The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-04-20
ADDITIONAL FACTS ABOUT THE So
GAR INDUSTRY,

| To the Editor of the Eagle:
| Since sending you the article, "Facts
| About Sugar, published in your issue of
| April ), | have received some additional
statistics in regard 10 the production Of
sugar in 1892. that are of great value.
The facts and figures reported were for
the fiscal year ending June 80, 1892, but
did not include the production for 1882,
the sugar not being made until after
| July of that year.
The amount of beet sugar produced in
1891, as reported. was Il, 004, S3S pounds,
while the product of tbs year 1892 was
1888, S3S pounds. These facts show
that the beet sugar industry was more
doubled during the ysar 1892. The in
crease for 1892 over 1891 was IL, 01S, 4S4
pounds. OF this amount California pro-
duced y, sol ,322 pounds, Nebraska
3,S0S, 800 pounds, and Utah, 1, 473, 800
pounds.
CALIFORNIA; three factories averaged
1867, 101 pounds each. Nebraska's two
factories averaged 1,604,2 each.
Utah's one factory made 1,413, 800
pounds. The largest production was
that of the Western Beet Sugar COM
pany of Watsonville, Cal. the first suc-
cessful beet sugar factory established in
this country. which was II 800, 921
pounds, and this was accomplished in
about sixty days, in the year 1892. At
this rate Of production 400 beet sugar
factories scattered throughout the
United States would manufacture all
the sugar this country consumes. The
beet sugar factory in Utah cost $500. 900,
the machinery alone costing $3.50, 900.
To build 400 sugar factories at $500. 600
each would require $500, 100000 of
capital, which is less than we paw
foleign countries for the sugar we I'M
port every two years. The cost Of
constructing 400 sugar factories capable
of making that amount of sugar
would probably not be more than
$3.50, 900 each, which is less than the
amount the people of this country pay
in one year for imported sugar.
These factories are located in aeri-
cultural districts, and as the largest pro-
portion of the cost OF making sugar is in
producing the beets, cane and sorghum,
the farmers will be the ones most bene-
lllltu DN up liio INDUSTRY III
this country. Probably all the states Oh
the line from Maine to California can
raise sugar beets successfully for sugar
making.
We have not yet received the report
of the increased production of cane
sugar for 1892, but have recently
learned q few facts in regard 10 sor-
ghum, from Mr.. Thomas Best, the
superintendent and manager of the
Medicine Lodge Sugar factory, which is
as follows:
1.-The season of 1892 was one of the ex-
ceptions, owing TO the drouth. The
yield of cane per acre was one of wide
range. Good cultivated land raised in
some cases 10 tons, while Indifferent
farmers had from four to five tons:
so that the average was lower
than for any previous year. We OBJ
tanned about 120 pounds of sugar Der
ton of cane, which was the highest so
far ever got out. The lowest price we
received for sugar was - cents per
pound, delivered at Chicago: the highest
price was 81 cents there. Farmers
cleared from S12 to SIS per acre on their
crop, counting in the proceeds Of the
cane seed. Under present conditions. we
could not operate the sugar plant vita
ont a bounty or 4 tariff, one of which we
must have. We are contractincn for
$500 acres of sorghum for this season.
aud hope, if the season is favorable, to
have a successful run, and more fully
establish the sorghum business
MIR. Best indicates in his communica-
ton that he favors tariff on sugar
rather than bounty. for the reason that
it takes SIX or eight weeks TO get the
bounty after the sugar is made, while
the tariff adds that much to the
price, and they sell every week on
ten days time and therefore get their
money in sooner with tariff than with
bounty. He also thinks that when the
industry is well established. and the
sorghum Is bred up TO higher standard.
rs can be done by careful selection OF
seed and proper cultivation, the basi-
ness NAV possibly be carried on without
either tariff or bounty.
In raising sorghum for the sugar fac
tory AT Medicine Lodge, they have ex-
perimented with different varieties and
different systems of cultivation. ana
they find they have raised the percent
age from ) to y per cent. 10 froEi = 10
is per cent Ii the Medicine I.odc,
sugar factory has obtained 100 pounds
Of sugar reg ton from the cane tne past
season, Il Is very mach higher than The
amount that las previously been pro-
duced from sorghum, and Is greater
than the average Of sugar cane.
The government reports ou.v IS
pounds per ton from sorghum. and Il5.6
pounds per ton from cane. Ii by care
full selection If seed and good cuitiva-
ticn, they can increase the amount q
sugar per ton Of sorghum 10 100 OF more
pounds. and Jien, by adopting thu aIco-
holic process advocated bv Prof. Wiley.
can add 80 pounds more, they can IN
increase lie percentage al sorghum
sugar TO Isl pounds Ter ton. which j.
greater Khan that @! either heels 81
sugar cane, AMI adopting improving
systems 81 cultivation. The average PRO-