The morning call., 1892-07-03
TIE QUESTION OF SUGAR.

Some items Of information from Washing
ton shed little light on the working of last
years legislation on sugar. Under the pro-
vision requiring the Government to pay
bounty Of 2 cents a pound on all sugar
grown in the United States the treasury
has paid out during the fiscal year ending
on Thursday 81. $1,000 Of when 81, ,065. 2SJ
was paid to Louisiana on cane sugar raised
in that State. The bounty is thus dOna-
ti0n by the people to louisiana for engag-
ing in an industry which, before the recent
improvements in sugar machinery, was not
only self-suppOrtng but was source OF
wealth to the planters and was the origin Of
many Southern fortunes.
If the balance Of the money paid out for
bounties on sugar. S264,761 was all paid 10
growers of beet-sIgar we are 10 infer that
the total amount raised was slightly in
excess of 13,0O0,000 pounds. or 660o tons. II
had not been supposed that so much had
been raised in California. An acre should
produce 10 to Il tons OF beets, which ought
to yield over ton of syrup. But of course
everything depends on the proportion Of
saccharine matter in the roots. From a
report just issued by the Department of
Agriculture It appears that the samples OF
beets furnished by California average 11.06
in sugar, those from Oregon 13.S those from
Washington 1447, and those from Nevada
17.51. The percentage OF saccharine varied
with the size OF the beets, the smallest in
weight being the richest in sugar. Thus
our California samples averaged - ounces
in weight, those from Oregon % ounces
those from Washington is ounces, and those
faOm Nevada II ounces. In Europe il Is
reckonrd that the most profitable beet TO
grow for sugar should weigh about 80
ounces. II is to be feared that our beet
growers who are paid by the ton are aiming
at growing as large beets as possible, with
out regard to the fact that increased weight
involves diminished grade in saccharne.
1t is evidently going to be some time
before Professor Wley's prediction that
California would supply the United States
with sugar will be realized These
industries are plants Of slow growth.
Nearly century has elapsed since Napo-
leon established beet sugar factories in
France; il Is many decades since Germany
and Russia followed the example, and
elaborate systems Of bounties were neces-
saTy to prevent the industry from dying
out. STILL in the end, the beet has
trlumphed not only is Europe independent
of the Sugar-cane countries, but Germany is
large exporter OF sugar TO England. The
German Deet-groWer gets something like IS
a ton for beets which viii run Oh per cent
in saccharine; if he grows ten tons TO the
aere-and we are raising in this State four
teen tons-bis land yields him $50 to tine
acre, less the cost Of labor and fertilizers
which is more than lie could get out Of it
by raising hops or grain. In this State the
beet-grower has been getting So a ton. and
as above stated the yield to the acre is
something Ike fourteen tons, which would
give the grover about $40 an acre gross
more than the average yield Of fruit land
As the acreage in beets increases the price
may fall.
Ten years ago the worlds consumption of
sugar was something like 3. 500. 900 tons a
year. 1t is now nearly, if not quite, .OeO. 900
tons. evenly divided between cane and beet
sugar. In almost every country Of the
world the consumption per capita has in
creased Sugar is recognized to be an
essential aliment. as one Of the chief re-
sources from whicn The human body derives
its blood, and it is Temar ked that where the
consumption Of sugar is light the blood Is
apt to become impoverished. Hence physi-
clans overlook the temporary mischief
which undue indulgence In candy and pre-
serves does TO the stomach in consideration
| OF the sustenance which life derives from
| regular and coplous supplies Of saecharine