Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1892-02-27

covering the year 1901 Only three OF
tke sugar factories OF the state have
been operated the past year.
There were 1000 acres Of sorghum
plan ted for he nse Of these factories
as follows:
Acr,s
Medicine Lodge. .............'SO wv
Fort scott ''LvG
Topeka. .......'.. ..."''''.'''''' wv
Only about 200 geres Of the Topeka
crop were used, the balance being left
in the hands Of the farmers.
The average quality Of the cane for
the season was lower at all Of the fact
cries than last year. Although there
was sufficient amount of good cane.
the business has not resulted a. favor
ably as 1t should have done, or as II
was expected 1t would This Is due en-
tirely to disregard on the part OF
some OF the managers to the conditions
which the business requires.
The amount Of sugar manufactured
during the year Is rs follows:
Medicine Lodge Sugar works & Re
inning Co.. .......,...-..-. UuvVO IpSs
Parkinson Sugar Co. 4oe'SOO IDS
Pipe & Hansford. .................- 12O,OOO IDS.
TOtal. .IporS4o ips.
Which is 293, 6S5 pounds less than last
year. This does not include the second
sugars at Medicine Lodge, which have
not been inspected yet, and will in
crease the output about 100000 pounds.
The Medicine Lodge factory, which
for two years stood at the head OF the
industry, suffered last year from n
change Of management causing delays
and mistakes that produced o balance
on the wrong side Of the ledger.
The Topeka sugar works were leased
by MessrA Pspe and Stamford. who
are stockholders in the Topeka sugar
company. Manufacturing began about
October 10, and continued ut intervals
until November 1. making about $780,
900 pounds OF sugar, when for lack OF
capital the factory passed into the
hands Of receiver.
The Fort Scott Co. contracted for
1000 acres Of cane, all Of which was de-
livered. The crop was backward and
Of inferior quality compared with
former years, but notwithstanding the
fact that over 1000 tons less OF cane
was worked for sugar than last year
the amount OF sugar manufactured ex-
ceeded last years crop by 101, 4S9
pounds. The value of the Fort Scott
plant is S75, 900. The total value OF the
years product was S35. 173; the total
cost of production s23, sO3. 90, leaving q
profit of 81, 36s.7s.
There were q few beets raised at
Medicine Lodge for experimental pur-
poses at the government station, but
none for the sugar company. The COM
pany has satisfied themselves as to the
possibilities of the business, but were
in no condition to put in the additional
machinery necessary to successfully
prosecute the business, the cost OF
which would be from S35, 900 to $50, 600.
Farmers generally over the state do
not seem inclined to adopt the cultiva-
ton Of sugar beets, preferring to raise
crops with which they are more
familiar and which do not require such
careful attention.
Under the head Of difficulties OF
clarifying sorghum sugar." the report
says that carbonatation experiments
were satisfactory as to the amount OF
sugar separated, but the process rem
dered the molasses understandable.
In 1890, the use Of alcohol as pre-
cipitant seemed to fill the require
mentS and the last congress having
made an appropriation for the purpose.
the department of agriculture, under
the direction of. DR.. H. w. Wiley, es-
tablished an experimental station at
Medicine Lodge, erecting model sugar
house, with complete apparatus for
conducting the experiments on
more extensive scale than Is possible
in the laboratory. The juices, during
the first Of the process, were treated
exactly as in the various sugar houses
of the state After boiling in the
multiple-effect evaporation to density
of about IS degrees Brix and cooling.
the strip was then mixed with an
equal quantity of alcohol, which COM
pletely precipitated the gums After
allowing the strip to stand for time.
It was then drawn of and washed
through q filter press. The alcohol be-
ing removed from the juice, twas then
boiled in the strike-pan. crystalizing
readily. The amount Of sugar thus OBJ
tanned was about doubled, and the
strip was much improved in color and
flavor.
Another result obtained by the gov
eminent at Medicine Lodge is Of inter
est and Importance to farmers not
only In raising sorghum, but In the
raising Of other crops as we'll A forty
acre tract of ground was plowed and
subsoiled to the depth Of about eighteen
inches, narrowed and then rolled. Tho
seed was planted In various ways-part