The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-04-20
BEET SUGAR IN MAINE
Aud sthe Sugar Supply in the World
Generally.

Uenefallys
HAVANA, April 18th, 1s7s.-A sugar cane disease
in Porto Rico, produced by certain worm has
spread so rapidly that royal order has been issued
for an investigation into its cause and character and
the means of prevention. The disease thus far ap-
pears to be confined to Porto Rico.
Anyone familiar with the graduation of cane
sugar in the tropics or who has worked sugar
cane there, and who has observed the fearful
diseases the slaves and coolies contract who
have to do certain parts of the work, does
not wonder at the above. In a single hand
full of new cane sugar often can be found
millions of Insects. Beet sugar in its raw
state though unpleasant of flavor is entirely
free from these insects. The whole continent
of Europe has emancipated itself from
tropical or cane sugar, and even has to spare
of its beet sugar for other countries. England
and the United States are the emily nations of
any consequence which, while they are the
largest sugar consumers, depend upon the
cane for supply of their sweets.
Nobody will be surprised at the interest
manifested in Maine during the last year
where the question of introducing the beet
sugar industry has been before the public. 1t
is admitted unanimously to be of the greatest
importance to the United States, to the State
of Maine and to the city of Portland, Ito take
this question in hand and solve it, and for
some time it looked as if one of the idle
manufacturing establishments in Portland
would soon resound with the noise of busy
hands producing beet sugar.
But though everybody without exception
expressed himself unqualifedly in favor of it,
yet everybody with only one or two exceptions
wished to see it done without his active and
financial cooperation. A week ago q COM
mittee was appointed by joint committee to
canvass the business community of the city of
Portland for the necessary capital. The fact
that Mr. Ernest Th Gennert sent his assistant
on Monday to Aroostook county to investigate
certain points there and report without delay
shows that the project will be followed mp,
though the chances are extremely slim that
The city of Portland undoubtedly possesses
many advantages in point of location as we'll
as OF manufacturing, financial and COM
mercial nature, but if these cannot be secured,
there is no reason to locate it here
Gennert expressing their readiness to enter
into contract for the supply OF the raw beets,
many others have called personally asking for
Information and making the same offer, but
it has been impossible to answer these written
inquiries and offers, and callers have beeni put
ShouldIthe local, financial and commercial
advantages which the City of Portland pos
sesses prove unavailable and the sugar
factory be located in the extreme northern
part of the State of Moine. it will be unde-
sirable to have beets raised and contracted for
at the other end of the state.
Mr.. Gennertsstudied during the past year the
resources and advantages OF Maine and Can
ada, and went last winter to Europe to COM
pare certain processes of sugar manufacture. to
Z. 49, al &c e.
built and procure the seed. The opinion has
been expressed by SEINE of the leading business
men that this has been done by or for the gov
eminent of Canada. This is an error. Though
Mr.. Gennert met with the kindest reception
from every member of the Quebec and Ontario
Government everything he has done has been
done according to his own Judgment land at his
own exclusive expense. Mr.. G. has spent very
nearly $4,000 and has the free disposal of
everything he procured. 1t is therefore his
plan to adhere to the prospectus as laid out, to
supply every farmer who may wish to try the
cultivation Of sugar beets, without contracting
for the same, with seed at the cost price. Of
the thirty thousand pounds of seed on hand
there will not more than one-third be required
for the need of the sugar factory, the other is
at the disposal of our farmers who are willing
to try the cultivation and conform to certain
prescribed rules regarding the same. An inn
portant part of the apparatus specially con-
structed for the manufacture of beat sugar is a
kiln for drying the beets. This machine has
met with SO universal favor from all the ex-
that Mr.. G. is at present in New Haven to con-
tract for the erection of one for drying fish
scrap or fish-guano. This one will be erected
without delay and followed by another at
Boothbay in this state, for the same purpose.
Some other drying kilns it is proposed to set
up early in summer in order to use the same
for drying sweet corn previous to beets. Any
one who has examined the beets brought from
Europe in their dry, hare, shriVelled condition,
and seen the same, after soaking for tone
hour in cold water, in as crisp and fresh state
as if cut but a moment before from the fresh
beet, will not be surprised to learn that this
may effect an entire change in the corn packing
business of the State of Maine. Yet in Europe
drying of almost any kind of vegetables has
been done for years, such as cabbage, bsets,
carrots, turnips, potatoes, &C.; &C., &c. The
whole German army invading France was sup
piled with dried meat and vegetables, and to
them is attributed the rapid movements which,
without these condensed supplies, would have
been impossible.
An apparatus for drying any kind of vegeta-
bles besides beets will cost one thousand dol
lars, with a capacity of about fifty tons OF vege-
tablrs per day.
For more information or propositions to en-
ter into either of these businesses wo would ad-
wise communities or individual farmers to write
directly to E. T. Gennert, Portland, who wishes
the canvassing committee met with is known
to him he will answer the many letters of in
quiry received by him from farmers.
Never was there SO favorable time to estab-
lish new industry as while nearly every
kind of industry is languishing or entirely at a
stand STILL Capital has to be employed again
to be of any value 60 those who possess it.
While our working population has no employ
ment at their old occupations they will be so
much more ready and willing to learn a new
one, and will appreciate those who supply them
with it; and as the hard times have SO far not
affected the sugar consumption it is very i'm
probable that they ever will. If the beet sugar
industry cannot be introduced by way Of Port
land, let us try to do it by the way of Aroos-
took County. But to those who say, if it is
such good and profitable thing why has it not
been done long ago? we have but one word to
answer, viz: America is a big country and
stood where it stands today many thousand
years ago. Why did no man discover that fact
before Columbus BEET SUGAR.