The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1927-04-08
Sugar Beet Train Draws
LARGE Crowds I'm Montana

exhibits. This year the train had a lecture
car and three cars Of exhibits and at each
stop a three-reel motion picture, prepared
by the company to illustrate better Gull
tural methods, was shown.
In Montana stops were made at East
Bridger, ~FrOmberg, Edgar, Park CITY,
Laurel, Finch, Myers, Custer, .POmpeyS
Pillar, WOrden, Huntley, Shepherd and
Billings. At each stop the train was greet
ed by large crowds, ranging from lou 70
500 people, most Of them bOnahde beet
visit of the Beet Special" was turned into
a local half-hOliday; schools were DIS,
missed, merchants put on special sales ana
provisions we're made for entertaining the
farmer visitors. At every point the train
was greeted with enthusiasm and ind1-
viduals and organizations throughout the
area demonstrated a fine spirit Of co-Opera-
ton.
crease per acre yields of beets. Spokesman
for the company explained that the ven
ture is not an altruistic one entirely since
increased yields and increased returns for
the beet growers also mean increased bust
ness for the company.
In the exhibit cars the important steps
of soil and seed bed preparation, cultural
methods. irrigation, blocking and thinning
we're arranged in their logical sequence.
! Visitors were first given a brief outline OF
the purpose of the train in a short talk by
w. =. ~StapletOn, agricultural development
agent of the Northern Pacific railroad. They
were then escorted through the exhibit
cars illustrating good and bad seed bed
preparation, the proper use of the right
kind of implements, methods of cultivation
etc.
Great emphasis was placed on the need
for securing the proper stand, which, il
was explained. might be secured by early
planting in a firm, we'll prepared seed bed
In cases where natural moisture limitations
delayed termination early irrigation wa!
recommended. 1t was pointed out tina
careful thinning to secure the desired spac
ing between beets was the next impOrtan
point. 1t was explained that farm test
and experimental results at the Grea
Western Sugar ~cOmpany's experimental
farm at LOngmOnt, Colo, nave demon
Strated that best results are obtained Whel
beetS are spaced u inches APART in the row
and when small plants are hinne out an
only the larger, more vigorous ones lef
to develop. 1t was pointed out that care
full supervision of beet labor is necesSar
to secure these results but that in mos
! cases beet labOrers will respond if prOperl
instructed and encouraged. 1t was furthe
explained that the 1927 labor contract a
drawn up by the company makes it de
cidedly to the labOrers' advantage to folio
those practices which will give the bes
returns to the beet grower.
Representatives of the company an
others who took part in the lectures an
demonstrations in the Montana area il
for the company; A. V. MadduX, labC
commissioner; Bailey Hutchins, superb
tendent of the Billings district; BruC
Petrikin. chief agr~iculturalist for the Bi
lings district; c. II. Ruzicka, county agr
cultural agent Of Yellowstone county an
field men of the company in different ares
Of the district.
An important member Of the staff
specialists on the train was Albert Eisl
man of Park City, 11-year-Old Ieet grow,
of Park City, Mont, who last year toe
charge of a part of. his fathers beet fe
and did the job so we'll that he can
through the season with a yield Of 10 TOT
per acre, beating his father by five tot
per acre. Albert Joined the staff at Pa
City and remained with the train as OF
Of its most convincing lecturers until t
end of the tour.