The morning call., 1892-09-18

predictions and are in full accord with me ;
even more than that. they'll be anxious to
follow out the plan first suggested"
Then the beet-sugar interests in Calfor-
MIA and the West are tlourishingY
Indeed they are-indeed they are. Never
were the prospects brighter and the returns
to the farmers so good"
rs this condition of affairs due in any
way to the existing state OF affairs in the
Hawaiian Islands, mean the failure OF
the sugar crop thereW
Not at all; why. not at ALL" and Mr..
SpTeckels leaned back in his chair and
laughed at the suggestion. I'm the only
one likely TO suffer by the failures in the
islands" he continued Now, here's the
point. Out of the six million and half tons
Of sugar annually produced by the world
the Hawaiian Islands have never produced
more than 125.000 tons. A mere drop IN the
bucket or batter. just little lump of sugar
when compared with the great supply. The
failure of the Hawaiian Commercial and
Sugar Company, if il can be so called, has
not and could not ia any way affect the
beet-sugar industry in this country. No
more would the success OF the venture
undertaken affected the same interests.
LET me tell my story In my own way.
Somebody says that in play, don't they?"
asked MIR. Spreckels, laugningly, "and they
also add that there is nothing like docu-
mentary evidence. Well, Pll show you,"
aDd he dived into the desk in front Of him,
got several papers, figured minute or two.
and then said:
There are in California three beet-sugar
Tehnerles-one at Ayarado, one al Chino
and one at Watsonvlle. Personally, l am
interested in the Watsonville refinery only,
bat what say OF the Watsonyille refinery
applies to all the others, both as to the re-
fnery itself and the beet-growers about it.
When /, some three years ago. tried to
tell the farmers around and about Watson
vile that it would pay them far better TO
raise beets than barley, was laughed at,
but by and by We got the refinery going and
then came the change. One man upon four
acres of land raised 5000 worth of beets and
netted in cash $50 per acre. Barley on the
same land had paid him S11 per acre. Others
did almost as well, but the idea was new
and farmers wouldn't take hold OF it. Then
| rented 1000 acres of land and put in
beets. The results obtained opened the
eyes OF the farmers little. and more of
them began beet t-culture.
The trouble is, continued Mr. Spreckels.
as he took a fresh cigar, ''that the people
don't like the work attached to raising
beets. With grain they plant it, let it grow
and harvest it; then plant it again, and so
on. With beets ii is different They need
care, cultivation, and above all the ground
must be most thoroughly prepared. But, In
considering the question. farmers forget
that grain wears out their land while grow
ing beets improve il.
Now, walt minute" said the speaker.
Let me explain what j mean. A careful
analysis shows that the beet gains its sugar
from the sunshine and the atmosphere.
None Of the sugar We extract comes from
the soil. All the elements taken from the
soil we leave In the tops of the beets, the
pulp after the sugar is extracted. and we add
to it a valuable fertilizer In the lime used in
the process OF making or extracting beet
sugar. In Germany the beet tops are left
on the field to rot and fertilize the soil that
gave the plant it's growth; the pulp is fed
to cattle, and farmers have found it one OF
il not the best feed they can procure for
stock; the lime Is eagerly sought after and
put upon the land. In California, when we
started we couldn't give the pulp aud lime
away. None Of tie farmers wanted 1t, but
they are growing wiser now. l used the
pulp and also the lime and let the farmers
around Watsouville see for themselves what
the results were.
The education cost. but 1t will in time
pay. The best evidence Is that in 1891 we
only had 1900 tons Of beets grown and sold
to us. while in 1892 we have already bought
over 55,0 600 tons Of the vegetable.
There are to-day around Wats0nville
and Salinas 153 farmers who grow beets al
most exclusively. In the State there are
to-day many acres planted to beets, and
next year the acreage will be very much
greater.
1t has cost me thousands of dollars to
be able 10 say that have done something
for California IL costs me $3.50 a year
to run my Watsonvlie refinery, but it is
going TO pay. Ii can't help it now. The
farmers see and realize the money in beet
growing
"One of the great things that has retarded
the growth OF the beet-sugar industry on
this coast has been the attitude OF the South
ern Pacific Railway. / soon realized that
the available land around about Watson
fnr hpQ a.. Orov IN nota tUi, md
we did missionary work in the Salinas Val
ley. The farmers planted beets, but couldn't
get them to the refinery before they were
wthered and worthless because the South
ern Pacific Railroad would not furnish them
cars.
"Those VINO did ship had TO pay 81 25
freight per ton, and it meant a serious loss
to many. lmade up my mind TO build q rail-
road into the Salinas Valley. L did it, build
ing 22h miles of railroad. l equipped it.
and now the farmers pay rs cents per ton
instead OF 81 25. and my little road Is max
ing money.
Another thing that Is going to help the
beet-sugar industry is the fact that we have
now machinery which will lessen the labor
on the beet farms, and we have been learn
Ing how to plant and grow beets, too. In
1890 the average yield of beets per acre was
only seven tons. The next year 1t was the
same. but this year the average will be four
teen tons and over per acre. The contract
price is So per ton, and 10 Is cash crop.
The farmer delivers, say 100 tons Of beets
during the month of September. On Octo-
Der 4 or 5 he gets his check for $500 cash.
He has paid. il he has TO ship his beets by
rail over the little branch road. SIS freight,
and has had net return for his labor and
land from the 100 tons OF S425.
when you come to consider that he can
raise say fourteen to fifteen tons of beets
per acre you can easily figure his profits.
i III getting TO be an old man" said Mr..
Spreckels. "and am beginning TO feel that
have done pretty near my share OF work,