Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-12-25
j. z. STEELE, EDITOR.
The Sugar Bee. for Texas.

THE GAZETTE with reference to an exist
ing reasonable probability that the cul-
ture of sugar beets and the manufacture
OF beet sugar might be made decideoly
profitable industry for Texas. Since the
publication OF those articles we have
been carefully fling away for use in
future article all obtainable Information
bearing on the sugar beet and beet sugar
industry, and the present time, when a
new interest appears to be awakening
with reference TO the matter, as evfnced
by a recently published call at the hands
of our efficient commissioner of immigra-
ton for information on the subject,
would seem to be an suspicious time for
working up q rehash OF what we have
been able TO collect.
Senator W. ID. Washburn of Minne-
sofa, who has been making very care
full study of the beet sugar industry ss
at present existing within the United
States, reports that the extensive manu-
facture of beet sugar in America may be
counted upon as but just begun. Already
enough is known 20 show most conclu-
sively that this manufacture is not only
wholly feasible, but that it is to become
an industry OF such gigantic proportions
as are now little dreamed OF By our peo-
Pile.
The most careful investigation has left
him fully convince that the success of
the beet sugar industry is established for
this country beyond any reasonable ques-
ton. The prospects are entirely as
bright cs one could hope for them to be.
In his recent visit to Grand Island, Neb.,
he made thorough examination of the
great plant there. 1t represents half a
million OF capital. MIR. OXnard, who is
enc OF the largest sugar refiners on our
continent, told him there existed TO
doubt whatever but that on SO good
showing as was already made plenty of
capital would be forthcoming at the
word to establish the industry in all
regions capable of making the sugar beet
as fair success rs it IS made in Ne
Draska.
/ Present Indications, he says, would put
1t that the American sugar-beet belt be-
ginning in Minnesota, extends southwark
over the two Dakotas, across Nebraska
and thence downwRrd-how far down
ward is as yet undetermined. In all
this great belt beets for the manufacture
of sugar can be successfully grown, and
the analyses go far made show that
there is in them greater per centags of
saccharins matter than in the best pro-
duct of either Germany or Austria.
There the amount ia from II to IA, while
the bssts of this belt show up to from 10
to l6. They have been using at the
Grand Island factory this fall $50 tons OF
beets daily and turning out 60, 900
pounds of first-class sugar.
Mr.. Wsshburn says the Nebraska far
mers are finding beet production very
profitable. The factory pays them So
per ton for ths beets containing II per
cent OF sacoharine matter, with % cents
added for each additional per cent.
AS the per cent of sacchsrlne matter de-
Ponds great deal upon the care taken
in raising the beets, it VIII be seen that
there is q marked incentive TO the farmer
to pay much attention to the matter of
cultivation. A low average for bests is
twelve and half tons to the acre.
The running time of the Grand Island
factory ia about four months in each
year, but since II runs night and day
through that time the running season is
equivalent TO eight months. There has
been some experimenting with silos,
storing the beets for manufacture the
year round, but it has proven a very ex-
pspsive method.
At q late meeting of the Minneapolis,
MINI. chamber of commerce Mr.. +. l..
Whitney submitted a map showing the |
American sugar beet belt. 1t begins in
Minnesota and reaches southwark, COW |
eTing all the "plaIns'i east OF the Rocky |
mountain range aud extending west, !
with more or less break, TO the Pacific |
coast. H. represented that almost any |
where witt IN this belt beets could be sue |
cessfully produced, yielding from 10 to |
10 per cent. OF saochsrine matter. In |
h1a ha hrs xvithip
this belt might be made TO produce beets |
enough to supply the whole world with !
sugar. President Noyes OF the chamber |
of commerce said the report was most |
important one, rs interesting our whole
country, and he desired TO impress the |
matter of the sugar beet Industry upon
the consideration of every person living
within the great beet belt.
OF course il is unnecessary for Us TO |
state that these reports spread the
American sugar beet belt over Northern
Texas In general aud the Panhandle Of
Texas in particular. AS the sugar beet
lie something of warm country crop,
the probability exists that the further
south we come on the beet belt the better
IL viii do. Then, there is another thing
10 consider that certainly stands greatly
in our favor: the time for running
Deel-SupdT lAUlOFN COulu De lDdue InuCl |
longer in Texas than in Nebraska. on
account of greater length OF seasons
here. The crop could be put in with Us
almost month earlier than it could be
put in by the Nebraska people, and it
could remain in the ground almost n
month later than there, thus giving us
an advantage OF almost two months. II
it should be true, as some writers claim,
that the beet must be harvested at first
''rIpeness, so called, TO prevent loss
IN sacchRrine matter, we could easily
arrange fer that in 1ay that would
enable us TO cover the entire season by
starting our crop ".n succession "a
given acreage now, given acreage two
or three weeks later, and so on, TO
lengthen out the harvest period 10 its
latest days. THIS arrangement would
keep the mills running through from
four to FIVE months, and would, further
more, be OF i'm portant advantage to the
grower, as il would prevent the whole
rush of his work coming on at the same
time. II
ItIs but reasonable 10 suppose that
these last-men toned matters viii be con-
fronted by reference TO past beet-sugar