Omaha daily bee., 1897-01-19
RAISE orr OwX SUGAR.


Commenting upon the governors messaGc
the Times took occasion to refer approyingly
to that portion Of the document relating tC
the announcement Of the sugar beet culture
in Minnesota and expressed the opinion that
with proper legislation this country should
within the next five years produce every
pound Of sugar necessary Tor its own con-
sumption. That this statement Is entirely
reasonable is proved by the success OF the
beet sugar industry in several states. The
consumption of sugar in this country Is in
round numbers 1000, 100000 pounds annually.
At the low price OF cents pound thc
quantity of sugar would be worth $2O00G0,-
000
The American Agrculturist recently pub
lshed reports from various sources showing
that great progress has been made in the
manufacture of beet sugar in the United
States. One of the Spreckles factories at
Watsonville, Cal. paid out for beets end
labor last year not less than S750,00O. Dur
ing the past eight years it has disbursed
over s3.000000 on the same account, or an
average Of 81 900 day since 1t has started
work, and has protected the whole section
from distress during the hard times. Last
year the mill handled 10000 tons of beets
and the crop was not all harvested until
nearly Christmas. Over 900 cattle are being
fed at the creamery, mostly with beet pulp,
and 7,l26 tons Of sugar were turned out as
the produce of about four months work.
But the beet sugar industry is not con-
the little town of Levi, Utah, which paid
$37 600 for beets in a single month in 1895,
and up to October IA, last the factory had
received 1900 tons OF beets, had worked
up IL 900 tons. and had made II 900 sacks OF
refined sugar. The local paper says that
5000 acres We're planted in beets last year;
that to raise, harvest and deliver them
costs $50 and acre; that the average crop
last year was fifteen tons per acre, which
at 81 ton brought $50 an acre and, there
fore, $50 clear profit per acre to the
farmer On the whole acreage planted that
would mean that $500 clear profit waD
distributed among the farmers In the vi
cinity of Levi last year. There Is no
place in the world" says the local paper,
'where the fafhIer5 are doing better"
Nebraska Produces sugar beets of fine
state are doing well. A new factory was
completed few months ago in the Pecos
valley, New Mexico. It is believed by those
who have made practical investigation
Of the subject that the sugar beet can be
cultivated as successfully In Minnesota as
in Nebraska. Some experiments that have
been made show that the climate and soil
OF the state will produce prolific crops OF
this article, and there Is no reason why 1t
should not be cultivated on a large scale
The portion Of the governors message recon-
mending this undertaking is one OF the most
valuable In document which Is one of un-
usual practical merit.
1t may be accepted as settled fact that
with a little encouragement by the legls-
lature Minnesota may be made one OF the
great beet producing states OF the Union.
All sugar producing countries became such
by government encouragement, and the beet
root industry OF Europe would never have
been established without the system OF
bounties inaugurated by Napoleon.