The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1892-05-27
E SUGAR BEET INDUSTRY.

L
The development of the Beet Sugar
indus ry in Germany and France reads
like romance. All of this history
cen6ers around Napolen, first consul
and emperor of France. About 1900,
when he ports of France were closed
by Napoleon against all English yes
sells, the supply of sugar of the French
people was entirely cut off, and all SUI
gar previous to that time, and at that
time, was imported from the British
West India possessions or in British
ships. The French people had learn
ed to use sugar and could not give it
up, so, that unless some means were
found to provide sugar, great hard
ship would be caused.
Napoleon with his characteristic
energy, attempted to secure the man.
ufacture of sugar from grapes, which
were at that time, as now, great ag-
ricultural product in France. 1t was
proved that they possessed great
deal of sugar and that this could be
secured from the juice, but it had not
been shown at that time that the SUI
gar in the grapes was not the same as
the sugar in the cane, and that it
could not replace the cane sugar.
These endeavors to make the grape
sugar take the place of cane sugar,
showed the great difference between
them.
1t had been shown long time be-
fore that the beet contained sugar Of
exactly the same kind as the sugar
cane, and Napoleon directed his Min
lister of Agriculture to attempt the
manufacture of sugar from the beet,
and he gave a vast amount of money
for the experiments in this line. The
beet at that time contained about
five or six per cent of sugar. Under
the favorable conditions made by Ma
poleon the amount of sugar increased
in the beet by the careful cultivation
which was given to them, and great
many factories were erected for the
of sugar from the beet.
AS in all enterprises where expert
has to be carried on to large
extent, these factories were financial
failures, and but for the liberal finan-
cial assistance given by Napolen, it is
probable that the beet sugar indsutry
would be in languishing condition
to-day. But as result of Napoleons
wise and liberal policy the industry
quickly became esta blished, and by
1880 the manufacture of sugar from
beets had become quite a large bust
ness, and to-day there are over 357
factories in France alone, and about
| 1916 in the world.
A vast amount of money has been
in Germany and France as
we'll as other European countries, in,
upon the best means
Of raising the beets for manufactuE-
ing them into sugar. Now this indus
try is more thoroughly understood
and more scientifically managed than
any other business, and the money
which has been expended in bonuses
ETC., by these governments has been.
repaid more than a hundred fold. The
lands used for the raising of beets in
Germany were originally worth about
$50 per acre; these same lands are to-
day worth from $3.50 to upwards of
1850 per acre, and this increase is di-
rectly due to the production of beets,
The last congress, by provisions Of
the Mckinley bill, have granted
bounty of0 &c per pound for all sugar
poduced in the United States, and
while it is a slight tax upon the con-
of sugar to-day, if the farm
ers will carefully experiment. and de-
Lermine whether or not they can raise
On their lands good sugar beets, it
will be but few years until all this
and vastly more, will be re-
turned to them in the same way that
it has in Germany and France, and
to greater degree. The
previously given in this pa
per for the production of good beets
must, however, be faithfully carried
out.