The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-05-08
The Secretary EnthuSi-
aStiC Over the New
Industry.
He Distributes Seed to About
Twenty Thousand
Farmers.
Confident of Great Results and the
Enlistment of Unlimited
Capital.

= l y N
OF the United States with broad red
stripe running across it from the Atlantic
TO the Pacific will soon ornament the
walls of the office of the Secretary of Agri-
culture. This map, and particularly this
stripe, will interest especially two great
classes OF citizens OF the United States
the farmers and the capitalists.
Having distributed sugar beet seed to
about 20. 600 farmers," said Secretary Will
son to THE CALL correspondent, Il want
10 take up the practical end of this sub
ject now ana show to the capitalists as
we'll as to the farmers where they can
afford TO make such experiments and en-
ter upon such business investments as are
likely to be a success financially and
otherwise"
You still have faith, then. in the beet
sugar enterprise from a practical stand
point?"
"Undou btedly; and it is evident that
the people OF the United States have faith
in 1t. We have supplied in the last two
weeks 20 900 farmers Of the country with
sugar beet seeds for experiment during
the coming season. They are scattered
through practically every State north Of
the extreme southern line Of States. The
people as far south as the Carolinas, Ten
nessee and Texas believe that thEy can
grow sugar beets SUGGEST ully, and we are
quite willing TO give them full oppor-
tunity to make that test everywhere. II
they succeed IN extending the beet-sugar
territory down to the very line OF the cane
sugar area there ought TO be no difficulty
in producing in the United States all of
the S100, coo 600 worth of sugar for which
we are now going abroad annually.
The practical business end of this ex-
pertinent" continued Secretary Wilson,
as he glanced at the map of the United
States hanging upon the wall Of his off ,e
ais the next thing to be taken up. We
have supplied people in all parts of the
country with sugar-beet seeds, and they
can now go on with their experiments in
growing them. Meanwhile we shall train
our more technical but equally i'm portant
investigation TO determine what part OF
the country is most likely to be success
full field for operations both in actual
growth OF the beets and the production OF
the highest grades of sugar. This is a
subject which the capitalists OF the coun-
Try especially want 10 know about. 1t
takes money to esta blish sugar factory.
1t is not practicable for the farmer TO raise
few acres of beets and turn them into
sugar upon his own farm. The factory
must have such expensive machinery and
be operated upon such large scale as to
absorb the prod uction OF several farms il
it is 10 be a financial success.
$50 the capitalists who are waiting to
put their money into beet-sugar factories
are entitled to all the information which
we can give them as to the section or Sec
tions OF country where beet sugar is most
likely to be successfully produced and
likely 20 be most successful in production.
To this end they ought to have the best
information that can be obtained in regard
TO climate, soil, trans portaion conven-
fences and other elements which enter
into determination of these questions.
The next step which l propose to under
take then is to put into the hands OF some
competent person r persons the study OF
this subiect, including climate, rainfall,
character OF soil and other matters of this
kind IN different parts of the various
States.
The record of the climate and rainfall
for term OF years can readily be Obtained
almost anywhere. Samples OF soil can
also be obtained and analyzed. Where il
is practicable to make these analyses at
le State experiment stations this will be
done; where 1t is not practicable the
samples of soil will be forwarded here or
to such other convenient points as may
be selected and analyses made. In this
way, while the farmers are experiment.
ing with the growth of the sugar beet, we
expect to make equally important expert
ments and researches from this stand
point, and by com Oination OF these ex.
periments be able to indicate to the peo-
pie desiring to invest in the esta blish-
ment of sugar factories the locations or
the strip of country where they are mos,
HkeIy to meet with success and likely to
meet with the most success
You think there is capital in the coun-
try ready TO go into the beet-sugar manu-
featuring indusuyY
"Undoubtei and plenty OF it. A
number OF factories are already operated
by Claus Spreckels and people with capt.
tai are willing and ready to esta blish
many more OF them as soon as they de.
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