The Churchill county standard. (Fallon, Nev.) 1908-1920, 1917-12-19
F. S. BRANWELL DENIES
BEET CROP WAS FAILURE
Charge Made Through the State OF
Beet Crop Failure Here Proven
Unfounded

/ mdue tnat the sugar factory located
here will operate next year, there is
still some ambiguity in the matter.
While the company is willing to con
tinue the operation of the plant,
notwithstanding it has sustained a
/ loss this year, it is now up to the
farmers to decide whether it will
run or not; whether they will plant
sufficient acreage to justify the
company in continuing its plant
"Of course, it is generally conced
| ed that the tonnage this year was
quite disappointing, and the farmers
have not realized what they hoped
/ for, but while the tonnage here has
been light the same condition is true
everywhere, that Is. in Idaho. Colo
RADIO, Utah and California. 1t is
said that while beets have been
| grown in Idaho for a period of about
/ fourteen years, the crop there this
year was lighter than ever known
before
"Under large headlines an article
was printed in the Reno Evening
Gazette" that the beet crop at Fall
Ion was a failure. We don't believe
that the party alleged have given
this information ietend-d to convey
the idea that the beet crop was a
failure. 1t was also said in this ar
ticle that the cause was decided
shortage of labor. II is not a fact
that the beet crop was q failure by
my means. 1t is known that more
than ono grower netted from his
beots upwards of 500 per acre;
This, after paying himself for all
work performed as we'll as for hand
abor II one or two men can make
such fabulous profits, all others can
do the same under the same condi-
tions. This is, with the same prep
ration Of the land and same culti-
walton. 1t is true that there was
. shortage of labor end il is true
that the beets suffered somewhat,
but there are other more substantial
easons, such as, In the first place:
: very large percentage of the land
planted into beets was plowed up
lis spring from alfalfa, that had
3een growing alfalfa for from IL to
20 years. 1t is a known fact that
lfalft land does not do its best the
irst year that IL is planted into
}eets, but that it will yield from so
100 per cent more for several
successive years. Then, too. the
spring being exceedingly late-about
six weeks, as we understand the
plants were yet young and tender
when the excessive and continuous
heat poured down upon It. Had the
beets been large and strong and af-
forded some shade they would have
weathered through a great deal bet
ter than they did. Then, too, in our
opinion, we discontinued irrigation
too early. Years ago 1t was thought
that land must be allowed to get dry
in order to put sugar into the beets.
This is a decided fallacy. A beet
that is kept well irrigated will not
only attain its growth in size but
take on sugar which adds decidedly
20 its weight. Take wheat, or any
plant, if allowed to ripen without
moisture will it lack weight? There
is no question whatever that under
normal conditions this country will
grow sugar beets to a splendid prof
IL to the farmers. The conditions
and terms of contract offered by the
Nevada-Utah Sugar Company for
1918 are $3.50 per ton delivered at
the factory for Is per cent beets or
better. That it will pay in the sum
of 25 cents per ton-mile for each
mile over five miles from the factory
not however to exceed $40 per ton.
ut is the intention of the Sugar
Company to provide labor for the
beet grower to the fullest extent pos
sible. After comforting with many
growers it is deemed best for all
concerned, for the company to land
the men here and each individual
grower to make his own arrangement
with the labor, but that some fixed
price for thinning and hoeing shall
De agreed upon as minimum.
at is stated by the beet people
that a beet topper has been devel-
oped which does excellent work, and
will be put on the market this year
at a cost of approximately 500 each.
This implement will not only reduce
the cost of beet harvest but will ex-
pedite and economic time. which of
course means greater net to the
grower
Another matter that has been
overlooked until last year is the val
ue of beet tops. Millions of dollars
have been lost during the last few
years in an improper feeding of
beet tops, since 1t has been custo-
mary to turn stock into the fields and
it is we'll known that they trample
and destroy more than they eat 1t
has been fully demonstrated now
that by properly siloing the beet,
4 II.