Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-04-03
SUGAR BEET GROWING
TO be BIG INDUSTRY
At kENsETT THIS YEAR.
Special to Times Republican.

Iis to be sugar beet growing center.
F'ieldman A. c. Williams. has secured
contracts for $50 acres Of this crop at
Kensett, $50 acres at the neighboring
town Of Bolen, $50 at Manly, 300 at
Hanlontown, and about 1000 at Joice.
In all some 1900 acres of the 1900
acres total that is to supply the big
factory at Mason City for it's run next
fall. 1t is said that the smallest acre.
age for any one grower will be five
while the largest Is that of a farmer
near Joice who has contracted to put
in eighty acres to the sugar making
cause AS in the cases OF other new
industries and undertakings changes in
methods employed at the beginning are
expected to eliminate objections to
this industry that have heretofore pre-
vented more rapid development than
has taken place The subject of help
to do the hand labor necessary in beet
raising has received much attention
and promoters of the industry tell In
teresting things concerning this part
Of the business.
1t is said that several years ago
when the Waverly factory was being
established some Of the prominent cit
liens Of an Iowa town were inter-
viewed in regard to the matter OF Sc
curing beet acreage in that vicinity
and the construction OF a dump.
They turned It down" or tried to do
so because Of the undesirable of the
hand labor population that would be
brought in. They could sec In the
plan contaminated public schools, mys-
terious disappearances of farm and
town poultry, whole herds of hogs per-
haps, buncoed merchants and other
like disasters. But a small acreage
was nevertheless secured and nine
families" were imported. That was
six years ago Five of these nine men
afterward became regular farm ten
ants in the territory adjacent to that
town and two of the FIVE now own the
farms they occupy. 1t is not on rec
ord that anybody missed any live stock
or that any merchant suffered thru
bad debts" contracted by beet work
crs In these days the beet raising
farmer has something 10 say about the
nationality and even the church af-
fil.ations of his hard work help. A
is acres. A large house untenanted
for time and centrally located will
be the home of the three families EN-
ployed. The families" consist of a
man and wife, their two married
daughters and their families. The
help of the eighty acre grower men
toned is to consist entirely of men
who live and board together like a
bridge gang or thing outfit. The beet
field worker is paid in five install
ments and by the acre the amount
varying somewhat with the yield. a.
good crop is thus a mutual benefit to
the grower, the hand worker and the
sugar company. Beet field labor is
employed on basis Of one man to
each seven acres OF the crop.
With continued favorable weather
small grain seeding will begin in
this section some time during the pres
ent week. This is remarkable when
conditions of threeFiweeks ago are
taken into consideration. At that time
or a little earlier, farmers telephone
line at one point west Of Manly was
entirely hidden from sight by a huge
snow bank piled UP along row OF
trees at the roadside. Twelve foot
banks in farm yards and farm wind
breaks were not at all uncommon in
this part of the country.
The farmer had just completed his
smoke house There was a paddock
on the door, not clasped but there just
40 ready frr 1,y6- az
night time The owner opened the door
and there hung hams. shoulders and
side meat a whole houseful Of 1t. He
explained, however. that only four of
the seven hogs stored up there were
his own property, the other three be-
longing to his neighbors. Something
like $175 or 5000 worth Of meat in that
little smokehouse. No wonder he had
a paddock ready for use.
This is what the "old timers" are
all saying in this section these days;
II have lived around here a good many
years. I used to know everybody that
came in sight. Now when walk down
the street I don't recognize half the
people I see. So many are leaving
every year and so many new people
coming in"
There is no place like on board a
passenger train to hear senseless COM
ment on farm phenomena made by
people who don't know what they are
talking about. AT least two of this
species seem to be always in every
coach and for some unexplainable
reason they always occupy seat to-
gether and converse in so loud tone
that the neighbors hear whether or not
they would prefer doing something
else. To illustrate the train was pass
ing field where corn was grown last
year. There was an unusually heavy
stalk growth and it was this perhaps
that attracted the lady's attention.
Look" said she to her companion, II
wonder what they will do with that
ground this year? Why didn't they
pillow it up last fall?"
A flock Of eleven big wild geese stood
out in a. plowed field scarcely more
than a hundred yards from the road.
AS they didn't fly away Of course we
stopped and got out to see them go.
Hand clapping and "hollering" failed
to attract their attention. stone
thrown in their direction struck in a
pool Of water and the noise caused one
to stretch his neck and say something
back IL goose language. A moment
later the flock rose and flew scarcely
higher than a mans head toward the
middle Of the field where they again