Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1910-12-29

. under ShefrlH.
1907 average price per ton, 5.37
1908 average price per ton, 5.83
1909 average price per ton, 6.23
As nearly as can be estimated at
the time OF this writing the average
price paid for 1910 will be about $500
per ton. There are also ways in which
the cost in labor Of the production
Of beets has been reduced very ma
terially. but has added TO the cost per
ton 10 the sugar companies.
Seven years ago the sugar company
received beets only at the factory
sheds and in quantities as they requir-
ed them. Farmers living beyond the
wagon haul distance had to load and
ship their own beets al such times as
/ convenient TO the factories and the
| farmer had TO stand the shrinkage and
/ inconvenience. The farmers who rails
1 ed beets then will remember what this
means. No, the factories at very great
expense Of installation and mainten-
ance, have established weigh stations
/ at all regular railroad stations and
crossings between stations where the
/ farmers can deliver their beets with
the least possible labor, and the
shrinkage which amounts to from go
to go is borne by the factory instead
OF the farmer The farmers are now
privileged to haul their beets at any
time most convenient to themselves
and if the factories cannot take care
of them they are received just the
same and dumped on the ground at
the weigh stations TO be protected and
reloaded on cars at the sugar COM
panies' expense. This year it will
cost the St. Louis company several
thousand dollars for beet tops which
they have purchased 70 protect the
beets that are piled on the ground,
and for picking up and loading on cars
The farmers are now producing
more beets per acre than formerly and
doing it cheaper or with less labor.
Also the cost Of hand labor in the
beets has actually decreased while
other farm labor has advanced very
much Here are some Of the results
obtained this year by beet raisers for
the St. Louis Sugar company:
Frank Mclean, St. Louis, from6. !
acres of beets received $64763; Geo.
Acker, Jr., Forest Hill from q acres
of beets received $30So3 or $7723
per acre; Alfred Cole, Breckenridge,
from two acres of beets received
Sl7434 or $S717 per acre; Murdo Nc
Intosh, Breckenridge. from lS acres
of beets received Sl,446.46 or S8035
per acre; Charles Griffith, Merrill,
from 80 acres received $5,394.H or
SOAP per acre.
In addition to this each of the above
parties could have sold his beet tops
to the sugar company for covering
beets, at not less than $500 per acre,
but did not do so as he considered
them of more value for feed. Hun
dreds of other farmers have had
equally as good yields as all the above
except Mr.. Mclean. His yield is
exceptionally high.
The Sugar company this year are
themselves raising about 800 acres OF
beets. which as nearly as can be es-
timated at the time of this writing,
will yield them net profit OF more
than 81 90 per ton, or in other words
will cost them more than one dollar
per ton less than the price paid to
farmers, and that after paying very
high rental for the land and paying
for supervision and all labor. They
plan to plant 1000 acres next year.
Another benefit resulting from the
sugar business in this county is in
creasing the supply of farm laborers.
There is less difficulty TO get farm
labor in the beet growing sections
than in other parts of the state. The
reason is obvious, the demand has
created the supply; and farm hands
can get steady work on the farms for
six or seven months and then work in
the sugar factories a part of the win
ter at high wages
The sugar factories are able to pay
the increased cost of beets because
OF improvements in methods in the
factory and utilizing the by-products
such as pulp and molasses. The price
of sugar, however. has not increased
with the price Of other food stuffs as
is shown by the following list of ac-
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