Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-05-25
ACREAGE
OF SUGAR BEATS, :
IMPORTANT NOW

In view of the sugar situation. both
to increase the beet sugar output in
the United States this, year as far as
the seed supply and the farm and fac
tory conditions will permit. The in
dicaticns are that in many portions OF
the area devoted to sugar beets in this
country the acreage this year will eX-
coed that Of any previous year and Will
be in many cases limited only by the
amount of seed now available. In
other localities. it is understood that
there Is considerable beet seed which
is being held in reserve for next years
planting in accordance with the usual
practice. Under the existing conditions
in this country and Europe, it may be
advisable, says the United States De-
partment of Agriculture, to utilize at
least a portion of this reserve seed in
those localities in which the farming
and factory conditions will permit the
handling of a larger acreage of beets
than has at present been contracted
for.
Sugar an important food in time of
peace is doubly so in time of war; both
because Of the energy contained in a
pound Of sugar as compared with a
pound Of other foods and because the
conduct Of modern warfare has devel-
oped many additional uses for sugar.
Therefore the sugar companies, and
farmers Of this country would be per-
forming patriotic duty by increasing
the sugar output 80 far as practicable
this season.
Undoubtedly considerable increase in
sugar beet acreage could be brought
about in some localities without inter
fering with the production Of other
crops. In the sugar beet growing
states many farmers who have con-
tracted to grow beets can undoubted-
ly increase their acreage somewhat.
Many farmers in the sugar beet areas
who have not yet contracted to grow
sugar beets could undoubtedly plant a
small acreage, thereby still further in
creasing the sugar production. Owing
to the fact that sugar beets can be
produced to advantage for sugar MAX
Ing purposes only in those areas where
sugar mills are located, the areas in
which they can be grown for sugar
production are limited as compared
with the larger areas that are or may
be devoted to the production Of other
FOODS. " a.l,a {,
The sugar beet by-products, tops and
pulp, are Of high value for stock feed
ing purposes. Arrangements should
be made, therefore, to utilize the sugar
beet by-products as an aid In produc-
ing an extra supply Of meat and dairy
products. Every pound Of beet tops or
pulp utilized for stock feed will save
certain amount Of grain and other
feed required for meat and dairy AMI
mails, or will increase the meat and
meat products output IL properly used.
Farmers' Mutual Fire Companies.
The organization and management Of
farmers mutual fire insurance COM
panies is discussed in detail in a new
publication OF the United States de-
partment Of agriculture. These CONF
panies, it is said, represent one Of the
most successful forms Of rural CO. oper-
alton In the United States. Nearly
1000 OF them are IN existence and the
total amount Of insurance they have
outstanding exceeds five and one
fourth billion dollars. In some states
Of the middle west, fully three. quarters