Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1884-05-28
Sugar-Making at the North.

We are nation of sugar-eaters. The
national "sweet-tooth" is fully develop
ed-possibly more 80 than is altogether
good US. But whether wholesome or
not, the American taste for sugar in its
various forms is somewhat prodigious.
About two thousand million pounds,
costing the consum ers 5000, 900, 900, is
estimated to be our annual allowance
1t is therefore, an economic question of
no small Importance where and On
what terms we are to procure our year
ly qusntum of saccharine matter when
the present sources of supply are no
longer sufficient for our needs.
The Louisiana cane-planters would
only too gladly supply the demand; but
notwithstanding a national tax on
sugar for their especial benefit, they are
not equal to the task, and we are COM
PEELED to turn to our neighbors of Cuba
and even TO the far-off Sandwich Islands
to make up the deficiency. In fact, the
great bulk of the annual supply comes
to US from the Antilles; and millions of
dollars yearly pass from our hands into
the pockets of the Cuban planters in
pay ment for this necessary product.
How long is this helpless depend
ence upon foreign sugar fields to con-
tinue ? A few years ago France was in
like case with ourselves. But her states
men and political economists concluded
that it was not good policy to trust ex-
clusively or even largely to foreign
sources for so important an article of
foop. They fixed upon the beet as the
most promising sugar plant for the soil
and climate of France, and with far
seeing sagacity proceeded to promote
the "infant industry" The results at
first were disappointing. Many expert
ments were made, ending one after an
other in comparative failure. Sugar
could be made, and good sugar too.
But it was only after some twenty
years of persevering effort that it could
be so cheaply produced as to make it a
profitable industry. An improved va
riety of beet was at length developed,
yielding high percentage of saccharine
matter, and better methods of cultiva-
ton and manufacture were devised, so
that now but small faction of the
sugar used in France is imported. The
same is true of Germany, and largely
of other European countries 1t is
stated, indeed, that while in 1853 the
total production of beet-root sugar in
Europe was only 100000 tons, last
year it was 2, ,240, 900 tons. In fact, the
product is 80 cheap on the Continent
that not only is the home demand fully
met, but England is supplied at so low
q rate as to almost drive the British
colonial sugar out of the market.
Beet-sugar making on large scale
has not yet proved success in this
country. There seems, however, to be
nothing in the condition of the soil or
climate to prevent it. In some instan-
ces, on moderate scale, it has succeed
ed admirably. 1t cannot be doubted
that in skillful hands, with sufficient
capital at command, sugar may be
made from beets in some parts of the
country as proftably as in France or
Germany.
Bnt the main dependence for our fu-
ture sugar supply will undoubtedly be
upon the sorghum cane. The promise
and potency" of the domestic sugar in
terest lies in the development of this
valuable plant, which fourishes wher-
ever corn grows, and can be grown as
easily as corn. The disappointments
thus far have been numerous. Not a
few enthusiastic cultivators have lost
faith in the plant as source of profit.
But careful experiment has shown that
these failures are simply the result of
defective methods. The proper varie-
ties have not oeen grown. or a wrong
process of manufacture has been en-
ployed. Under favorable conditions
throughout every stage of cultivation,
harvesting and manufacture, quality
of sugar has been produced equal to the
best, at price not above that paid for
the foreign product.
These things being so, it only re-
mains for American skill, enterprise and
capital to join forces and work out the
problem with steady courage. and per-
severance.
"A regular poser-The photo