The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-02-25
GERMAN BEET SUGAR.

As the time approaches for the aban-
donment of the stimulation of beet-Sngar
industry in Germany by premiums and
bounties, much interest is taken in the
question whether the industry will main
tain itself unaided. All bountles are to be
dlscon tinued on July 81, 1897. after having
lasted nearly quarter of century. On
July 81, 1892, they were reduced, and pro-
vision was made for their further reduc-
ton Oh July 81, 1895 Up to the present
time these reductions have only slightly
checked the business. In 1874 the num-
Der of sugar-factore in operation was 337;
in 1925 it was 401. 1t remains to be seen
whether the total abolition OF the bounties
will be followed by more serious effects.
Thus far the acreage planted in beets tends
rather to increase than TO diminish. The
number of hectares so used in 1928 was
$50. O15, about S75, 600 acres. as against
$50. 454. about $4,000 acres. in 1892.
The effect of the Bismarck system has
been to treble the production of beets in
twenty years. and nearly TO double the
home consumption of sugar. In 1928
Germany raised 3,526, 600 tons of beets; in
1892 SO the crop was 9.811. eco. In 1872 Is
the home consumption of sugar was 29S. 339
tons; in 1928 it was sol, 319 tons. Stimuli
taneously the quantity of sugar extracted
from a given quantity of beets has largely
increased. In 1928 100 pounds of beets
yielded 81 pounds of raw sugar; in
1928 the same quantity yielded 119S
pounds. The increase Is due partly to
improvements in the quality of the beets,
increasing the volume of saceharine, and
partly to improvements in the manufac-
ture, by which the loss of saccharine in
reduction has been minimized. The cost
of refining has been so greatly reduced
that GermaDyis now able to export 425, 900
tons of sugar in competition with the
sugar-cane of the West Indies.
The beet-growers of California get more
beets out of an equal quantity of land and
more sugar out of an equal quantity of
beets than the Germans do. In favora bic
localities our crops are larger than theirs,
our soil being more fertile. but they partly
make up the difference by ferulizing with
Chile saltpeter. The total German acre
age planted in beets last year was in round
figures SIS, 900 acres, on which. as stated
above. 9S11. 600 tons Of beets were raised,
or II tons to the acre. At the jacksonville
beet farm he product is said TO be IS to 20
tons of beets to the acre. and the beets are
said to average IS per cent polarization,
against IA or Is per cent polarization in
Germany. At least this is the unofficial
report from the factory.
Graf Won Schulemberg, in bis report on
beet culture in Germany. mentions a medel
beet farm, in which the land, after being
treated by a succession of processes of
cultivation and being heavily MANFRED
with nitrates, yielded IA tons to the acre,
containing 10 per cent of saccharine. This
cores spends very closely to the experien ce
of Mr.. Z. II. Dyer, who reported to the
Agricultural Bureau yield for bis terri
tory Of Is tons to the acre, carrying II So
of sucrose. At Chino exceptional fields
in favorable seasons have yielded 70 tons
to the acre, with occasional lots carrying
% per cent. though the average of fifty
samples chosen at haphazard only showed
Il per cent.
A field which will yield Il tons of beets
carrying saccharine enough TO make them
worth S. ton at the factory produces $40
year gross. The same field planted in
wheat and yielding Is bushels TO the acre,
which is above the average, will produce
at present prices S11 % gross on the farm
The cost of raising beets, with the thor
ough cultivation they require, is. of course,
much greater than the cost of raising
wheat. But even allowing for this, the
disparity between the yields is large.