CHAPTER IV. 

 COMMERCIAL ASPECTS OF THE BEET SUGAR INDUSTRY. 



COST AND PROFITS OF BEET CULTURE. 



Experience affords widely varying data as to the expense of producing beets and 

 the profits of the crop. In unfavorable seasons, or when growers have not learned 

 how to raise the crop most economically, expenses may be comparatively high and 

 the yield inferior in quality and quantity, thus making the cost per ton very high. 

 Mr Leavitt, an extensive Nebraska beet grower, informs us that his first crop cost 

 him $44 per acre to "lay by" until ready to harvest, to which had to be added ex- 

 penses of digging and delivering to factory, so that even at $5 per ton they yielded 

 but little if any profit on the crop ordinarily obtained. But his sixth successive crop 

 (1896) cost only $11 per acre to lay by, and at $4 per ton the crop yielded a substan- 

 tial profit. This is probably a greater saving than will occur with the average beet 

 grower, but it illustrates in a striking way the possibilities of economy in beet pro- 

 duction. The value of land, expressed either in rent or interest and taxes, and the 

 amount and cost of fertilizers employed, are also varying factors, as well as yield. 



We caution farmers and capitalists against basing estimates upon extraordinary 

 yields per acre, either in quantity or quality. While it may be that the crop may oc- 

 casionally go as high as 20 or 25 tons per acre, and return an apparent profit of $40 to 

 $60 per acre, that is no more a fair criterion to go by than to judge of the possibilities 

 of corn culture on the basis of a yield of 135 bushels or crib-cured shelled corn per 

 acre (which was grown in the American Agriculturist's contest in Marlboro county, 

 South Carolina, in 1889), when a fair average yield of corn is 25 bushels per acre. 

 Here is the place for farmers to start right, and not to deceive themselves with fancy 

 figures. Far better for all concerned to go into this industrj on so conservative a 

 basis that their estimates are excelled in actual results, than to start with exagger- 

 ated ideas, failing to realize which causes discouragement and disaster. 



On this point Mr Weitzer, field manager for the Norfolk factory reports: "Our six 

 years' experience in Nebraska has shown us that seven tons of beets per acre pay for 

 all the team work (at 50 cents per hour), all the hand labor (at 7$ to 15 cents per 

 hour) performed on the field, also for seed, rent of land and machinery and freight; 

 all of the yield above this tonnage being clear profit. Ten tons may be regarded as 

 an average crop per acre, although much higher yields are made. A good farmer, who 

 takes the right care of the crop and selects proper land, should, in an average season, 

 raise not less than twelve tons per acre. Our old beet growers even claim to be able 

 to raise, in a good season, by using richly manured bottom land, 25 to 30 tons per 

 acre, which yield has already been obtained by several parties." 



Valuable information upon this point is furnished by a tabulated statement of the 

 experiences in 1896 of 49 growers of 1442 acres of beets for the Norfolk and Grand 



