The Portland daily press., 1876-12-13
THE PRESS.
THE FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
The Sugar Beet.

In recent issue we referred TO the fact
that another costly attempt to manufacture
sugar from the beet in Illinois had proved
failure. However DESTROYS therefore business
men and capitalists may be to engage in the
same business nearer home, and however
promising it may appear to the agriculturist,
1t nevertheless seems wise 10 profit by this
example. Anxious as we are to promote in
every way the success of SO great an industry,
we still feel that great caution should be used
in all preliminary movements.
Especially is this the case when admonito-
ry reverses in the same branch of agriculture
are reported in foreign lands. France has
been the foremost in inviting science and
capital in the manufacture of beet sugar, and
until the present year has achieved great sue
cess. From recent returns, however-since
the late harveSt-we learn that the tide has
turned and that this enterprise thus far so
fourishing, has received severe check.
Compared with the same time last year, only
a little more than one.fifth of the quantity of
beet juice used at the factories then, had
been used the present season, and its aver
age density was ten per cent. lower. The
amount of sugar manufactured, was less than
fourth CT the product of last year, and it is
stated that there has been steady decline
for several years in the sugar producing guam
tity of the beet juice. AS a necessary result
from this unfortunate state Of things, the
our hundred and th:rty-eight factories which
in los houo hoop
duced to one hundred and eighty. In the
absence of any definite explanation of this
sudden change, we are left to conjecture and
can only conclude that the soil has been
gradually deprived of what may be termed its
saccharine elements, without correspond
lug renewal and therefore suffers simply from
exhaustion. We cannot doubt that the good
sense OF the agrculturists of France, COM
bined with the remarkable skill of her men of
science, will devise some method of clltiva-
ton, or the application of some new fertili-
ger, by which the former supremacy Of the
country in the production of beet sugar will
be restored.
We do not doubt, as has been suggested,
that an experiment in this branch of manu-
facture might fail from wrong selection of
beet varieties, or from raising on rich soil
crop of overgrown roots, or from exposure to
the frost of winter. 1t is not probable that
the failure abroad is to be attributed to any
such causes involving as they would the igno-
rance and inexperience of both producer and
manufacturer.
Believing that the time has not yet come
for undertaking this enterprise in our state,
we still are in favor of taking such steps as
shall prepare the way for its early introduce
tion. The sugar beet is valuable root for
family use and for stock feeding, and its
general cultivation should be recommended.
We have to suggest that experiments be tried
with the several well established varieties in
different parts of our state in order that by
the tests of table use and animal fattening
and chemical analysis 1t may be decided
whether our soil is adapted to the successful
growth of the right variety. By so doing
every farmer or gardener who tries the ex-
pertinent of raising the sugar beet may be
assured that either he is aiding in solving the
problem of sugar production from such
source in his own state, or he has on the
whole selected the best root for domestic use
and stock feeding.