188 THE SUGAR INDUSTRY. 



Herman Swatcher of Norfolk has grown beets every year since 1890, at a cost per 

 acre varying from $28.60 to $31, and getting a yield of from 6 to 17 tons per acre. His 

 profits per acre have ranged from $11.40 up to $37, except that on the '94 short crop there 

 was a loss of $4 per acre. His '97 crop averaged 10 tons per acre, at a cost of $2.86 per 

 ton. delivered at the factory, yielding a profit of $1.14 per ton, compared to from $1.58 

 to $2.18 in previous seasons. Nebraska experience is that, as a fair average for a series 

 of years, beets at $4 a ton will pay all expenses of production, including use of land, taxes, 

 etc.. and a net profit over and above everything of fully a dollar a ton, or $10 to $15 an 

 acre. 



IX THE EAST. 



New York N. D. Lapham made a special study of methods and results of sugar 

 beet culture in Wayne county, western New York, in 1898. A large number of farmers 

 reported to him who had shipped their crop to the factory at Rome, N. Y. Their yields 

 of dressed beets averaged 18 tons per acre, or from 1C and 17 tons in "flat" land and upland 

 to over 21 tons on sandy loam. These beets mostly contained 14 to 17 per cent, sugar, all 

 of over 80 purity, and netted $5 per ton at factory, including $1 state bounty. Mr. Lapham 

 made an effort to ascertain the cost of growing beets, based on $3 per day for man and 

 team, $2 for man and horse, and $1.25 for man. William Facer's figures ran up to $76.25 

 per acre for a crop that yielded 14,620 Ibs. and sold tor $111.24, making a net profit of $35 

 per acre. H. G. Hotchkiss had 13 acres raised on shares, kept a strict account, and found 

 that the total cost was $503.75, or an average of $3S.75. Allowing 35c per ton freight and 

 deducting the total expenses from $85.38, the income derived per acre, for the crop of 17 

 tons, and there is a net gain of $46 per acre. At 15 tons, the net gain would have been 

 $35.90, and at 12 tons $20.00. In all cases the tops and crowns are left on the farm for 

 fodder. Mr. Lapham figured that corn yielding SO bu per acre (worth at present 20c per 

 bu. and stalks $5). would net less than $5 profit per acre, while the average potato crop 

 pays less than $20 per acre profit. The average of over 18 tons of beets per acre gives a 

 surplus in favor of the beet over potatoes of over ?33 per acre. 



Mr. Lapham concluded: ''I wish to emphatically state that without one excep- 

 tion the Wayne county producer informs me that, considering prices of farm produce as 

 they have been for many years, also taking into consideration the comparative labor 

 necessary, there is nothing so profitable as the sugar beet for our farmers to raise." Mr. 

 Facer's estimates, on the above basis, follow: 



Drawing manure and fitting land $ 7.00 



Sowing seed 50 



First hoeing 5.00 



Second hoeing 6 00 



Third hoeing ........'...'."!!'.] 5^00 



Cultivating six times 6.00 



Pulling and topping 15.'oo 



Drawing to market 5 miles, 16 loads 24.00 



Cost of shipping 7.75 



Net for manure, use of land and profit $76.25 



Received for 22.3 tons per acre, at $5 per ton $111.24 



STEAM PLOWING FOR TliE SUGAR BEET. 



Steam plows have been in limited use for many years. Under certain conditions 

 excellent work and are economical. One steam plow company guarantees its six- 

 gang plow and lb horse-power engine to turn over as much ground as six three-horse 

 m*, provided the soil is firm enough to carry the engine, is free from stumps and 



