1909 . 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
173 
THE FARMER’S SHARE OF BEETS. 
Since we printed the facts given on page 113 about that 
beet sugar contract we have received statements from 
other growers which make interesting reading. Here is 
one from a small grower: 
No More Beets for Me. 
You request farmers to send in their sugar beet figures. 
Enclosed are mine, I planted 2 58-100 acres. I paid the 
company for weeding and thinning $7.50 per acre at the 
time the work was done. The pulling and topping we did 
ourselves. Mr. Newton lives two miles away from me 
on the Cattaraugus flats. The land on which he and others 
there raised beets is made land, overflows nearly every 
year, so they can grow more tons of beets there on per¬ 
haps 400 acres than anywhere else in Chautauqua county. 
I never took any stock in the beet growing business, but 
to convince a brother he and I planted five acres. He is 
convinced now. He had on his two and a fraction acres 
12 and a fraction tons. Mr. Newton is right. Farmers 
here cannot nor will not grow beets again for less than 
S 7 per ton, so I hear them say. In fact many would not 
grow them for that. The canners here pay for tomatoes 
§8 and $8.50 per ton. Farmers grow from eight to 20 
tons per acre, and anyone who has raised both beets 
and tomatoes would much rather raise the latter. At 
Angola. Erie Co., I heard men say last Fall they were 
out of pocket from a few dollars to $30 on their crop 
cash. Take the duty off sugar and put a heavier one on 
beer and whisky; we farmers don’t use anything stronger 
than Adam’s ale. 
Here are the figures: 
By 53,419 pounds beets delivered to 
November 11 . 
To seed, one-half of $10.50. 
To thinning and weeding. 
To pulling and topping. 
Interest . 
To sugar . 
To check . 
$133.55 
$5.25 
16.27 
112.03 
-112.03 
$21.52 
Silver Creek, N. Y. B. o. b. 
r. n.-Y—A s we figure if this means an average of a 
trifle over 10 tons or $50 per acre. Taking Mr. Newton’s 
figures at $53.60 cost of growing and there was a loss of 
$3.60 per acre ! 
Figure the Profit on This. 
We were greatly interested in reading under “The 
Farmer’s Share,” "What Sugar Beets Pay Him.” having 
had some experience along this line which I think eclipses 
a little those cited. On January 25, 1907, my brother and 
I signed a contract with the Lyons Beet Sugar Refining 
Company to grow for them 12 acres of sugar beets. We 
had just purchased the farm on which the beets were to 
be grown and our thought in having a contract for some- 
of the coming year’s crops would make sure of some 
returns. The field set aside for the beets was the best 
part of the farm, and our plan was to make it do all 
possible, so in the Spring particular attention was given 
to getting the seed in properly and at the right time. The 
work was done under the supervision of Mr. George Bas- 
tian, who represented the company in this respect and 
also in the securing of contracts. When the drill had 
covered about two-thirds of the field we noticed on the 
land measure that the number of acres the field was sup¬ 
posed to contain was going to fall short. This was our 
first year on the farm, and we had taken the word of the 
former owners as to the size of the field, but we now saw 
they did not know. We had read our contract thoroughly, 
so at once notified Mr. Bastian to call at the farm for an 
interview. He came promptly and the matter of expected 
shortage was explained, we stating to him that we bad 
other land we could sow with beets if necessary, but that 
we believed this was the only piece for a crop of this 
kind, no other land on the farm being in the proper 
condition. We told him we thought there would be a 
shortage of perhaps 2% or three acres. “Well,” he said, 
“you, needn’t worry at all over this.” Speaking of one of 
the neighbors he said : "He’s sowing two acres more than 
he contracted for, and it usually averages up all right.” 
He stated that the clause in the contract mentioning short¬ 
age damage of $25 per acre was intended only for those 
who were wilfully negligent on these points and not for 
such cases as this. We had absolute confidence in this 
man, so felt perfectly at ease to take his advice. The 
land measured up about 9% acres, and he understood it 
thus. 
On the contract was attached the help agreement, and 
when the beets were of proper size for the thinning and 
weeding the company sent on the gang of laborers 
(Italians) and the work was done, in other words was 
“done at.” It was done by the acre and hurried over so 
fast that perhaps one-third of the weeds and surplus beets 
were left in the ground. We refused to settle until they 
did the job satisfactorily ; told them that just as soon as 
they would satisfy us the money was ready. At this 
juncture the company’s padrone appeared. He and l 
went over the field and he agreed that it was a poor job. 
“But,” he says, “it’s done! You should have seen to it 
whether it suited you while they were at it.” So I paid 
them some $50 for the work. A few weeks later the 
weeds that had been left, were so large and numerous that 
we had to engage the gang again. This time their price 
was 20 cents an hour for each, excepting the boss, who 
got 30 cents an hour, and he spent most of his time 
sleeping in the shade. They didn’t get quite over the 
piece this time, but for what they did I paid them about 
$28. Something like $12 was afterwards paid for the 
hand labor of weeding and thinning. Besides this the best, 
of horse cultivation was given the crop as well as the 
heavy fertilizing in the Spring. In the Fall we plowed 
out the beets and the gang came again and topped and 
piled them, for which I gave them a check for $57.75. 
We delivered the beets promptly to the cars. Here we 
received a dockage of nearly 10 per cent on the whole 
amount for what earth stuck to the roots, netting the 
crop at 157,222 pounds. The payment was to be made 
December 20, and we had planned on using the money a 
few- days later. But on about this date we received 
instead of a check a letter from the company stating 
that we were short 2 l / 2 acres of the amount* contracted to 
grow and the damage to the company as result of this 
shortage would have to be adjusted. Upon receipt of the 
letter we of course went straightway to see Mr. Bastian 
for his explanation. Ho explained that Mr. Steigerwald, 
the president, had sent letters of this nature to every¬ 
one who had not grown the full amount contracted, but 
that an explanation of our particular case was all that 
was necessary to get the amount due. I wanted the 
money right away, so boarded a train at once for Lyons, 
where I met Mr. Steigerwald. The case was explained to 
him and verified by Mr. Bastian, who was also with me, 
and the matter settled to my satisfaction—save for hand¬ 
ing me the check. When I asked for it he said that we 
were in his private corresponding office and no checks 
were there. It would be sent by mail. Before leaving this 
office, however, was asked whether we would grow him 
beets again the next Summer. We replied that we had 
not yet arranged at all for the next season’s crop. A 
number of days passed and no check came. I telephoned 
him several times, almost always he was out of the office 
or could not talk with me owing to press of business. 
Ten days or more elapsed in this way. At length 1 
learned that the amount would be sent to Mr. Bastian 
and I was to call there for it. I accordingly called on 
Mr. Bastian. He opened a letter and presented me with 
a check which as you see by the statement enclosed was 
$84 less than it should have been. He also handed me a 
letter from the company to him, but only to read, not to 
keep, which read in substance thus: “Tell Mr. Kean that 
if he will contract to grow us 12 acres more beets for 
next season we will immediately upon receipt of same pay 
him this difference. Or you can pay him personally -and 
we will settle with you.” I never was more angry in 
my life! Why did they not write the letter to me! I 
thought the matter over carefully, and at length decided 
that there was no redress. A pure case of misplaced 
confidence. My brother and I are young, and experience 
is a good teacher, but it comes high sometimes. But it 
was worth $84 to grow what we pleased on our own land. 
We didn’t grow more beets. 
The figures follow : 
By 157,222 pounds beets delivered to No¬ 
vember 10 . $393.06 
To seed . $21.60 
To cash advanced . 
To interest . 
To sugar . 
Your pro rata share expense of obtaining, 
handling and housing the help. 21.50 
2% acres default on contract. 62.50 
Ta .. 
HENRY B. KEAN. 
R. N.-Y.—We figure the yield at 9 Vi tons per acre. By 
deducting the $84 the sugar company succeeded in getting 
the beets at $3.93 per ton. 
NEW YORK STATE GRANGE.—The report of the legis¬ 
lative committee was submitted to the New York State 
Grange’s convention February 4. The statement shows 
that the Grange had maintained several representatives at 
Albany during the year and on behalf of the Grange took 
part of the credit for the passage of the anti-gambling law 
and the new highway statute. The report extended 
heartiest praise to Gov. Hughes for his attitude on all 
agricultural matters. The report was accepted and a reso¬ 
lution adopted recommending the making of the State Ex¬ 
perimental School at Geneva a school of the first class. 
Among additional resolutions introduced and referred to 
committees were the following: For free roads and bridges, 
for parcels post and postal savings banks, for an in¬ 
vestigation to determine if tuberculosis can be communi¬ 
cated to the human race by milk from a diseased cow. in 
favor of retaining the present duty on wool, in favor of 
agricultural education in the common schools, recom¬ 
mending a legal department under control of the State 
Commissioner of Agriculture, in favor of placing barley 
and wheat on the free list in the revised tariff, checking 
emigration from Europe to the United States, and one 
opposing any change in the tariff on agricultural products 
unless it is shown to be a benefit to the agricultural in¬ 
dustry. Previous to final adjournment the Grange decided 
by a practically unanimous vote to stand behind Gov. 
Hughes in his movement for a direct primary election 
law. The discussion of the resolution declaring in favor 
of primary reform showed that the Grange is enthusiastic¬ 
ally in favor of the law. The committee on the secondary 
school movement made a report against establishing any 
more of these schools. There are at present schools in 
operation at Canton, Alfred and Morrisville. The com¬ 
mittee urged that a fair test be given these schools be¬ 
fore any others are established. The committee reported 
adversely also on the resolution from the Tompkins County 
Pomona Grange asking that the law governing the ratio 
of State appropriations for high school tuition be changed, 
believing that the present policy of tiie State is sufficiently 
liberal. The legislative committee reported at considerable 
length on the hundreds of resolutions which bad been sub¬ 
mitted. Among the more important resolutions adopted by 
the Grange before adjournment were the following: All 
telegraph and telephone companies to be placed under the 
Public Utilities Commission ; an amendent to the State 
excise law which provides that no license shall be 
given to any member of a person's family who is convicted 
of violation of the law; that a fine of $25 be imposed 
on any one hunting on the property of another without 
permission; that all liquor licenses for roadhouses or 
Raines law hotels in rural communities be compelled to 
have the approval of the adjacent farm owners: that all 
rural crossings of railroads be sufficiently lighted at night 
to make them safe. 
REPORT OF COUNTRY EIFE COMMISSION.— 
President Roosevelt transmitted to Congress February 9 
the report of the Commission on Country Life appointed 
by him last Summer, with a message in which he recom¬ 
mended an appropriation of $25,000 to enable the com¬ 
mission, which has served hitherto without pay, to digest 
the material it has collected and to secure and digest much 
more that is witiiin reach. The President says that the 
co-operative plan is the best plan for farmers, to put them 
on a level with the organized interests with which they 
do business. A new kind of school, which shall teach chil¬ 
dren the learning of out-of-doors, and prepare them' for 
country life, be says is needed, also better means of com¬ 
munication, including a parcels post. The report of the 
commission describes the existing conditions of farm life 
and points out the causes that may have led to its 
present lack of organization. It suggests methods for the 
redirection of rural society, for arresting the drift to the 
city, for maintaining the natural rights of the farmer, and 
for the development of an organized rural life that will 
promote the prosperity of the whole nation. It states that 
there is an absence of any adequate system of agricultural 
credit, a shortage of labor, often complicated by intemper¬ 
ance among workmen ; a lack of institutions and incen¬ 
tives that tie the laboring man to the soil; the life of the 
farm woman is burdensome and narrow; there is need of 
adequate supervision of public health. The farmer is 
handicapped by the speculative holding of lands, monopo¬ 
listic control of streams and forests, waste of our natural 
resources, and by restraint of trade. There must be not 
cnly a fuller scheme of public education, but a new kind 
of education adapted to the real needs of the farming 
people. The country schools are to be so redirected that 
they shall educate their pupils in terms of the daily life. 
Opportunities for training toward the agricultural callings 
are to be multiplied and made broadly effective. This 
means redoubled efforts for the better country schools, and 
a vastlv increased interest in the welfare of country boys 
and girls on the part of those who pay the school taxes. 
Education by means of agriculture is to be a part of our 
regular public school work. Special agricultural schools 
are to be organized. The country people everywhere are 
asking for good roads. Everywhere, too, they want a par¬ 
cels post and the extension of the rural free delivery. 
Nitrate of Soda 
Nitrate Sold in Original Bags 
NITRATE AGENCIES CO. 
64 Stone Street, New York 
Keyser Building, Baltimore, Md. 
36 Bay Street. East, Savannah, Ga. 
305 Baronne Street, New Orleans, La* 
140 Dearborn Street, Chicago, III. 
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San Francisco, Cal. 
603*4 Oriental Block, Seattle, Wash. 
Address Office Nearest Yo» 
Orders for All Quantities Promptly 
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More Nitrogen Than the Crop Can Use At 
A Cost of $2.00 An Acre 
That is a proved fact. You know that Government experts and practical farmers have 
proved the unequaled value ol seed or soil inoculation when it is properly done.. The difficulty 
in the past has been to supply the farmer with the right bacteria in a strong, active form. 
Farmogerm 
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Write Today For Free Book No. 1 8. See the reports of practical iarmers and experts 
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W HENEVER IN NEED OF GOOD FARM 
HELP, single men and of good character and 
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0 - PAGE 
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