The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-08-29
million acres Of land, and as the beets

not only be one bushel of grain produced less
there is all reason to believe on the farms
where this system was carried through the
average crops of wheat would become the
same it is in all the beet sugar districts in
Europe So bushels per acre instead of II
bushels, which is the average in the United
States. While by far the greatest value the
beet sugar industry will bring the farmer
consists in the general improvement of his
soil, he would have cash crop of twenty
five million dollars annually and a feed crop
in form of pummice of ten million dollars in
addition to what he ever had before.
To work up this beet crop requires 800
sugar houses, and to erect these and furnish
them with the necessary machinery will re-
quire the expenditure of so million dollars,
every cent of which would go to our work.
ingmen, mechanics and manufacturers, as
we have all the material necessary in abun-
dance, and certainly unemployed hands
enough to make them rise as by magic from
the earth. To work these sugar factories
during winter will require 100 thousand me-
chanics and laboring men. These figures
are not imaginary; they are illustrated in
every country in Europe. The consumption
of sugar is steadily increasing as civilization
progresses, and population increases. Fifty
years ago beet sugar made its appearance on
the worlds market, and has so steadily gained
tudb GuClC 10 aOb tuO oHSubCob uOuUt tudG III
1880 more than one half of all the sugar pro-
duced in the world will be beet sugar. No
country in the world is known where the beet
sugar industry once had foothold, where it
has not steadily extended to the unmistakable
benefit of the farming community. 1t is an
indisputable fact that during the last five
years of business stagnation the world all
over, there have been but two articles of
which the demand has been greater than the
4hoS has I~1a.
gold. The price of raw sugar is steadily on
the increase.
AS slavery is abolished by advancing civili-
cation the production of cane sugar becomes
less, and this will be the reason why the
main supply from Cuba in no very distant
day will cease, and the United States will
look for their supply of sugar to Europe!
Are we then still to continue the exchange
of agricultural products with Europe by Civ
ing them the product of eighteen acres for
the return of their crop of one acre? And if
we should be improvident enough to be will
ing to do so, how long can we expect this to
continue? The centre of grain raising'in the
United States has gone most systematically
and steadily as the sun towards the West. How
long can it last till it reaches the natural
limit, the Pacific Ocean? The great difficulty
why the beet sugar industry in the United
States had so hard struggle to gain the first
foothold was because our system of farming,
or to give it the right name, our system of
spoliation is antagonistic to the production of
root crops, hence the raw material has been
lacking. 10 raise root crop successfully it
is almost Indispensable to subsoil the land SO
that roots can enter the soil to the requisite
depth, but systematic subsoiling soon brings
tile draining. In fact the introduction of
beet sugar means the beginning of a complete
change of system, and this requires more
than the detached effort of few individuals;
it requires the organized effort of most of our
leading agricultural men.
Within the last few years some Govern
ments other than in Europe have made some
effort to introduce the beet sugar industry in
their States. The Province Of Quebec offered
some years ago yearly subsidy of $1,000 for
ten years to successful beet sugar manufac-
:urer, which was followed by similar offer
from the State of Maine, while during the
last year the Government of New Zealand
has offered bounty for the first beet sugar
made there. Although these bounties to be
paid to successful manufacturers can not be
called assistance to introduce the industry in
the full sense of the word, yet they have done
a great deal to draw the attention of those
interested in it again to the subject.
This sketch could not be considered COM
plete without referring to the effort made in
the State of Maine to start the beet sugar
industry on different principles than ever
before attempted.
In the Spring of 1878 company was formed
il Portland which, while every leading man
in it is practical sugar manufacturer, thew
decided to leave the farming or agricultural
part entirely to farmers. In order to guard
against a possible failure from local causes
the company extended their operations all
over the State, and in doing so they had also
the great advantage to ascertain if any one
part OF the State, any one geological forma-
tion,. would produce a superior beet than
another. The contracts for raising beets
made by the company were with nearly eight
hundred farmers for an extent of land rang
ing from one-fourth of an acre to ten acres:
from the most southern point of the Saco
valley to the northern part of the Aroostook
valley. Besides these farmers who entered
into contracts for the cultivation of sugar
beets, about one Thousand farmers have
planted sugar beets in the State of Maine, as
an experiment, on land ranging from few
square rods to half an acre. The readiness
with which so large number of farmers
entered into the enterprise on so short
notice proved that the farmers were ready
and anxious to do their part to introduce the
beet sugar industry in the United States if
only the manufacturers and capitalists would
do theirs.
Where the beets have been planted on well
MANFRED and good cultivated land, the crop
promises fair yield, in many cases. by far
better than farmers expected. Where thew
have been planted on worn out, poorly cult
waited land, they have proved failure; they
have not been able to withstand the drought
and heat, and have persisted. A number of
farmers who have cultivated but one or two
acres this year, have expressed their readiness
10 enter into contract next year for ten and
more acres.
1t is too early to state, with any kind of
certainty, the quantity Of beets which win be
harvested, yet there is no doubt but the yield
will be fair one.
More important than the quantity OF this
year is the quality of the beets. Nobody doubts
that with proper cultivation large quantities
OF beets may be produced; and if half a mil
lion OF acres will not supply the sugar required
IN the United States three-quarters of million
will. But the quality, which depends upon
climate, soil and many other minor circum-
stances, Is not so easily controlled, and there
lore OF great Importance. Ever since the 18th
day OF July beets have been analyzed bv the
Maine Beet Sugar Company, and in giving
Ine result OF four different but well cultivated
nelds, the question as to quality may be con-
sidered settled.a
The beets from four different fields analyzed
mad been growing, from the first day the seed
was planted, until the 1st day of August. re-
days.
The first had Aug LIST to solids in 100 Juice TO- 81 per
ct sugar $40 perct. jaw io'0' pei
The first had Aug 18th to solids in 100 Juice 1s 80 DER
CT, sugar $50 per ct. '' A''o' peA
The second had Aug LIST TO solids in ,no ,;o =, m
per ct sugar $50 per ct. wv '"so iA'oo
The second had Aug 18th tn solids n, Inn i; 20 on
per Ct, sugar 1910 per ct. ~ A0' 'ui'e '''0o
The third had Aug. LIST to scl,ds En- Inn ;;oa on
per CT, sugar $50 per ct. - wv 'uAoo o''"
The third had Aug. 18th On so,ids In Inn into. =, An
per Ct, sugar $40 per- ct. jaw N-'-'
The sugar begin to develop after the ex-
plratlon OF the first half of the regular time of
vegetation. These results compared with re-
suns 10 ErAroupe of the same duration of veg
STATION se prove the beets grown in Maine so
Id lily as good as the best in Europe.
g, &c cannot be denied the final result of
Maine enterprise will largely influence the in
PRODUCTION Of beet sugar industry in many
other states of the Union.
For the sake of many thousand unemployed
working men, for the sake of many thousand
farmers who know that their only salvation
lays in the more rational cultivation of their
homesteads, who know that without rational
rotation of crops improvement is impossible,
let US hope the enterprise in the state of
Maine will succeed.