The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1893-12-08
fHE SEET iNDVST8y:
Prof. Massey's Report Upon His Dissertations
in Nebraska

II
Prof. kassey's Report Upon His Dissertations
nHe6raskd.
Prof. w. F. Massey, who with Con-
gressn1ap g.. B.. Alexander, recently
made trip to the West to observe the
sugar beet industry with view to it's
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 committee to go to Nebraska
for the purpose of investigating the
condition there of the culture of the
sugar beet and the manufacture 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 may
be proper hefe to state that the OPP
portunity to make this investigation
was afforded without any expense To
the State or myself by gentlemen who
are Interested in the development of
the sugar beet industry in the South.
The gentlenieft engaged in this enter
prise wish to go to work intelligently
and make sure ofsuccess 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. It should
be stated at the outset that the man=
ufactnre of the sugar beet has only of
late years become possible even with
the encouragement of bounty
Years ago, tests made III North Caro-
lima showed the bects to contain n per
tentage of sugar inadequate to it's pro-
fitable Manufacture under conditions
prevailing in this country, and it's pro-
duction was only possible in counties
like France and Germany, with
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
n 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
plant as pedigee in horse. Hor-
ticulturists understand this Just as we'll
as horsebreeders. This process of
Dy careIuI BrOuvrG~..-iss still kent nj,
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 seed 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 as good result iu the seed
product, and in time we may produce
seed that for our purpose will be even
,' De''~--ih ihsn Sbat now imported. With
the great tnture ueN,.~ r---..t of +bo
sugar industry which seems assured II
this country, our rintelligent and enter
prising 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 cane. Iu,Iay this is already
reversed and the larger part is pro-
duced by the Sngar Beet. In 1880 we
produced 375 tons of Beet Sugar. The
crop or output for the present season
is estimated to he not less than %, 900
tons. Still the increase in the demand
is such that VIC still produce but about
one-tenth of the sugar consumed in ou,
country. The development of the
Sugar Beet industry has been largely
due to the encouragement bounty OF
cents per pound. While the bounty
is more directly beneficial to the man.
ufacturer, it is lighter tax on the ',on
sumer than tariff would be-for tht
tariff would incrcas" the price of every
pound used, while the bounty only j!
paid on that produced in this country
In this shape it encourages an aericul
tural product, nnl il we must hav,
protection, some from that w'ii bclI
the farmer liz desirable.
With variety of soils capable o
producing the beet in great perfection
it behooves one people to be looking
into this matter There are now il
operation number of beet suga
factories, where great sums have beer
expended in educating the farmers il
the culture of the beet, and in ex
kol IL, e. L.. ~