Arizona republican., 1891-03-01
BEET SUGAR.

BEET SUGAR.
 Sixteen millions of dollars is the sum of money, in round figures, which the United States sent to Germany to pay for beet sugar bought during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1890. Every pound of the sugar paid for by the $l6,0oo,o0o above mentioned was made from sugar beets grown in Prussia, in latitude exactly on line with the frozen regions of Labrador. There are within the United States, lying between the thirty eighth and forty-second degrees of lati- tude, a great many millions of acres of land which are as thoroughly adapted to the culture of the sugar beet as any land on earth. The question naturally occurs to the mind of an American, why should the $l6,0O0, 900 paid for beet sugar be sent to Germany, instead of being paid to American agriculturslists in the valleys of the Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri rivers? It is a subject of profound interest, and has recently been considered by Congress as one of paramount national importance. It is a fact which no one will care to dispute that the United States is the greatest consumer of sugar in the world today. The consumption of sugar per capita per annum may be said to be as follows in five countries from which statistics are obtained: England, 60 pounds; United States, A pounds; France and Switzer- land, 26 pounds; Germany, IS pounds. Hence, with an enormous majority of population, the United States may be called the greatest sugar-consuming nation on earth.
 Formerly it was calculated that l21a pounds of beets were required to pro- duce pound of sugar; now sugar can be produced in proportions much more favorable. In the lowest estimate 832 pounds of beets make 100 pounds of sugar, while the highest estimate re- quires only 101S pounds of beets for a pound of sugar.
 There are about thirty kinds of beets which are grown for the sugar factories of Germany. Each kind has some claim of special merit for special locali- ties. Much depends on the kind ot soil to be planted and in the selection of the beets to be sown. Among the most necessary elements in the successful cultivation of sugar beets are the rich ness of the beets in saccharine, the pro- curing of the seed from the most reliable sources, the proper preparation of the soil, the use of the most improved fer tilizers, and the careful attention to and harvesting of the crops. A visit to the beet-growing districts will disclose that the best crops are obtained from a loose, sandy losm called 8 mild soil. The roots grow deep and require soil prepared fully 12 inches deep, supple mented by subsoil. Care is observed to avoid wet soil. Certain districts have certain regulations regarding the width between the rows and the distance be- tween the beets in the rows. All are governed by fixed intervals, and 1t is stated that the nearer the beets grow together the more saceharine they con tain but the smaller they grow. On the better class of soils beets should be planted closer than on poorer soils ii uniformity of size is desired. Growing of beets is decidedly beneficial to the soil and improves it for cereals. Crops should be reasonably alternated in order to rest the soil.
 The future of beet sugar tn the United States is problematical. It can not be gainsaid that the climate and soil of large portions of the States of Ohio, In- diana, Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Minnesota and many other districts are perfectly adapted to the culture of sugar beets. The Congress of the United States has recently taken novel and special action, which would give encouragement and protection to the enterprise should the American agriculturlists embark in the beet sugar industry. All machinery needed to convert the saccharine of beets into fine sugar is, by act of Congress, permitted to be imported free of duty from now on until July l, 1892. A bounty of cents per pound will be paid by the Government of the United States to the manufacturers of sugar for an iri- definite period of time.
 IL would not be difficult to enter upon this industry in Arizona at once. In order that all interested might share in the undoubted prosperity which will follow, plan is herewith submitted which might meet with favorable con sideration: A stock company with a capital stock of S260 900 in % 900 shares of sI0 each, could be organized; three-fifths of the shares could be beet shares and two-fifths cash shares, Ten or 20 per cent of the beet shares could be paid in cash and the balance might be gradually deducted from the money due the share holders for beets delivered by them to their factory. The cash shares could le paid for in such manner as determined upon. The management of the concern to be determined upon by the share holders. This plan has been found to