The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-01-23

MARE our OWN SUGAR.
Nothing is more obvious than that
Montana must DO something 10 keep mp
her usual prosperity while silver re-
mains in its present depressed conui-
tion. While all had work and our
mines we're paying fair profits Tor the
work on them. We did not feel the ever
lasting drain on our earnings made y
the money we pay for everything we
wear. more than half we eat, four-hiths
OF what we drink, and nearly all the FUR
niture we put an our houses.
No other people under the sun could
have stood up under such drainage as
long as we have. Under the present
condition o. our great industry IT be-
comes an absolute necessity for US TO
buy less OF make more.
Since our cook changed from the best
Minnesota flour 20 Montana no one 1t
the table has noticed any deterioration 10
the bread and pastry. The difficulty
about hard wheat has been solved. The
bread question is settled. Montana
hereafter eats her own bread. Now for
the sugar and syrups all Of which we
now import.
1t is now settled that the best OF
sugar and syrups can be made from
sorghum aud beets. Largest portions
or Asia, Europe and this country are
sweetened y the saccharne juices Of
these well known sugar producers. No
one who has examined the vegetable
shows at our fairs and in our markets
and gardens will doubt our ability TO
raise as fine crops Of beets as can be
produced in Illinois or France The
only question not fully and favorably
settled for Montana is the sacchar.ns
Qualities Of the juices under irrigation
and Montana suns.
Fortunately the experiment station Of
our agricultural college is here just in
time to settle this question for ms at
once and for all time. Prof Emery,
who has been put in charge Of this sta
ton and this work appears to be the
man for 1.-THE right man 10 the right
place" lie will soon prove that We can
raise just as good sugar beets as they
do in Germany and Iowa. The sap OF
juice Of all sugar producing plants car
ries very variable quantities Of facchar-
inc matter. The sap Of the sugar maple
is very variable IN the quantity o. sugar
it yields. II is sweeter 10 some parts Of
the day than in others, in some days
than others, and it varies in these par
ticulars in different parts Of tho season.
For obvious reasons the saccharine
matter Is not 30 variable in the Juice oi
the beet. Still the sugar varies very re
markably 10 different years IL
the same localities sul under tbs
came culture. The variation under cr
dnsry culture is from five 10 - pc
cent o. the weight d the plant This i
doubtless due 10 part 10 the amount o
rainfall toward the end n the season
Hence We need not expect 80 great
difference IN yield when cultivated b
irrigation. since the water given "a
plant can be regulated 10 the quantit
most conducive 20 the generation q
sugar. II is therefore probable that Ia
culture Of the sugar beet may be NOR
profitable under irrigation, other cond
tons being equal Ia studying th
question in connection with the season
and products OF Montana, no reason al
pears why We should not raise our ow
sugar from the beet just as easily q
Austria, Hungary and France, whic
are in our latitude and more easily tina
Prussia, Poland, Hanover and Hollan,
which are five degrees further mort
than we are. And an these countrie
not only supply their own wants Tor 81
gar, but export large quantities 90 othe
countries. Germany exports more be,
sugar than Cuba does cane sugar /
fact, Great Britain buys more beet III
gar from the countries u Europe tina
she does cane sugar from both u
Indies. The whole world, outside
China and tho East Indies, cats moi
beet than cane sugar, and China ca
sorghum sugar
The sugar cane Montana cannot rails
but some varieties n tho sorghum.
the Chinese cane, grow we'll in our stat
In the early eighties an effort was ma.
10 test the s,ryhum On Montana. Ol
Of the smaller and early varieties "
selected FOR the trial premium W
offered through the Agricultural az
Mechanical association and seed "
distributed 10 all who desired il. nj
directions Tor culture we're published
The ISDEpESDESr. Several patch
were grown, and the plants reached t
usual size Of that variety ia tho states
eight and nine feet high. Had tho q
pertinent been pushed then with {
cane and the beet Montana might la
raised her own sugar aud syrups "a
have been some millions richer o. aid
meeting the present financial crisis.
The present is a more propitious in