The record-union., 1896-02-03

\
profitable crops for the farmers of this
| State, and gave reasons therefor. Beet
culture was entered upon, and a fac
| tory established at Sacramento. which
proved failure, for the reason that the
proper machinery and methods were not
used. But now that it has been demon
strated, by improvements in both
methods and machinery. that the high
| percentage of sugar contained in this
particular variety of beet can be profit
ably extracted, the grower has substan-
tial facts to warrant cultivation of this
valuable product. In the place of three
| beet sugar factories, California should
have twenty. The extent of acreage in
this State available for beet culture
warrants that number.
The tests made under the direction of
the United States Government to ascer-
tain the number of tons of beets neces-
sary to procure a ton Of granulated
sugar demonstrated that beet sugar
could be produced cheaper and better in
California than in any other State of
the Union. The tests covered the years
1S91-92-93 (the years in which the
bounty was paid), and it was shown
that at the Chino factory 6.56 tons Of
beets returned 1000 pounds of sugar;
that at Watsonville $40 tons, and at
Alvarado 900 tons of beets produced a
ton of sugar. Experiments made by di-
rection of the same department show
that a very large proportion of our val
ley lands are adapted to sugar beet cult
ure, and that they will produce from
ten to twenty tons of beets to the acre.
At $4 per ton, the ruling factory prices
of last season, a profit of from 81 90 to
81 per ton has been returned to the pro-
ducer with prospect of increased yield
land correspondingly greater profit per
acre. What California most needs is the
development of her industrial capacity.
IIer citizens are not looking to this with
the vim characteristic of other coun-
tries. In Europe the tendency is to cre-
ate new industries and encourage the
full development Of her resources for
the benefit of her large population, and
with commendable results. In the mat
ter of this very subject-the growth of
sugar beets-there has been a remark
able stride within the past few years
more so there than in any other portion
OF the globe.
The six leading European sugar-pro-
ducing countries have, during the past
ten years, increased their acreage in
sugar beets as follows: Germany, from
7S0, ,S36 acres in 1884 to 1,0S9, Ill acres
in 1S95-an increase of nearly 40 per
cent; in Austria Hungary the increase
of acreage was A per cent; in Belgium
the largest increase is found, being 121
per cent; in France 80 per cent; in
Holland 81 per cent. and in Russia.
the smallest, SO per cent. on the re-
spective areas of 1884. It will thus be
seen that the extension has been gen
eral throughout these countries, which
action was certainly warranted, to sup
ply the demand. AS shown by the
United States reports on the market
ing of American products, Belgium, in
proportion to her population, produces
more beet root sugar than any other
country of Europe. In 1898, with a
population of but 6,262, ,272, she had
121 beet sugar factories, or one fac
tory to every 81, $50 inhabitants; while
Germany had but 405 factories to 50,-
10000 people, or one factory to every
125, 900 inhabitants. At that rate Cali
fornia, with her 100000 population,
and with a territory to supply that is
peopled by $4,000, 900 souls, could easily
maintain, with the producing quality of
her soil, twenty factories at least. Since
1885, the sugar produced by Belgium
has doubled. They are not slow in that
country to recognize their advantages,
and unless the people of this State rise
to the situation, the development of
many of our dormant resources will be
left to the next generation. AS Di-
rector Gird truly says, in his recent
paper upon the subject of sugar beets:
I'VE find here in California all those
natural conditions by which the sugar
beet was enabled to come into exist
ence in its original home; such as 4
mild, dry climate, deep alluvial SOIL
and long periods of sunshiny weather,
which will eventually cause it to be-
come one of the great economical and
industrial products of California"
Our united efforts must be used in a
manner to induce arrangement Of
present trade conditions whereby our
product will have extended territory,
or a reduction in the Hawaiian i'm
port.
The beet-sugar output of the Cali
fornia factories for 1895 is estimated
to be as follows: Chino factory, 22,-
100000 pounds; Watsonville factory,
q, 100000 pounds; Alvarado factory,
100000 pounds.
Taking the average price for refined
sugar at the four ports, 4. 152 cents, as
quoted to the trade by Willett & Gray
of New York, the sugar output of Cali
fornia for 1895 would amount to 81
046.520. The factory prices are not OBJ
tainable, but are probably a little less
than the figures quoted.
To diversity crops the most intelli-
gent methods must be resorted to, and
in no better way can the farming COM
munity obtain this education than by
practical experiments as to the capa-
bilities of the respective soils. There is
no question but that there is a vast
amount of land farmed in this State an
nually at a great loss; that is to say,
one-half the amount of work, care and
attention put upon land of a better
quality would yield mere profitable re-
turns. We have good land in abun-
dance, and which should be worked
upon an intelligent basis, thereby maxi
ing every acre a paying proposition
The sooner the workers of the poorer
soils abandon them, and turn them over
to grazing purposes, and either by
purchase or rental, secure a small tract
of No. land, so much sooner will they
find themselves prosperous. The con-
tinuous farming of poor land will make
beggars of the wealthiest. The chief
reason why some farmers are more
prosperous than others is they use bet
ter judgment in selecting land and
working it. Intelligence is the great
quality needed by the soil-worker, and
when you find a successful farmer you
will find an intelligent man You will
find that he ''reads up; analyses pub