The Delta independent., 1889-12-24
American SllyilI..


has sadly "vertaken the great staple crops,
it seems necessary for ti,siners to turn their
attention toward Il greater diversity of pro.
duets. We reed 10 pr-ipce Tess "l what is
not needed and more of that which is needed.
sugar is regarded as an agricultural product.
Last year about +75,VoOOOU worth of this
article WAS imported This enormous sum
went TO the farmers of other countries. 1t
is worth while to notice that this was done,
notwithstanding the heavy duty imposed
upon sugar.
For many years the growth of sugar has
been confined to the cane-growers of the
south, but turSeveiaIr a>"ns they haye failed
t" supply the demand. For fully one.third
of century exprrimenters have been
trying to demonstrate tnat sugar can be ex-
trncled from sorghum. Their results have
been 50 iruitlcss that many have regarded
such thing as impractical. The truth is
we have been taken up with corn, wheat
cotton, and live stock, that we have not cou-
s,l2re.l the possibilities of other lines of
production. The appliances nearly perfected
that it is easier and safer 10 limit our atten-
tion TO these alone. And il to production
of these great crops would only continue
prnJilable, We would continue until the day
OF doom.
These days Of depression do not mean
death t" American agriculture, but they
should mean an expansion and accommo.
daton to the needs OF the country. There
is every reason To believe that the domestic
production OF sugar will tend to this end
Are the objections that sugar cannot be
prohtably produced sufficiently strong to
withstand the necessities of the cnsc? We
believe the sugar problem can be solved, be-
cause hard questions are being solved
nearly every day. There must be something
sadly wrong gifa nation with as varied re-
sources .,s ours cannot raise its own sugar.
especially since nearly every other product
fails to yield y considerable profit. We have
plenty Of cheap land, which Is greatly in
in our favor. The wide extent of the country
is calculated to grow the various sugar
producing plants to advantage.
1t is a fact thatlno beet sugar is pro.
duced than cane sugar. Beets can be grown
in nearly all the Northern states. The pro.
cess of extracting the sugar has been per-
fcctcd, and has been an established industry
. for years. Whit has been done elsewhere
ce4, be .dqne here, as has been shown on a
smail si;E!r. In California the estimated
cost Of refined sugar was five cents per pound.
II is very probable that the cost could he
somewhat lessened if the business could be
carried on II large scale. Since we lack about
Eil lion lbs. ofsugar each year there conld
be several large plants started without fear
Of orerproduction. Ut is II fact neverless,
that everyone of the beet-sugar companies
ever established in the United Suites, save
one in California, have failed.-Ed. Prairie
Fdrmer.l
Whether sorghum will prove a profitable
sugar plant or not remains to shown, This
plant is susceptible of great Improvement.
Ms well as the process of extracting the sugar.
This we beieye. can be done. What is
needed are n few Intelligent, persevering men
to undertake bath, and not cease their w-rk
till it has been proven q success.
There is enough money in the production
Of sugar to warrant careful and extensive
experimentation. We firmly believe that if
farmers generally you'd manifest some in.
terest ia this matter, there are many compe-
tant persons who would devote their time
TO work mt this problem. There must be
first q definite demand, and this will be fol-
lowed by the desired discovery or invention
as has been true in other departments Of
industry Farmer.