Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-12-24
OUR OWN SUGAR.
Suggestions to How This Country Can
Nearly Supply Itself.

Suggestions as to How This Country Can
Nearly Supply Itself.
A short time ago, Mr.. E. H. Dyer, of
California, gave The press some interest
ing facts concerning the production of
sugar in this country that are we'll worth
a careful study. He says:
To produce the amount of sugar con-
sumed in the United States from beets, it
would require 100000 tons of beets,
for which the farmer would require $751;
100000, being one-haf of the total value
of all the sugar consumed. The great
benefit that will accrue to the farmer is,
of course, based upon the supposition that
he received a fair compensation for raising
beets, and [ think that [ can plainly
demonstrate that the price paid for beets
now in this state by sugar beet factories
will yield the farmer better rent for his
land, and larger returns for labor expend-
ed, than any other crop, taking into con-
sideration the fluctuations of the market
value OF other crops. The cost of produc-
ing beets in California is about as follows:
Assuming an average yield to be only Is
tons per acre, at S. per ton-S75. Cost Of
preparing the land and seeding, 81 per
acre; seed per acre, 1925. Thinning,
wedding and digging at S1.75 per ton
S?625; hauling to factory at 70 cents,
$l0,5 so. Total cost per acre, S46; net profit,
S29 per acre.
To show the comparative value of crop
of beets or cereals we will estimate the
WELD of ono aoro of wheat to be Is centais
at Sl.75 per cental-$26 %; an acre of
barley, 20 centaIs al. 81 IS per cental-$25.
The product of an acre Of beets, in sugar,
is about 5000 pounds, which including
government bounty, is worth cents a
pound-S2l0. This shows difference in
favor of a beet crop Of about $3.50 per acre.
A 300-ton factory would require 5000
acres of land planted to beets to produce
seasons supply. The value of the pro-
duct of this land, planted to beets and
manufactured into sugar, would be about
$750,000 annually more than if used in
the production Of cereals. If sufficient
beets were raised in the United Staes to
produce the amounts of sugar that is
annually imported, the value of the sugar
produced from these beets would be $780,
000,0 more that cereals produced On the
same quantity of land.
According to the latest United States
statistical report, there were over $780,
GOO, 900 pounds of sugar imported during
the fiscal year of 1890, which when refined
was worth over S200,OO0,00O. To produce
this from sugar beets would require about
100000 acres Of land and about 800 beet
factories of a daily capacity of $50 tons
each, costing about S95 100000 for the
purchase Of beets and cost of mapufactur-
ing them into sugar. This large amount
of money would be distributed annually
among our industrial classes instead of be-
ing as now sent to foreign countries to pay
for foreign sugar and enrich foreign sugar
planters. In conclusion | desire to say
that in my opinion there is no developed
industry in the United States that promises
as great benefits to every man, woman
and child as the production of sufficient
sugar to supply our wants from our own
soil.