St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-03-13
WHY NOT SUGAR
Farmers Should Drop Wheat
Raising and Turn to Growing
Sugar Beet.

fatIlcPS cnOulu DROP Wnea
Raising and Turn to Growing
Sugar Beet.
Ii. w. Koch, of 521 Wabasha street,
dropped into" the GLOBE city depart
ment last evening. declaring that he
had an excellent suggestion not only
of Importance to the farmers but to the
citizens of the state generally. The
suggestion was embodied in the ques-
ton: ''Can we produce our own sugar?:"
and MI. Koch delivered himself in these
words:
The cry of hard times is heard so
often nowadays in the Northwest that
people get almost used to it, and think
there is no remedy for it. In the past.
wheat sold for 81 or more a bushel, and
the virgin soil gave year after year
abundant crops, there was no reason to
complain: but prices and crops are
smaller, and it becomes us to look for
relief. We cannot raise wheat on the
same soil all the time, and what can we
do i'll localities where the soil is tired Of
wheat growing? These, of course, we
can dairy, but where will prices of but
ter and cheese go to when all such To-
calitieS must embrace dairying as their
only solution? We need more rotation
of crops. We ought to raise less wheat
and more of something else. We eX-
port now
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
worth of wheat, and WE import millions
of dollars worth of sugar. Could not
we send less wheat abroad and produce
our own sugar, and have a profit left
and give our soil a temporary relief
from wheat-cropping? And why should
not the sugar beet grow here as we'll as
in Germany or France! remember
the time when the manufacture of sugar
from beets was yet in its experimental
stage, and when the governments of
both Germany and France did all in
their power to aid the manufacturers,
and employed chemists to help solve
the problem; and to-day both countries
supply not alone their own, but a good
deal of the worlds markets. The in
dustry has proved beneficial to manu-
facturers and farmers both. Why can
not we in the United States, but eSpe-
ciaIly in Minnesota, raise
BETS AS CHEAPLY,
or even cheaper than in Europe? Do
not we produce potatoes as cheap?
are cheaper. Manufacturers in Europe
often offered $40 rent per acre per year,
while S34 would be above an average,
till about SIX years ago, rents came
down to S2S per acre. The farmers had
to do the blowing, narrowing, and haul
the beets to the railroad depot. while
the manufacturers furnished seed. did
the c%ultivating, hOeing and digging. In
other localities. beetS were raised and
sold to the manufacturers by the ton.
With our lands much cheaper, should
not our farmers be able to produce beets
cheaper than in Europe, as they do
meats, wheat, butter, cheese. etc? But,
as we have a home market for sugar
here, and are
PROTECTED BY FREIGHT
rates and high tariff, we have a good
deal the advantage over the European
producer, and there ought to be a big
margin for profit, for farmers and
ufacturerS both, as We are not obliged
to produce as cheaply as over there. In
Europe large factories are in operation
to work up the beetS of the surrounding
country, say for forty to fifty miles, and
the refuse or pulp makes a splendid
cattle food, and Is either sold back to
the farmer, or used at the factory fol
f%attening cattle. Beets are grown one.
two or three successive years on the
same land. which will then produce
wheat or oats again. At each large
factory there is usually a chemist en-
ployed to
TEST TIE QUALITY
of the beet. Some kind of beats give
much more percentage than others, and
that again might be different, accord
ing to climate. If it can be proven that
beets will net alone grow well enough
IN M:nnncnfl Amt also contain EnRhn-
rine sugar iloiding) matter in sufficient
quantities. this problem would be solved.
and CAPT tai would not be slow in taking
advantage of this opportunity in erect
ing factories. The state Of Minnesota
very properly has | 0Oked after its dairy
interests in appoin ting Il dairy commits
Sioner, with his assistants, but could
also we'll afford to appoint IA competent
man to investigate abroad the
SUGAR INDUSTRY
IN all its phases, ami to experiment ait
erwards in growing all kinds of beets i'll
different localities, 10 ascertain their
value for sugar production. 1t is Il fact
that beets will grow here as we'll as III
Europe, and they probably will be just
as good for sugar production. Claus
Spreckels made the test already III Cal
ifOrnia. and that test was very salts
factory. 1t is very possible that this III
dustry may Yet become one OF the most
Importation this country. With1tS TO-
O90,OO0 inhabitants. Ii once established,
surely would be able to stanton its W
feet without the helm of a protective
tariff, and a few dollars expended 10y
the state Of Minnesota might bring
thousandfoid reward.