The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1920-09-24
Beet Growers Would
Have Sugar Mills

Keen interest is being evidenced by
sugar-beet growers in various sections
Of the country in the possibility of
producing their own sugar on the farm
by some simple process of the estab-
fishing and operating their own sugar
mills. Owing to the scarcity and high
price of sugar numerous inquiries on
the subject are being received by the
Bureau of Plant Industry of the United
States Department of Agriculture.
According to specialists of the bu-
eau who have made q. close study of
all phases of beet-sugar production,
there are several fundamental features
to be taken into consideration in the
establishment and operation of sugar
mills. In the first place, no simple or
inexpensive method OF making sugar
from beets on a home or small scale
has been devised. Therefore fully
equipped sugar. mill is necessary in
producing sugar from beets. The
smallest beet-sugar mill, say the bu-
reau specialists to be successful
should slice not less than 500 tons OF
beets a day for period Of 100 days
each year. Since the average yield
of beets in the Unuited States is 10
tons per acre, not less than 5000 acres
Of beets must be grown annually for
each mill Of this size. A smaller
acreage would probably cause the mill
to operate at a loss under normal con-
ditions. There is almost always a
larger or smaller loss of beet acreage
during the season in every community
where beets are grown, hence in order
to bring 5000 acres of beets to ma
turity it would be wise to plant about
$500 acres. In order to insure the pro-
duction of from 5000 to 5000 acres of
beets annually in a given beet area
there should be available in that area
at least from fifteen to twenty thou
sand acres of good beet land, so
that proper crop rotation can be prac-
ticed. This acreage should be so 10
cate that from 25 per cent to so per
cent of the beets grown can be de-
livered at the sugar mill by wagons,
and the remainder of the beets should
have a freight hall of less than 100
miles, in order to avoid heavy freight
charges.
The construction and equipment Of
a mill of 500 tons slicing capacity
would cost under present conditions
approximately s750,O00. This is about
so per cent above pre-war costs owing
to the increased price of materials
and the higher scale of wages. In adj
dition to the initial cost of the mill
approximately 100000 of working
capital would be required in cash for
overhead charges and operating ex-
penses until returns can be expected
from the sale of sugar.
Probably the most important Of the
other items to be taken into account
in the operation of a beet sugar mill
is that of a supply of sugar-beet seed.
A 5O0-ton mill would require about
100000 pounds of seed annually to in
sure the production of sufficient beets
for To-day run. Sugar-beet seed of
good quality has been produced in the
United States each year for several
years, and those who are considering
the erection of beet-sugar mills should
look into the possibilities of producing
their own seed. This minimum-sized
mill would require in addition to its
permanent employees about 300 work
men for the operating period and
good supply of pure water, high-grade
lime rock, and plenty of coal for fuel,
besides numerous other supplies.