railroad governs large
ly the territory covered. One might
begin at Hemlock with a strip ex-
tending ten miles north and south
from the P. M. railroad, follow il
through at that width to Howard City
and embrace o5 per cent OF the terri
tory owned.
AT each railroad station along the
road there is a weighing station for
receiving and shipping beets, so that
in most places the farmers have only
five or six-mle haul to get TO a
shipping point.
The farmers living near ST. Louis
all haul their beets direct to the big
storage sheds. where thew are weigh
ed and unloaded into the big bins.
AT the present time the company
annually contracts for and uses about
o,5oo acres of beets. This represents
about the capacity of the plant. When
the plant was first started about 1000
acres were planted. This acreage was
increased gradually from year to wear
until the present acreage was reached.
Many people wonder why sugar
plant cannot take care of a bigger
acreage. The usual sugar Campaign
lasts from 100 TO 100 days. During
that time the factory is run night and
day That means that if it were run
ning ten hours a day instead of twen-
ty-four, 1t would take about eight
months to complete the run. Now.
sugar is pretty sticky thing to make.
as It goes through its various proceed
ures of manufacture. and after a run
OF 100 days the machinery is practic-
ally clogged with molasses gum. In
fact, the last few DAYS OF a run over
100 days is apt to prove quite an ex-
lpensive one TO the management. 60
1t will be seen that with a CAPACITY Of
only 600 tons of beets dailv. {. zoo
acres OF beets will just about take the
plant through Ioo-dav campaign. II
also takes all of the balance of the
year TO clean up the machinery for an
other run. If bigger acreage was
desired the plant would have to be en-
iarged to take care of it, as no sugar
plant IS capable OF steady run much
over 100 days.
Sugar beets produce an average DER
acre OF SIS, although many farmers
have yields which net close to 500 and
500 an acre. This is governed large
lly, however by the local conditions.
including rainfall and the productive
qualities of the soil
Two kinds of contracts are offered
the farmer, namely, the fat rate con-
tract, whereby he receives FIVE dollars
ner ton I. o. b.. and the percentage
contract, which gives him four dollars
and nifty cents per ton for II per cent
beets, and 53 I-3 cents for each one
pei. cent above II. The average Weld
IS from II to Is tons per acre The
cost OF caring for the beets, including
seed and labor for thinning, harvest
ing and draining, is from SIS to s2s
per acre.
Last year the company paid out 70
the farmers for beets $4,000 in cold
cash Coming at a time when money
was as scarce as il was during the
panic last fall, it was a Godsend II
has been we'll said that the farmers
about St Louis and Alma did not feel
the effect of the panic last fall. And.
tnough 1t is not generally known. had
1t not been for the St. Louis Sugar
company, the cash paid so readily last
rail- might not have been forthconino
lhe company manufactures and re-
hnes about 100000 pounds of sugar
each year This means in barrels
about 10000 barrels. II takes close To
10000 tons Of beets TO make this
amount OF sugar
Seed is quite an important matter
IN raising sugar beets. II takes abou,
100000 pounds of seed TO plant an
acreage of 6,ooo acres. This seed
comes direct from Germany and !.
guaranteed to be in first class shane
II is furnished direct TO the farmer a.
actual cost. A certificate of inspection
accompanies each shipment, showing
that the seed has been carefully tested.
The relations between the companv
and the beet growers are very close.
II he needs contract help the conn
pany gets IL for him. His seed is fur
nished him and he is given credit un-
til he harvests his beets. if he so de-
sires. Any time he finds he needs
help he goes TO the company. and II
MS crop viii warrant IL he gets such
assistance as he needs. Expert advice
on growing his beets is his for the
asking. His crops are watched bv
men who are expert agriculturaIists
and he is kept posted on anv neces-
sary steps to be taken TO profect
against blight or insect. II might al
most be said that from the time he
gets his first seed until il Is drawn
and delivered at the factory. ne Is un-
der the alert, watchful eve Of the com
pany
Raising beets is no child's pIav. II
IS attended with lots of hard labor.
Thinning and wedding. cuItivatinp.
and then the long tedious harvesting
OF the crop mean manv hours of toll
and work.
And when the harvesting Is begun
the beets begin 20 flow in toward the