The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-01-30
BEET SUGAR INDUSTRY.
New YORK, Jan. %, 1891.

NEW YORK, Jan. 20, 1891.
To the Editor of the Eagle
The article in the EAGLE of Jan. 18th
on the sugar bounty, is truly and OF
great interest to the farmers of Kansas.
AS further evidence of its Importance
| send you the enclosed one, Beet Sugar
industry" from the Indiana Farmer. by
retaining our tariff on foreign sugar and
a state bounty until sufficient factories
are constructed, and the industry fully
established, in few years the S1OO,OOO,-
900 now paid for foreign sugar will go
into the pockets of American farmers
and sugar manufacturers. We have all
the facilities in sorghum and beets for
producing as much and as good sugar as
anv country in the world. So keep up
the bounty. l.. T. MILLER.
Before many years elapse it now looks
as though we would be producing
large part of the 1900. 900. 600 pounds OF
sugar consumed in the United States.
At present the sugar crop of the world Is
12.711 SOC, 900 pounds, and the resources
of this great production are as follows:
Annual pounds Of beet sugar. pLUD
Annual pounds of cane sugar ...---... -ilUltrp!gl
Total worlds production T. 1ll6JJ,VJJ
Thus it is seen that over 90 per cent
of all the sugar now made in the world
is from beets. At present we pay TO
other countries $l00, 100000 annually
for sugar, which recent experiments
show can be produced in the United
States. At present three-eights OF the
beet sugar is produced III Germany,
where the beets analyze I24 to 13t per
cent saccharine matter. During this
year it has been shown by careful
analysis that the per cent of sugar IN
the beets grown in many districts OF
the western states is much higher, run
ming from II to II per cent. This is
shown 10 be true of beets grown in
Indiana. Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin and
Nebraska.
In some few localities besides that of
Grand Island, Neb they are beginning
to organize companies for the production
Of beet sugar. Wisconsin IS organizing
a company at Kewaunee with a capital
of $3.50, 900. A good plant, with the
necessary machinery to produce 200 bar
rels OF sugar per day, IS the capacity OF
the factory organizing there. Many
farmers are taking shares OF stock IN
the company, and in this way the farm
ers are to participate in the profits
The beets yield from fifteen 60 twenty
five tons per acre, and are sold at the
factory at 50 to $3.50 per ton according
to their quality. Ii has been found that
the cost of cultivating, harvesting and
marketing does not exceed % to 80 per
cent of the gross value of the crop. Thus
it is seen that the beet will prove a
profitable crop for the farm.
Bulletin No. 81 of the department of
agriculture, Washington. is devoted
largely to this subject. 1t was written
by Professor H. w. Wiley, the chemist
of the department who has given care
full attention to this matter.
1t has been found that there is another
source of profit also in this industry.
writer SAYS: When the beets are first
harvested the leaves and a small portion
of the top of the beet are removed.
Here is furnished ain immense amount
of the very best kind of food for cattle,
for immediate use. Later on, as the
farmer hauls his beats to tho factory, he
takes on his homeward trip a load OF the
fiber from which the juice has been
pressed. This as a food for cattle and
sheep has been found TO be of great val
ue In Europe it is so highly priced by
the farmers as a cattle food that they
strive with each other to obtain 1t, and
the factories could readily dispose OF
twice their output. 1t can be easily pre-
served and kept in good condition for
feeding by storing it in silos, and if 1t
has mixed with it about one-half Of one
per cent. Of salt, it viii not ferment, but
will keep in good feeding condition for
year.-Indiana Farmer.