The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1894-09-18
BEETS AND BEET SUGAR.
South CarOlica Soil Suited to the
Growth of Bccts-Is There Money
in Making Sugar Out of Them?

Growth of Bccts-Is There Money
i'm Making Sugar Out fThem?
The question of beef culture and
the manufacture of beet sugar in this
State has been revived by correspon-
dence between q Chicago man and
Governor Tillman on the subject.
The correspondence, which is as fol-
CHICAGO, ILL.,, Sept. 4, 1894.
Governor Tillman, Columbia, S. G..
My Dear Sir: From careful examine
ton Of tho formation and soil of South
Carolina, as given in Il book published
by the State Board of Agriculture of
South Carolina, | believe you have
n of the best States in the Union for
tho cultivation of the sugar beet and
tho manufacture of beet sugar. 1t is
u fact that the cultivation of the sugar
beet under the scientific method neces-
sary in it's success increases the pro-
ductivencss of the ground for other
crops. 1t is also a particularly hardy
plant, q adjusting itself without difficulty
to conditions of soil and climate with
extreme tenacity Of life and sue
ceeding where man other agricul-
tural products would under the same
conditions be a total failure. The
sugar beet would average in most
parts of the State fifteen tons per acre,
and would sell for $3.50 to So u ton at
the factory. Factories could be estab-
lished on Your navigablo rivers and
railroad lines and located so rs to be
convenient to the largest number of
beet sugar producers. | write you be-
cause / ave been deeply Interested
in your administration and the able
manner in which you have conducted
it and because l like your State and
want to see it prosper. How is your
Board of Agriculture formed? Do
you appoint it? Could you secure me
q position to experiment with raising
sugar beets in your State? | know
the Introduction of sugar bect culture
n the manufacture of beet sugar
Wo;t.d hc Ui t.u almost value 20 yDur
State and | would DC pleased to have
your personal views in relation to the
same. Take your coast counties from
Beaufort 10 Horny then the next tier
from Barnwon to Marlboro: then the
next from Aiken to Chesterfield ; and
next Edgcticld to Lancaster, all possess
the soil suitable TO sugar bcet culture
and would produce the best results,
making from 500 to $50 per acre clear
profit, and a sure crop, no danger of
failure. Ii you can inaugurate this
@ source Of wealth it will be Il fitting
crown to your administrative. Will
your kindly let mo hcar from you ?
| will furnish you satisfactory re-
fcrcnces if there is a chance for busl-
ness.
Respectfully yours,
II. II. FERGUSON.
Governor Tillman's answer was as
COLUMBIA, S. c., Sept. 10.
r. FL. Ferguson, Chicago, III.
Dear Sir: Your letter Of Scptem-
bpls 18th rnppivnI In ra,lu would
say that experiments in the culture of
the various varieties of bccts, includ-
ing the sugar bcets, have beer made
in this State, time and time again,
and there Is no doubt whatever as to
u soil inc climate being well suited
to beet culture. The difficulty which
| foresee in developing tho sugar in
dustry here will be lack of capital to
manufacture the beet and the ugar.
quantities will be easy. The skilled
labor, confined mainly to superintcn-
dencc, can DO easily obtained in
Europe. The question is, who will
furnish tho machinery to mako up the
product? am particularly interested
in developing the production of any
new crop that will take the place Of
cotton in our agriculture, and will be
glad to have you give me, if you are
familiar with the subject, estimates on
the cost of IL plant to manufacture
bccts into sugar. We have large areas
OF very fertile, cheap lands now devoted
to cotton culture. Dun farmers can
easily supply all tho bccts at prices as
cheap a they IAN be produced any
where in the world. The time is
propitious for enlisting their support
to any new agricultural production
which promises profit, as cotton at pre-
scnt prices yields none.
We have no State Board of Agricul-
turc at this time but you might cor
respond with the director of the OK
detrimental station located at Clemson
College, but as | have already told you,
If somebody will buy the sugar beet ut
the prices you name our farmers will
contract to cultivate them according
to instruction and to deliver any
quantity.
III shall be glad to hear from you fur
thcr on this important subject.
Respectfully,
b. II. TILLMAN.