The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-04-23
AGRICULTURAL.


AGRICULTURAL.
Beet Sugar.
have noticed recently in several of our
agricultural Journals, articles in relation to
the raising OF sugar beets for the purpose OF
manufacture into sugar, and in looking over
the matter am surprised that there has not
been more general interest manifest on the
subject, and that it has not produced the re-
suits in the United States that it should. 1t
would be supposed that here, where the gen.
eral policy of the country is protection, and
the building up OF home to the exclusion
of foreign competition, the manufacture OF
beet sugar would at once attract the atten-
ton of capitalists as profitable field on
which to use their surplus money, especially
as it is an industry which is protected by the
general government, the product of which
enters into general consumption of the ma
ton at large, and the value of which rolls up
into the millions. 1t is estimated that the
average consumption Of sugar in the United
States is 41.40 pounds per capita. There was
imported into the United States in 1878 sugar
and molasses to the value of 1914 COG, 1874, be-
sides the value of that produced and con-
snmed at home. The value of the re-eX ports
was only 81 1857, 72S, showing the most of this
was consumed here, and that the amount of
money sent out of the country was more
than equal to our exports of hog products
for the same year. The consumption of sugar
in the United States in 1876, was 125, 269 tons
valued at 500, 296, 553. Of this large amount
only 1900 tons is put down as domestic
beet, sorghum, &C." The sugar supply of
the commercial world in 1875 was 8, 457 1923
tons. of which 40 per cent was beet sugar
made In Europe. Here then is field for
home enterprise that cannot fail to pay.
The growth of the beet sugar industry is
something marvellous, but the consumption of
sugar is something that keeps ahead of it.
1t is only q little over 100 years ago that it
was demonstrated that sugar could be made
probably from beets. On the overthrow of
the Napoleon dynasty In France in 1914,
there was only one manufacturer who could
make sugar at profit. In 1920 to 1925,
under government protection, they increased
so largely that over 100 were reported pro-
ducing 5000 tons of sugar per annum. In
1885 436 manufactures were in operation,
and the next year the government not only
withdrew its protection, but levied duty of
one and one-fourth cents per pound. Inspte
OF the fact that the government tax amounts
to over S45 per acre, there was produced
in 1876 76, 49,, 259 tons. The production of
beet sugar in Germany, under the same
seeming restriction, has risen from % 1852
centners lilo lbs. in 1S36-37 to soil $50
centners in 1S74-75, and the per cent. of
sugar extracted to one centner has risen from
SO in 1886 to 81 in 1875, owing to improved
machinery and management The report of
the United States Commissioners to the
Paris Exposition in 1868 says of this industry
that "the exposition dscloses new danger
to our agriculture, and has opened field,
which in other countries has met with dis
tinguished success. Its introduction into
France, Germany and Austria has given
these countries the power of self supply, with
Q rapidly increasing consumption, and the
latter country is largely an exporter of beet
sugar." Speaking farther on this same sub
iect, they say ''there are father economies to
be considered. In this country 1.-THE United
States) the use of sugar is greatly restricted by
Its excessive cost, and fall of 80 per cent.
would quadruple the consumption. The farm
ers of this country paid for refined sugar dur
Ing 1870, the average price of II cents per
pound, while the price for refined sugar in
France, by the general report of the Paris
Exposition, was 10s cents per pound, and
this with tax on the production. Since that
the price of sugar has fallen considerably, but
with protective daty in favor, and with
cheap labor aud improved machinery, there
Is large margin for profit in beet sugar.
There have been several attempts to manu-
facture beet sugar in the United States, but
they have all, as near as can find out, failed
tor want OF capital, Encouragement and local
causes, and not c-pt in one or two in
stances from any failure of the beet itself to
produce paying amount of sugar. Expert
ments in various parts of the States have
been made in raising sugar beets, and on
testing them by the polarscope, they have
not been found deficient in per cent. of su-
gar 10 comparison to foreign beets, espec-
tally il grown foreign seed, of sugar-producing
varieties.
1t has also been found that TO produce the
largest per cent. of sugar, they must not be
grown in soils full of vegetable humus, but
that sandy loan, destitute of any rank ma
terial, such as fresh manure, is best adapted
to them. Prof. Stockbridge stated at the
meeting OF the Connecticut State Board of
Agriculture that experiments made at the
Massachusetts Agricultural College, showed
thet they grew bes on soil that had been ma
nured the year before, having in this case the
highest amount of sugar while chemical fer
tilizers lessened the product, and that on
such soil, the per cent. of sugar in several
years cultivation was increased over that of
the foreign beet from which seed was raised,
and that this was true of beets raised in vaIi-
GUS parts of the Connecticut Valley. 1t has
also been found at the experiment farm at the
University of Virginia, that beets could be
raised that are fully up in quantity of sugar
to the average Of Europeancrops.
Taking all these things into consideration,
1t seems to me as if there was an opening in
various sections of the Eastern States, near
markets, near cheap fuel, and where the soil
Is adapted for beet culture. 1t would be
necessary l suppose, if factory was estab-
lished, that from 1, 500 to 1000 acres of beet
should be grown in order TO make the project
profitable, but the trouble would be to get
farmers enough to take stock in such con-
Germ, or to get them to pledge that number of
tArn nnHin Nfr -
The cake, after the sugar is extracted, is val
liable for feeding purposes. Prof. Geossman
OF Massachusetts, states it as worth 81, 40 per
acre.
The way 10 determine if we can raise sugar
beets is for each farmer to experiment for
himself. 1t is easy to procure the seed, and a
beet crop, for feeding purposes, is about as
profitable crop as we can raise here in the
Eastern States. For hogs there is no better
feed. The only trouble is, that the sugar in
them makes their teeth sore if fed to excess.
They are excellent to feed to fattening stock
and growing cattle. There certainly is no
growing crop that will produce so much, that
can be raised so cheap per acre.
In view of the above facrs, is it not strange
that sugar manufactures have not been estab-
lished? / have yet to hear any reasons why
(if enough beets we're furnished) there are
not "milons in it," and should like to hear
why it cannot be done.-Cor. Country Gen
tleman.
Seed Potatoes.
A writer in the London Garden, upon the
subject of seed potatoes, very properly objects
TO Keeping seed in pits or other warm, moist
situations, since it induces sprout growth. He
advocates broad, open shelves, placed some
what closely one above the other which ad-
init OF large quantity OF seed potatoes being
stored in any lair sized shed. and if plenty Of
air be given when the weather permits. the
tubers will remain firm and almost dormant
until planting time. And adds: It is an un-
doubted fact that seed tuber, if kept dry and
in an airy place, will never throw a shoot
above an inch or SO in length, and with it