The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1894-09-19
A SUBSTITUTE FOR COTTON.
The Sugar Beet Recommended to Oar
Farmers.

COLUMBIA, September 10.-Governor
Tillman did not bother himself today
with politics. He did incidentally ask
about the report of the Murray confer,
ence, which he says was unfounded, but
be spent most of the time answering
an accumulation of mail. Among the
letters was one from Mr.. R. f. Fergu.
son, Of Chicago, which was given
prompt attention and which he hopes
will amount to something. If Mr..
FurgesOn is not able to do anything
may be some one else who has the re-
quisite capital will be able to see
Things as he does and develop the beet
sugar industry in this State. The en-
tering wedge has been given. VIII 1t
amount to anything?
The letter from Mr. Ferguson reads
as follows:
874 WEST POLK STREET. !
CHICAGO, ILL, Sept. 4, 1894
Governor Tlllman, Columbia, 5. c.
My Dear Sir: From a careful examlIa-
ton of the formation and soil Of South
Carolina as given IN book published
by the State Board of Agriculture of
South Carolina, l believe you have one
Of the best States in the Union for the
cultivation of the sugar beet and the
manufacture of beet sugar. 1t is fact
that the cultivation OF the sugar beet
under the scientific method necessary Y
to It's success increases the productive
ness of the ground for other crops. 1t
is also a particularly hardy plant, ad.
justtng itself without difficulty to con-
ditions of soil and climate with eX-
treme tenaclty Of life and succeeding
where many other agricultural pro-
ducts would under the same conditions
be total failure. The sugar beet
would average In most parts of your
State fifteen tons per acre and would
sell for 81 so to s. d ton az the factory
Factories could be established on your
navlgable rivers and railroad lines and
located so as to be convenient to the
largest number Of beet sugar produ-
GERS.
l write you because l have been
deeply interested in your Administra-
tion and the able manner in which you
have conducted 1t and because | like
your State and want to see it prosper.
How Is your State Board of Agricul-
ture formed? d. you appoint it?
Could you secure me a position to ex-
pertinent with raising sugar beet IN
your State? I know the introduction
of sugar beet culture and the manufac-
ture of beet sugar WOul1 be of the
utmost value to your STATE, aud would
be pleased to have your personal views
in relation to the same. Take your
coast counties from Beaufort to Horny;
then the next tier from Barnwell TO
Marlboro; then the next from Aiken to
Chesterfield; and next E1gei5ld to
Lancaster; all possess the soil suitable
to sugar beet culture and would pro-
duce the, best results, making from $50
to $50 per acre clear profit, and sure
crop, no danger Of failure. If you Can
inaugurate this new source of wealth
it will be fitting crown to your Ad-
minlstration. Will you kindly let me
hear from you2 l will furnish you
satisfactory references If there Is a
chance for business.
Respectfully yours,
R. II. FERGUSON.
Governor Tillman replied as follows:
COLUMBIA, September 10, 1894.
r. H. Ferguson, Chicago, ul.-My
Dear Sir: Your letter of September 4
has been received. In reply l would
say that experiments In the cultivation
of the various varieties OF beets, To-
Guiding the sugar beets, have been
made IN this State TINA and time
again, and there is no doubt whatever
as to our soil and climate being well
suited to beet culture. The difficulty
which l forsee in developing the sugar
industry here will be lack OF capital to
manufacture the beet aad the sugar.
The production Of the beet in paying
quantities will be easy. The skilled
labor, confined mainly to superintend-
ence, can be easily obtained in Eur0pe.
The question i5, who will furnish the
machinery to make up the product.
lam particularly interested In deVel-
oping 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 a plant TO manufacture beets into
sugar. We have large areas of very
fertile, cheap lands now devoted to
cJtton culture. Our farmers can sup
ply all the beets at prices as cheap as
they can be produced anywhere IN the
world. The time IS propritious for
enlisting their support to any new ag-
ricultural production which promises
profit, as cotton at present prices yields
Lone. We have no State Board of Ag-
riculture at this time, but you might
correspond with the director OF the ex-
per1mental station located at Clemson
College, but as have already told you,
If SOMEBODY will buy the sugar beet az
the prices you name our farmers WILL
contract to cultivate them according
to the instructions and to deliver any
quantity.
shall be glad to hear from you fur
ther on this importhut subject.
Respectfully,
B. r. TILLMAN.