Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-04-07
CULTURE OF SUGAR BETS.

West Virginias Adaptabnity TO an In.
dustry Watch Promlsss TO Assume
Cersiderabls Importance In this COuu-
try.
From a star Correspondent Of The Register.
MoRGANrowN, w. Va, April 6. In
his address to-day upon the opening Of
the new building Of the experiment
station Hon. John W. Mason gave an
interesting and practical talk on the
subject Of beet culture and urged that
the manufacture o. sugar from the beet
be made one OF West Virginia's indus
tries
The American people, he said, con-
sumo one. fourth of Oil the sugar pro-
duced ia the world and produce less
than One-eighth of what they consume.
The average consumption of sugar in
the United States is 90 pounds a year
for every man, woman and child. This
country send abroad annually over a
hundred millions OF dollars in gold 20
pay for the sugar that is imported.
Every country ought 90 produce every
thing 70 consumes, il 10 is possible, but
enough cane sugar will never be pro-
duced in this country to supply the de-
mand. In only a few States can the
sugar cane be grown, and no matter
how much the industry Is stimulated by
government help it viii never become
large enough 10 supply the demand.
TIE GROWTH OF THE INDUSTRY
in Louisiana, the principal sugar state,
In the last 40 years has been scarcely
et a Ffr,r,
which was as follows: In 1851, lO3 tons;
Ia 1861, lis tons; 1871, IS tons; 1851, l2l
tons; 1889. 144 tons; 1890, 120 tons; 1891,
2l5 tons; 1892, 100 tons, aud for the year
1898 probably 17j or $50 tons.
Nearly all OF the continental nations
Of Europe produce beet sugar, which is
now more than half OF all the sugar
made. OF the fifteen billion tons pro-
duced last year only seven billion four
hundred million were Of cane sugar. In
the United States experiments have
been fully made aud beetS can be prof
itably made into sugar. la the central
States of the United States will be found
more land suitable for the production Ct
sugar beetS than would supply the en-
tire world With sugar. The industry In
this country is young yet but growing.
In 1850 there were less than a
million pounds Of beet sugar made TO
the United States This had grown to
four million ia lSSS; six million in 1852;
eight million m 1890; twelve million IN
1891; tWenty-seven million In 1892 and
forty-fYe million ia 1893. There are
now three
BEET SUGAR FACTORIES
IN Nebraska, three 10 California and
one each In Utah and Virginia Through
mismanagement and losses the latter
has failed though not till it was demon
strated that the sugar could be prodta-
Div made there. BeetS will yield from
ten 10 fifteen tons, which will make
about one ton Of sugar, 20 the acre, ana
az this rate 10 would require the product
Of a million and a half acres TO supply
the demand for sugar 10 this country.
Think what a blessing this industry
would be 20 the farmers Of the country
at this time Of deprecated values Of
farm products.
There are 10 Europe 1,45O factories
producing annually eight and a half
billion pounds OF sugar To supply
this country would require at least zoo
factories. The fight for beet sugar is
now being made ia this country aud Mr..
Mason predicts that within the next 20
years this country will be exporting
sugar rather than importing &C.
West Virginia Is believed to lie with
ia the sugar belt Of this country, and
no Investigations which could be made
al the experiment station would prove
more profitable than those In cOanec-
ton with the sugar beet culture. IL
West Virginia can get only ten or
twelve Of the factories which y will
surely be built In this country, Ahey
would employ some 1000 men III be