Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1913-06-20

Most Valuable Crop, Would Remove
Handicap Of Transportation TO East
ern Markets and Increase Other Crop
Yields.
That the most profitable yields Of
Nevada's farms are capable of COM
peting p~roftably for the most distant
markets is the most significant fact
which has been brought to light by the
experiment farm. 1t Is one OF ire
mendous Importance to the state. The
ability OF what in the past have been
regarded as waste lands to grow good
crops under irrigation has, of course.
already been established. But because
Of Ncvadu's distance from the great
markets OF the Atlantic seaboard and
it's limited transportation service the
difficulty has been to market them
over any extended area. Now. how
ever, this may all be changed.
The medium which is to emove
from Ncyada's farm products the
handicap OF distance has been discov-
cred In the sugar beet. which, II its
growth be encouraged, promises to rev.
o~lutioniZe the agricultural history Of
the state. The report OF the expert
mcnt farm shows hat OF all the staple
crops grown this outranked all others.
| yielding u maximum Of Sl47.77 an acre
In farm value and an average OF
Sj3.93. In other words, Nevada can
grow ~ bcets on her reclaimed
lands and grow them with big profit.
SO Significant IS this apparently sim
pie fact, not only for Nevada, but for
the entire west as well, meaning as 1t
does millions OF additional farm wealth
70 this state alone. hat II has caused
nm economist who has given much
study to this matter to call it's impOr.
II to the attention of senator Fran
els G.. Ncwlands and other western
senators I'm a striking letter.
The last ccnsus," says this author
ity. showed that the eleven western
most states had increased GG.33 per
cent in population within the last
decade rs compared with the average
increase Of PIG per cen for the entire
country.
The Il great problem in connec
ton with the development of the west
is transportation to the great consum-
ing Centcrs of the east. Local con-
sumption of general EARN and garden
products must necessarily be limited
for many years except I'm the vicinity
of the large Pacific cities. An export
crop must therefore be prOduCed-one
that will hmd a ready market at dcsti-
nation.
The u great staple for which there
Is a constantly expanding market is
sugar. The United States imports ut
the present time nearly 100000 tons
Of ~ per anHum from foreign conn
tries. practically all from Cuba. Sugar
Is a staple Tor which there Is always
a market, and If necessary 1t can be
stored FOR long periods with little de.
tcriGratiOu. Furthermore. beet sugar
Is a finished product. representing only
about IL per ccnt Of the weight of the
raw material from which II Is produc-
ed. whereas. in the case Of fruit. alfalfa
and grain crops. high freight charges
~ the eastern markets must he paid
on the ENTIRE weight of the COmmO.
dity just as II comes from the orchard
I or the field.
1T has hCon demonstrated 10y years
Of experience that no section Of the
] United Statcs-in fact. no country Ia
] the world Is better adapted To tho cul.
t]ivatiOn OF the sugar beet than are the
irrigated lands Of The west. The pro.
duction of sugar bcCts under irrigation
for the first time In the worlds history
was commenced In Utah in 1891, and
so successful has II been done that 20
per cent Of the total beet sugar output
of the United States is now produced
In the western states under Irrigation.
1T has been demonstrated also that
the cultivation OF sugar bccts IL rota-
ton with alfalfa and grain crops in
crcnses the yield of the latter TO such
nm extent ms to make the production OF
cereals profitable even with the high
cost OF irrigation.
''In order that the beet sugar indus
try may expand md become u greater
factor I'm the development Of the west.
new factories must be built. The beet
growers themselves. M n rule, nre
pioneers. and whatever capital they
possess Is required I'm the Improvement
of their lands. outside capital cannot
be secured for tho. erection of large
factories after free sugar has given
the eastern rc0nor n monopolistlc con.
troll Of market conditions. The incvi.
table result will he not only the nban
donmcnt OF many of the present fac.
tories. but Il will be tho dcnthkncil
Of future expansion. This will mean
that the thousands Of acres now In
bccts and which would be planted In
bccts I'm the future under conditions
permitting TINS industry TO expand
must GO into fruit, alfalfa and other
general farm products md will result
I'm Cutting n market already on the