The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1897-12-25
SUGAR BEET IN MISSOURI

PAasne N hCsuit VI E4PcElAuChts AAhOo
Unde the Department of Agriculture
President Mckinley and Secretary of
Agriculture Wilson Interested.
Capt. Charles C. Bell, of Boonville, is
q recognized authority on the sugar
beet question, and while in St. Louis,
the other day. talked to a reporter.
AT last years meeting OF the Missouri Horti-
cultural society ! was appointed to visit Presi-
dent Mckinley and try and enlist his interest in
the introduction OF sugar beet cultivation in
this state" said Caps. Bell. Il went to Canton
and called upon Maj. Mckinley. After 1 had
explained the object of my visit, he become
much interested and asked me to call upon him
in Washington after his inauguration. l vis-
tied Washington in March, and there met Sec
rotary OF Agriculture Wilson. 1 wanted him to
distribute among the farmers Of Missouri . lot
OF sugar beet seed for experimental purposes.
He became interested. and when 1 returned ]
had his promise that the seed would be sent
He sent them to me, and I distributed thcn
about the state to any farmers who 1 thought
would plant and tend a patch.
THE results of this planting WIS watched
with great interest. As soon as the expert
mental crop was grown samples were forward
ed to Washington. Their, to be examined by
Prof. Wylie, chief chemist for the department
OF agriculture. HE made analysis Of hundreds
Of samples, and the result will appear in q bull
letin to be shortly issued by the government.
These analyses were extremely encouraging.
Tit percentage of saccharine mat:er contained
In the beets ranged from AZ to IL per cent
This is a wide range. but it is easily accounted
Tor. In order to raise good sugar beetS a farm
er must know something about how to culti-
vate the plant. Few OF our farmers possess
this knowledge, which accounts in a great
measure for the poor results in some instances.
Hnt in Snm1 nnrfs Of rho Cf1ta 11rUnlu nnnl .
lated by Germans. 1 found that many more per-
Sons had cultivated the beet in their own coun-
try before coming to America In these coun-
tries the best results were obtained; results
that really exceed my most sanguine expecta-
tions. The season was also unfavorable.
Few people understand that 80 per cent of
The sugar in the world comes from the sugar
beet. AT present the beet is principally Gull
tivated in France and Germany, where the
~peaSantry have found it a curative supplement
70 their other crops. In those countries sugar
oeets are prottably cultivated on land that aV-
srageS five times as valuable as ordinary farm
ing land in Missouri The beets raised there
contain from 3 to II per cert. Saccharine mat
ter, and from them is made much of the sugar
we use IN the United States So you see that
some of our samples showed 4 better percentage
than beetS raised by experienced cultivatOrS-
This conclusively demonstrates that our soil
and climate are suited to the cultivation OF the
sugar beet. and that all that is needed to raise
q prortable crop Is experience and proper care
in the cultivation. If German and French
farmers can make o profit out of the beetS on
dear land that requires constant and expensive
fertilization, l argue that our farmers can lind
in sugar beet culture q most profitable crop.
Missouri is filled with good land, and no fer
dliZation is necessary.
Il know that the farmers of Missouri are
awake to the advantages Of sugar-beet raising
Since l undertook TO interest the government
in the matter 1 have received over 900 letters
inquiring how to obtain seed and asking for d.
rections for planting. The seed sent out by the
government was received from the north Of
Germany. 1t is what Is termed 'acclimated' to
that climate, and Prof. Wylie believes that
when. after several seasons of cultivation here.
the beets have become Injured to our peculiar
climate conditions, the percentage of sac
charine matter may be largely increased. SUI
gar-beet culture was introduced into France by
Napoleon l., who caused experiments to be
made. At first the peasants could only produce
beets ~containg 3, 4 and 5 per cent. OF saccharine
matter, but the plant was bred up to US high as
10 to 20 per cent. We have the improved seed,
and much better and cheaper land, there is nc
reason that far richer beetS should not be pro-
duced in Missouri.
THE money value of sugar annually import
ed into the United States is more than SluO,UOO,-
w VI bAio IL Al1uuldsCluECI lIOlu luC SV
ga beets raised in Europe. This figure may be
properly said to represent the home market
that is awaiting the agriculturistS of this coun-
try whenever they are inclined to seize it. II
we will raise beets capital is only watching for
the chance to build refineries to make the su-
gar. Capitalists have to my knowledge already
become interested in the experiments being
made in Missouri, and will closely watch the
outcome. The sugar beet has other value to the
farmers 1t makes excellent feed for stock.
The poorer grade contains larger fattening
quality to the acre than corn. 1t is excellent TO
feed with grain. and produces fat under these
circumstances perhaps better than when fed
0lone.
1t is now an accepted agricultural PROPOSE
ton that rotation in crops is necessary to pre-
serve the bearing qualities OF land. So every
product tina: can be made to serve in rota-
ton with the staple grains is in the nature
of q boon to farmers. A diversified crop
is also good for the farming community,
for when one fails there Is another to
rely upon. L believe that sugar beetS will be
more profitable than either wheat or corn, even
when these cereals are ut high water mark.
The best soil is q rich, sandy loam-what is
usually called q second bottom From the de-
mands for seed, 1 believe the farmers OF Mis-
souri, have taken hold OF the subject Of sugar.
beet culture in earnest"
Capt. Bell intends to visit Washing
ton in January to have Il conference
with Secretary Wilson regarding fur
Their supply of seed for the spring
planting.