The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1893-12-08
fxf sffT mogsrar.
Prot. Aassg's Report Upoa Ms 0bservations
81 In Ne6roskd.

sroG Adssev's Report Upon Ms Observations
In ks6roskd.
Prof. w. F. Massey, who with Con-
gressmsr s., B., Alexander, recently
made trip to tie West to observe the
sugar beet industry with view TO IT'D
possible cultivation for the production
Of sugar in this. State has made the
following report:
To His Excellency Elias Carr, Govern
or Of North Carolina:
Having been requested by You 10 be
one of q committee to GO 10 Nebraska
for the purpose of investigating the
condition there of the culture of the
sugar beet And the titsnufacture of
sugar therefrom, and having performed
to the best ofmy ability the duty placed
|.upon. me I beg leave to submit state
ment In regard to this trip. 1t msY
be propet hefe 10 state that the OPP
portunity to make this investigation
was afforded without any expense Ia
the State or myself by gentlemen who
are interested in the devc!lccp1lons. c.
the sugar beet industry in the South.
The gentlemen engaged In this enter
prise wish to go to work intelligently
and make sure of fsuccess before invest
ing large capital in the enterprise.
They therefore desired that some one
interested in the agricultural develop
ment of the State and the South should
carefully investigate what has been
done, and is being done elsewhere, So
as to fully understand the conditions
necessary for success. Hon. s. b.
Alexander, Of Charlotte, and the
writer constituted this committee, the
latter going by your request. II should
be stated at the outset that. the mari=
ufactnre of the sugar beet has only of
late years become possible even with
the encouragement of bounty.
Years ago, tests made in North Caro-
lima showed the beets to contain per
centage of sugar inadequate TO its pro-
fitable manufacture under conditions
prevailing In this country, and it's pro-
duction was only possible in counties
like France and Germany, with a
surplus of cheap labor. But owing to
the persistent and intelligent labors of
German and French seed growers, and
the investigations Of German scientists
the saccharine quality of the beet has
been steadily developed until its per
centage of sugar rivals that of the sugar
cane. This has been accomplished by
a careful election, by means of Pol
ariscope tests of beets for seed growing
gradually raising the standard from
year to year until the sugar beet of
today stands in the same relation to
that of fiften years ago, that the
thoroughbred horse does to the scrub.
A good ancestry is as valuable in o
plant as pedigee in horse. Hor-
ticulturists understand this Just as we'll
rs horsebreeders. This process Of
by careIuI BfO~orG>>..--ia still kent up
improvement In the beet will doubtless
be made. Not only has the general
saccharine quality of the beet been
thus improved, but several strains or
breeds have been produced specially
adapted to certain soils, one reaching
it best on sandy soils. another on
clay, etc, etc. So that now growers
can select seod bred specially for the
needs of their peculiar soil. Whether
this process of development can be
carried further in our climate or
whether, as in the case of some other
seeds, we must depend upon foreign
growers remains yet to be proved
But the Indications are that an equally
intelligent course of culture here will
give fully ~ good result iu the sced
product, and in time we may produce
seed that for our purpose will be even
ne'te'" ihap shat now imported. With
the great fnture ue',.~r -..+ of tho
sugar industry which seems assured IN
this country, ourintelligent and enter
pris;Ig seed growers may be depended
upon to do their part in the work of
improvement. The progress of the
Sugar Beet industry and the manu-
facture of the sugar has been more
rapid than most persons Imagine. A
few years ago the larger part of the
sugar of commerce was the product OF
the sugar cauc. Iu.!ay this is already
reversed and the larger part is pro
duced by the Sngnr Beet. In 1880 We
| produced go tons of Beet Sugar. The
crop or output for the present scasol
| is estimated to be not less than 20, ,OU(
tons. Still the increase in the demant
is such that VIC still produce but abou
| One-tentn OF tDe SnSut consumed III Ou
country. The development of th'
| Sugar Beet industry has been largel,
due to the encouragement bounty o
2 cents per pound While the bount.
is more directly beneficial! to the man
ufncturcr, it is lighter tax on the son
sumer than tariff would be-for tn
tariff would incrcas" the price of ever.
| pound used, while the bounty only
paid on that produced in this country
Tn this shape it cn"c uraSes an agricul
turnl product, mrl II We must hnv
"protertion, some from that vii bel
the farmer is desirable.
With n varirtY OF soils mpahle @
producing the hcet in great perfection
it behooves onc people TO be loo%ln
into this matter There are now j
operation nrmber of beet suga
factories, where great sums have bee
expended in educating the farmers j
the culture of the beet, and in eS
perimental work of various kinds. Onl
Of late have these great expenditure
begun to reward the energetic pro
prietors of these works, and, ns the
| l. 4. L.,