Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1908-04-24
The Sugar Beet in Virginia.

The Norfolk, u Western Railway
Company through its Agricultural and
Industrial Department are inaugural
ing series Of experiments throughout
the Shenandoah Vally and Southwest
Virginia to determine whether this |
locality is adapted TO the Successful |
Culture of beets for the manufacture of |
sugar.
The Sugar Beet industry of the North
ern & Western States has in recent
years risen to such eminence that in
many of these states it represents one
of the largest money crops produced.
Michigan, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah
and California have taken the lead in
the manufacture of sugar, and in many
of these states it has been the principle
factor in enabling the farmers to rise
from a position of bare subsistence to
one of continued prosperity and indie
pendence.
America imports to-day about two
thirds of its total sugar consump-
ton and any movement that contri-
butes towards a production on the part
of our American farmer, and conse-
quent retention of large amount of
money annually paid to foreign coun-
tries for sugar imported cannot help
but result in increasing prosperity to
our American agriculturists..
Mr.. f. E. LaBaume, Agricultural and
Industrial Agent of the Norfolk &
Western Ry. in conjunction with some
prominent Colorado manufacturers of
beet sugar, is inaugurating campaign
for the thorough and conclusive testing
of sugar beet culture throughout the
Shenandoah Valley and Southwest
Virginia in the territory tributary to
the Norfolk & w estern Railway lines.
To this end, Mr.. LaBaume has just
secured some fifteen or twenty bushels
of highest grade imported German
Sugar Beet seed. He has also been
furnished, by the Colorado manufac-
turers with complete supply Of PAM
phlets, instructing the farmer in q SIM
pie and concise way how to plant, Gull
tivate and harvest these beets. Through
his representative, Mr.. E. A. Schubert,
who is actively engaged in field work
for the Department. Mr.. LaBaume has
arranged to distribute among represent
tative farmers, in the localities which,
On account of altitude, soil and climatic
conditions offer the best prospects, suf
ficient seed to plant One-sixth Of ar
acre. The several sections selected by
the Colorado Sugar Beet experts, wht
recently took a trip over the line witt
Mr.. LaBaume are enumerated below
and in each of the sections surround
ing the towns enumerated, it is desired
to secure four or five patches, planted
by as many farmers, who will agree t.
cultivate and harvest same in accor
dance with directions constantly fur
nished them both by the bulletin AM
by the instructor, who will visit then
frequently throughout the year.
Abingdon, Glade Springs, Chilhowie
Seven Mile Ford, Marion, Rural Re
treat, Wytheville, Max Meadows, Pu
ask, Dublin, Melborn, Radford, Chris
: tiansburg, Grayson, Roanoke, Trout
Vile, Buena Vista, Midvale, Stuart
Draft, Grottoes, Cleveland, Nonake
Richlands and Tazewell.
There will be no loss whatever TO an
= of the farmers. On the contrary, thes
>, beets offer one Of the very best stoc
" and cattle foods that it is possible
> grow, and moreover the return is Ill
. usually large per acre. The parties il
:, terested in making this test have ever
reason to believe that the sections S
- lected are well adapted to beet cultur
insuring sufficiently high sugar CO.
tent to make it attractive from a con
:, mercial crop stand point. Some min
" tests were made last year with vie
=, Of ascertaining whether this sugar co
= tent could be obtained, and from bee
=, ~ planted in the vicinity of Rural r
- treat and Wytheville, under unfavor
BILE circumstances, sugar content W
., % obtained, under analysis, that col
" pared most favorably with the best
AZ suit obtained in Western beet grown
sections.
Farmers throughout the West ha
." frequently Melted from $1,000 to $50.
~ per acre, after paying all expenses
~ planting, cultivation and harvestil
~ and returns of double this amount u
- der exceptionally favorable conditio
are not of unusual occurrence, and fl
- thermore, in the sections mentione
labor is rarely obtained for less tn
S1.00 to $3.50 per day.
The successful production of this or
-, in Virginia would mean hundreds
- thousands of dollars paid out annual
to our farmers. 1t would mean furt
~ er more the employment of large DO
y of laborers at better wages than tn
" have been accustomed to, and the
~ factors together would work to
~ greater material social and industr
y advancement of our state.
be
= COTITuEPN PATHWAY