Show SUGAR BEET CULTURE IN MILLARD COUNTY By Frank Roberts Chief Agriculturist Agriculturist Agriculturist Delta Sugar Beet Corporation A letter came to the General Managers Manager's Managers Manager's Managers Manager's Man Man- agers ager's office recently in which the owner of ot a tract of Millard Ullard County land protested vigorously against planting sugar beets on his land because because because be be- cause of the tithe exhausting effect of this crop on the soil Nothing could be farther from the truth and more contrary to the farming farming farming farm farm- ing facts than this false impression which still prevails among many people unfamiliar with the worlds world's agricultural history and in this article article article ar ar- I shall attempt to clear the atmosphere atmosphere atmosphere at at- on this point as well as to discuss in a general way some of the things which are of ot Interest to us here in Millard County in connection with our sugar beet industry For a great many years European agriculture has been very largely concerned with sugar beet culture It has been the keystone of the arch in both Berlin BerUn and Vienna and while we are out of sympathy with both of these countries we know that they have been sustaining self from an agricultural standpoint during during during dur dur- ing the war and that their progress in farming has been nothing short of ot marvelous to have enabled them to accomplish this fact To attribute all their agricultural progress to sugar beet growing would be an exaggeration but It is no exaggeration whatever to say that uch of ot it is due to the tho very thing ve ye are seeking to encourage In this county efficient county efficient culture of sugar beets Europe has made sugar beet culture Its chief agricultural concern for Cor two reasons First it is exceedIngly exceedingly exceedingly exceed exceed- profitable and Second there is no other crop that so benefits the soil and increases Its productivity and yield when grown In rotation with other crops Rotation Is necessary but to a less extent here in Millard Ullard County than elsewhere because of ot the unusually lasting quality of ot our soil soU Nevertheless Nevertheless Nevertheless Never Never- we must learn to profit by bythe bythe bythe the lessons the intensive farmers of Europe have learned and very vey soon begin rotating our crops If it we are arc to tomake tomake tomake make this the great valley it was Intended In Intended In- In n- n tended to be he The big fact that should make every every ev ev- ery ry farmer Carmer in this valley grow sugar beets on at least a third of his farm irrespective of the profit In the crop itself is that by rotating cereal crops Gout Coat on next Page Pali t iE k L v J J. P P. SPRUNT Original Promoter of the Delta Beet Deet Sugar Factory a w SUGAR BEET CULTURE IN MILLAR CO COUNTY Cont fr 11 preceding Page with sugar m beet crops ClOpS the cereal yield eau cnn be doubled That's hard to believe but none the less true and it accounts for the fact tact that during the past thirty years the yield per acre of wheat rye barley barley barley bar bar- ley and oats in the United States has Increased but 6 G. G 66 6 per cent while tho the yield of or the same crops In Germany has increased In that that time 80 per percent cent In Great Britain they grow 2000 acres of 01 root crops in rotation with acres of cereal which accounts for a very heavy yield yieM per sere acre there also Napoleon recognized the tho value of sugar beets to the soil and commanded commanded commanded comman comman- ded the planting of or acres with the result that in 1836 France produced tons of sugar from this crop It was then that the Germans Germans Germans Ger Ger- mans proceeded to get busy on the sugar beet business because they saw the enormous increase in the yield of or cereals in France as the direct di direct direct di- di result of sugar beet planting At that time they were planting three successive cereal crops and fallowIng fallowing fallowing fallow- fallow Ing the fourth year and third one the total area of level land was too poor to pay for cultivation the average average average av av- av- av yield of cereals on their good ands being but twelve bushels to the acre They were plowing only three or four inches deep and the soil contained no humus was not aerated and so BO was not fertile ferUle As Ae sugar beets are deep rooters the soil must be plowed up from seven to ten inches This deep plowing plowing plowing plow plow- ing with the use of fertilizer is the best possible treatment for the soil as every farmer knows With these facts in mind we can better understand the g governments government's demand for more and more more sugar beets It is not for sugar alone but for Cor the sake of the benefit to the soil derived from the culture of sugar beets as well When the tender little comes up it has to be thinned almost Immediately This is a shock to plant life and It demands In order to leave only one beet In place a well-prepared well mellow seed seedbed The beet gets Its Us sugar thru Its leaves from the atmosphere by the aid of the suns sun's rays and so BO no weeds must shade the young plant or it will not thrive The hoeing and cultivatIng cultivating cultivating ing thus made necessary stirs the soil and makes for fields II for Cor succeeding crops Fall plowing too too is or at least least very desirable as it permits permits per per- mits mils the the- soil flail to store up the tho moisture for the following seasons season's crops The fibrous roots that are left in inthe inthe inthe the ground after atter pulling in the fall averages a ton to the acre and these roots decay and add humus to the soil as well as aerating it Feeding the tops and pulp on the farm means means more stock per Ier farm more manure and consequently more crops If an any farmer doubts these statements statements state state- ments as to the advantages of growIng growing growing grow grow- ing sugar beets he should write to the Department of Agriculture at Washington for official Information on this subject The experience with the 1917 crop has taught us all a n lesson in beet raising In Millard County It was quite natural that results should not entirely come up to our expectations expectations expectations this first year ear Beets had not been grown on an extensive scale in this county heretofore heretofore heretofore here here- and our growers were therefore therefore there there- fore forc unfamiliar with the requirements requirements requirements require require- ments of oC the situation as even we w were e to a certain extent A general rule for beet farming methods must be modified in different different different differ differ- ent localities to meet local conditions I and we have discovered conditions I in this locality that do not prevail elsewhere In many respects I I am going to give some hints for next year based upon my experience during the season just drawing to a close Here unlike many other if not most other irrigated sections we have a bountiful supply of or water and we must learn to handle it profitably profitably profitably pro pro- economically and scientific scientific- ally Care in the application of or Water water water wa wa- ter is of great importance in sugar beet farming We must be sure to give the beet crop enough water and avoid overdoing it Generally this means here four Cour to five irrigations during the season The ground should be irrigated before planting in my judgment and then not oftener than every twenty days after planting unless a very exceptional exceptional exceptional ex ex- condition should prevail Most farmers here irrigate their beets too little little little-a a few fow too much The happy medium between these two extremes Is what we must seek Here Is one rule that it might be bewell bewell bewell well for you t to observe After planting planting planting plant plant- ing wait walt ordinarily until about the twenty-fourth twenty of July before watering watering watering water water- ing the second time but upon the very first signs of the crusting of the surface do not hesitate a moment and get your water on the fie field d at once Early planting is essential If possible start April first Now another important matter which has been neglected here is the preparation of the ground We must plow in the fall and we must plow if possible to a depth of or at least ten inches Also we ought to get over oyer the prejudice against plowing up alfalfa ground We seem to regard it much muchas as a Hindu might regard the slaughter of or his sacred cow I cant can't understand this feeling It is true that it is an easy crop to handle handle handle-an an almost Ideal crop for a lazy man man man- and It is sometimes a profitable crop sometimes an exceedingly unprofitable unprofitable unprofitable one But this alfalfa ground like all other ground needs to be changed periodically and It cannot go on forever producing alfalfa It ItIs Itis Itis is splendid ground for su sugar ar beets and tho the for sugar beets Is t. t Y I a A A. A G G. G GOODWIN Who Vho Worked with Mr 11 Sprunt in Promoting the Sugar Factory w certain Also the price for Cor sugar beets is constantly good In fact it has been increasing each year for many years and will still be higher while the price for alfalfa is fluctuating fluctuating fluctuating ing from year to to year With sugar Bugar beets you are sure of both price ant and market each year rear but with alfalfa you can be bo sure of or neither Power plows are taking the place of draft plows for deep plowing and andare andare andare are much more economical and satisfactory satisfactory satis satis- factory In the long run If you can manage it you should plow with a tractor to get the best results After Arter planting harrows must be kept in the field until the plants are thru the surface in order that the ground may hold its moisture Another thing Delay your cultivating cultivating until the rows of beets beets' can be plainly seen seen and then do not fail fai to cultivate every eight or ten days day thereafter and oftener if possible Now l last st but perhaps most important important important im im- im- im of all let me me mesay say a word in regard to the hand labor Everyone knows what a strenuous time we had with this problem in 1917 so it is hardly necessary to go over the various forms of grief that tha we have encountered In connection with it But Dut two things we all can do t to tomake tomake make this problem easier The farmers farmers farmers farm farm- ers must stick together when a reasonable reasonable reasonable rea rea- price has been fixed for la labor labor labor la- la bor and they must learn to supervise the work personally and see to i it that it Is properly done In thinning this is especially important important important im im- im- im Each farmer should se see that beets are spaced from twelve to fourteen inches apart that only one beet is left in a place and that tha those cut out are cut below th the e crown to prevent re N None No Noone Noone one can do this supervising like th the farmer himself Next year we can look took forward forwar confidently to Improved conditions on every hand Labor will be more mor plentiful crops will be more profitable profitable profitable profit profit- able the factory will be in ship shipshape shipshape shape dumps will be in order an anin and andin andin in operation on time growers will wil better understand methods and conditions conditions con con- and we are sure of success We know now now that we have an Ideal beet growing country and an ideal factory to handle the crops With these two things In our favor with a strong friendship bet between factory and farmer and with a spirit spirl of mutual confidence firmly established well we'll make the Valley Valley Val Val- ley the greatest sugar beet section in the United States and conse souse consequently consequently the most prosperous I I J l 5 Ib 00 c oo o 0 I 1 I I I 7 j N. N S DELTAS DELTA'S FINE GRADE SCHOOL I The childrens children's education is well looked after in the Grade School of Delta where there are aro three hundred and twenty pupils U In training Ten teach teachers rs are employed employed employed em em- in 1 this lula commodious building which la is equipped d with steam heat hot and cold water and toilets All the tho grades are taught In the building and some of at the the- Junior high school studies are given There Thore are ninny many othor other good schools schoola in is the tho county |