New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-05-24
GROWING SUGAR BEETs.
WORK OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERN
NENT EXPERIMENT STATION.

The annual report Of the Government sugar oeet
experimental work which is conducted at the sta
ton located AZ Schuyler. Nebraska. IS just pun
lished and the results OF the season OF 1915 are
given TO the public The Schuyler station was es-
tabshed by the late Secretary Rusk in order TO
Furnish precise practical and scientific data bearing
upon the success Of an industry which very note
worthy authorities maintain should he dom''"'l
In the United States 1t urged that orr climate
soils and the other natural conditions are not ohN
equal 10 those OF IL beet regions OF Europe "''
afford in particular parts 81 the country, more
specific combinations favorable TO the Introduction
and proeress of beet culture than are found in any
European State. In view Of the public interest
shown upon the question OF extending me area u
the home sugar production the Department Oh
Agriculture very properly considered the movement
one which should proceed in some measure. under
its direction; particularly SO since not few WIZ
and III advised attempts had been made by enthusi-
astc novicos TO produce from beets in several
PARTS OF the country and these enterprises haH an
fallen TO the ground Those failures naturally gave
the lie in the minds Of some 10 tho belief that beet
sugar could be grown successfully In any part or
the country but as others including capitalists as
well as farmers were sti coutcnding Tor the posi-
bilities Of the industry. the Rusk administration OF
the Agricultural Department determined TO put the
matter under experimental test. The causes or
failure hitherto recorded probably not the soil.
climate. nor any combination Of natural condi-
tions but possibly nothing more than the ignorance
of the farmers Of the special mode OF culture re-
quired by the beet in order TO ct IL ~ produce
sugar. In Germany and France beet culture is
speciality and men taught and trained 70 con-
duct it, and the present standard OF the culture III
those countries is the result of the study and APP
plication OF given methods for period of forty
years. How farmers apply this special
knowledge until they have IL. and how can it be
furnished TO them without experiment. They can
not experiment for they have not the knowledge
Adj fhHrr Lot
think of the waste OF effort and Of money If 10000
farmers each solving the same problem for
himself while AZ the same time. and with n frac-
ton Of the expense. and with infinitely more ac-
curacy, the agricultural branch Of the Government
could do Il for the whole If tho manufacture Of
beet sugar can be made possible IN this country.
1t involves the creation of industry which means
tens of millions Of dollars. and the cost Of the
Governments Investigations which TO settle this
matter. do not exceed $50 per annum.
The report opens with description OF the mode
Of preserving through the winter season the bcets
which intended for the production Of seed in the
following year. the beet requiring two years 10
propagate itself. the mature mother beet" being
developed the first year. and the seed in the year
following In some climates and this applies tho
climate Of Nebraska. the work Of preserving the
mother beet is OF difficulty caves "silos"
being used for the purpose. in which the beets
stored in certain specific ways. and within which
the temperature must be kept at given uniform
degree that freezing the hand end
premature gro eth on the other avoided. The
results OF the mode Of preservation followed
expressed by the assistant in charge in the report
follows: 1.-THE loss. however Of only 80 per
cent Of the total during the term OF storage
five months the almost complete immunity from
decay (only beets in 100 dccayel) and the solid
condition Of the beets when taken OF the silos
Justify the conclusion that the mode Of preservation
in use Is In all respects satisfactory"
Those mother bets he reDOrt were
planted for the production Of seed In May and al
though the one Of unusual drouth and
heat. the quality as indicated by the brightness
Of the seed and the weight. was excellent" The
yield Of seed with the money value per acre is
expressed in the following table:
Season. per acre. per acre
1892 Observation-Disclosures. 9es pounds le3 60
The seed produced by the station is preserved in
grades according to quality for future production.
The report adds: Arrangements were made with
the president Of the Oxnard Beet Sugar Company
for the purchase Of all surplus seed. and at the
price of % cents per pound"
In speaking Of the cultural season. the repor,
states that the year 1899 will be memorable as one
OF the worst and from general agricultural point
Of view the most caamitous on account OF the
drouth, great heat, and the wind and dust storms
which occurred And yet. despite those untoward
climatic conditions the beet crop Of the year was
not unsatisfactory. 1t notably below that OF
1891. which season was marked by great moisture
but after all 1t practical success
The most interesting feature of the work Of 1913
was the production Of beets from home grown"
seed. e.. from seed which had been grown by the
station In the previous year. Several varieties Of
the old established standards OF Germany ana
France were experimental with and the home
grown" seed was tested and compared side by sdA
with imported seed OF the same varieties The re-
suits are astonishing and highly satisfactory and
indicate most emphatically the capabilities OF the
soil and climate Of Nebraska when the same meth.
obs OF culture are employed which obtain in the
beet fields OF Europe. The home" grown seed not,
only germinated more rapidly than the imported but
larger percentage grew. and the more rapid early
growth was maintained throughout the season The
actual results. expressed in weight OF bcots and
sugar per acre set forth in the following table,
s.os Yield Of beets Sugar
-, SEED. per acre. per acre
Ih hpost sre sSq5 seed. p tons 5Ssl pound.
And the assistant in charge remarks: The pro.
duction Of sugar per acre from the home grown
seed was 7O6 pounds. or y per cent. greater than
that of the imported seed Of the same varieties.
under corresponding conditions of soil. climate and
In speaking of the results Of 1898 in comparison
'The results OF this season are almost identical
with those Of 1892 Both seasons however are far
behind the very excellent crop OF 1891 when the
juices were most satisfactory.S '' '"'''' u '"e
The schuyler station has not confined its labors
10 testing the comparative productiveness Of home
grown ana imported seed; 1T has undertaken the
STUDY OF certain problems OF highly scientific ma
ture, YET questions which involve very important
practcal CONSIDERATIONS. The assistant in charge
DR.. Walter Maxwell has conducted a series Of ex-
periments involving the study OF physiology
cal changes which occur in the organism of the
beet under particular conditions Of weather and in
exposure 10 the air and sunlight. Those expert
ments have led to very interesting and highly i'm
portant conclusions. certain Of which stand in OPP
position 10 the theories held by the first authori-
ties or Germany and France II would far exceed
the possible limits OF this review to follow the in
yestgations OF which the report treats yet the
furnished sta A
appear amply sufficient 10 the purpose. Or Max
we'll however. concludes his discussion OF the re-
suits by saying: In placing the results OF these
experiments record II is desirable and very
appropriate that the views which stand I'm opposi-
ton TO these results. and the noteworthy au-
thorities by whom those views have been held be
kept In recollection. revision OF the theories