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Show VIEW OF Tl IE SUYE KIMURA SUGAR BEET FARM LOCATED AT WEST-VIEW, WEST-VIEW, GUNNISON VALLEY. Valley Beet Grower Realizes Large Profits Four years ago, after having farmed extensively in other parts of Utah and the great Snake River valley of Idaho, this Japanese boy, who by hard work and frugal habits, came to the realization of dreams had in his native country that of getting to the great Republic of America where there was a chance to work, save and finally be possessor of sufficient land to satisfy his craving to farm, not for someone else, where the density of urban populations push farming sections on side sills and any other available stretch not occupied by the seething masses, the opportunities were as abundant and within seeming grasp in America as they were lacking in Japan. Such a vision of the vast expanse in this country available merely for the effort, Kimura set out to accomplish what seemed to him and hundreds of thousands of his countrymen, a task which at the time seemed almost incredible. After a few years farming under i lease and by piece work in the states j of California, Idaho and Utah, he had by hard work accumulated suffi- cient means to make a first payment on the much coveted farm. Before j locating, a thorough survey of vari- j ous beet growing sections of the j three states was made with a view j of picking the best location in the i intermountain region for general . farming. He had learned sugar beet j culture in the States and wanted to j locate where it could be followed up to the best advantage. A visit to Gunnison valley ended nis travels I for a place of location to carry out his plans. He could see here what the future held for one who would apply the fundamentals of farming. A deal was made whereby he would in time become the owner of a 96 acre farm in the Gunnison Valley. Four years have now passed since, and they have been quite profitable, despite adverse conditions prevailing prevail-ing throughout the rural communities. commun-ities. Asked how he almost paid for his farm in four years, Kimura said. "During this time I have played. the i safe game. While my farm consists of 96 acres, there has been but one year when I planted less than 50 per cent into sugar beets, that being 40 acres in 1922. The first year I had G3 acres, the second year, 72 acres and the third, 40 acres, and this year 58 Vi acres, basing an average tonnage of 12.7, 13.5, 14, respectively, respective-ly, and this year it will be at least 17 tons per acre on the 58 acres." Thinking it would be rather interesting in-teresting to hear how this young man is able each year to raise higher high-er than the average tonnage per acre for the State, on such a large acreage acre-age the question brought forth the following: "My experience has lead me to know the time to start preparing the ground is in the fall of the year, even if for no other reason than saving sav-ing time the next spring. It is my 1 aim to do this and accordingly I get all the fall plowing possible done. We usually pasture off the beet tops and other aftermath on the farm, which is a source of some revenue directly, and indirectly, in that it fertilizes for the years crop. I have , sold pasturage to sheepmen and they i have fed their sheep and finished : hem on the farm. This accounts ; largely for the increased tonnage , each year since I started. You will ; note I have stated we raised 12 7 tons per acre the first year, 13.5, tons the second, 11 tons the third and we ; place a conservative estimate "of 17 -1 tons for this year, tvhich you will agree with me is a pl'etty good aver- .age for so large an acreage. Yes, I 'do most of the work on the farm with the help of my father who lives with me. We hire help during thinning thin-ning and harvesting season. "As soon as spring opens up we get on the land and where it has been all plowed we harrow and level and work it down to a fine seed bed. Where we must spring plow, we aim to follow up closely with the harrow har-row so as to conserve all the moisture moist-ure possible; this breaks the lumps and pulverizes the soil and'eliminates all the hard lumps which must necessarily nec-essarily follow unless the plow is followed fol-lowed by the harrow, twice or three times per day. After we get a good seed bed we start planting about the second week of April, the weather permitting, and sow about 15 pounds of seed per acre, to insure a good stand. Seed is cheap if you can get a good stand the whole years results re-sults depend largely upon the stand. Even planting this early we have never had the small beet plants frozen froz-en and have always gotten a good stand. Before thinning we use the discs and during the season have cultivated eight times up until the time we couldn't cultivated more without injuring the foliage. The first cultivations were rather deep to thoroughly stir the soil, make a mulch and conserve the moisture after af-ter each irrigation. Later in the season, of course, the cultivations should not be so deep, because it will break off the small fibrous rootlets root-lets branching out from the main beet root as a feeder. To break these off would be injury to the beet. This season we have irrigated seven times and we are just completing the last one now. I believe in keeping the beets in moist ground right up until time of harvest. We thin 12 to 14 inches apart in the. row which according accord-ing to my judgment and experience gives the best results. I figure the secret of success in my farming is to do the work at the right time, never allow the weeds to grow; and j and keep the beets in a good growing grow-ing condition with plenty of cultivations culti-vations and the proper application of water." Thus we have a story of one whe chose a different path to follow thar the masses of his countrymen and though it was hard to travel, by perseverance per-severance and conservatism and reducing re-ducing the element of chance in his operations to a minimum, has succeeded suc-ceeded and almost reached the pinnacle pin-nacle of the. dreams had in far of! Japan. Kimura, knew to g-et oul from in under the debt incurred b purchasing the farm he must follow the safe course and consequently ; planted a good, portion of his farm - in sugar beets which he knew also - before planting would bring a price :. commensurate with that, of the price ;' received for sugar, fie is a staunch believer in the profit sharing con-' con-' tract to protect the factory and ' farmer. |