The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-02-08

1
and from $40 to $50 per acre on beets.
What then will be his profit when all
these discoveries are made, that will en-
able the manufacturer to get from 100
to 200 pounds of sugar per ton OF cane,
and $50 pounds per ton of beets: what
will be the effect on real estate, them
And what will it be even if present con-
ditions continue? What is its effect else
where: See Europe and California.
The interest that the farmer has in this
enterprise, both as a producer and con-
sumner, need not be mentioned, so well IS
it understood 1t not only gives more
diversified farming. q near and direct
market to supply, and home sugar to
consume, but adds the wealth of ready
money. As for the bounty, on
tho other hand, it Is the
| great corporations. railways, banks
and the greater taxable interests of cities
which pay the bulk of the bounty. Then
let the present law run until its time has
expired. Then no one can complain if it
is repealed, or modified.
Again. No industy has made greater
advancement in the same period of time
than the sugar industry in Kansas. In
1880 only twenty pounds of sugar was
realized per ton of cane, while in 1889, 100
pounds were realized, which is an in
crease of 500 per cent. improvement
has been made in every direction. grade
and quality of cane, mode and cost OF
manufacture. A sugar plant of ten
years ago would not compare very
favorably with one of today. For it IS
well known among sugar men that there
is nearly if not quite 100 pounds more
sugar in a ton of cane than is now pos
sible to get out of it; but they are now all
working at that single point-they know
where to look for it, too. Who IS rash
enough, in view of past advancement, TO
say they will not accomplish it?
We have neither time nor space this
morning to go into a history of the
sorghum and beet sugar enterprises of
Kansas, giving detailed statistics. These
can be found at the state house at To-
peka, but in addition to what we have
said about the superiority of the
canes and beets grown in Kansas
we will add few general
paragraphs of facts. For instance, as an
economic parallel. Germano is now the
most extensive sugar producer in The
world from beets. The average amount
of sugar contained in the German beet
in 1890 was IL. % per cent; in France, II
per cent; in California, 1873 per cent;
in Nebraska, 10 per cent; in Kansas,
1926 per cent The benefits to be de-
rived from beet culture are as great for
the farmer as for the manufacturer. The
average net income to tie farmer for
beets is from $40 to $50 per acre.
In 1859 and 1890 experiments were
made with sugar beets. Had it not been
for the enterprise of our sorghum sugar
factories the trial with sugar beets would
not have been made, as the advices from
the government were most di5cOuraging.
The beet crop does not exhaust the soil,
is easily rotated with crops which are
exhausting. The deep blowing, and fire.
quent cultivation required for beets, pre-
pare the soil in an excellent manner for
the following crop. The tops when cut
off are good for fodder, or valuable left
on the ground and plowed under. Where
ever sugar beets are grown, the value of
land has increased, and cattle raising
and fattening is encouraged, the beet
pulp being very valuable as food for cat
tie. sheen and hOpS.
Our present knowledge Of the varie-
ties of sorghum to plant, the time to
plant, and the method of cultivation are
such, that in the future we believe a
crop Of cane can be secured in wet
or dry season. The climatic
conditions of Kansas, are more favorable
than elsewhere. The sugar season can
begin on sorghum by July 13 to 80, fol-
lowed by sugar beets until January or
February. The fall weather is so mild
that beetS can remain in the ground
without injury until in December. The
expenses in 1890 of the Kansas |
factories, so far as reported, were $780, |
coo, of this amout $65, 500 were paid !
directly to the farmers for cane and |
beets, and TO the operatives at the works. !
The most of the remainder was paid out |
in the immediate locality of the factory. |
If the present conditions are not dis
turbed the indications are that within |
two or three years, the sugar industry 4
can be proftably conducted without |
state aid