The record-union., 1897-10-20
THE BEET SUGAR INDUSTRY.

The story is in circulation to the ef-
feet that 10000 acres of the best allu-
vial lands Of the Sacramento Valley
are about to be combined in a great beet
sugar industry. On the face of things,
this is a real estate speculation, with
the proposition to establish factories for
the manufacture of beet sugar as the
make-weight for the sale of lands.
The smost successful land-selling en-
terprise which may be inaugurated is
that IN which the use of the land to
be sold may be defined, and if the land
may be devoted TO some form Of inten-
sive culture higher price may be asked
and obtained. The proposition, there
fore, to devote the lands to the culti-
vation Of beets must be regarded in the
light of an advertising feature for the
sale of the property. II beet sugar fac
tories are established, however, and a
remunerative price paid for the beets,
a use for the land in somewhat small
quantities will have been found, and
while the fertility remains a more prof
liable use than general farming.
It may be accepted, however. as a
maxim that no disparity of profit can
long be maintained between objects of
culture. If it is more profitable to de-
vote an acre to the growing Of beets
than the growing of wheat or potatoes
or alfalfa, it will be planted to beets.
and a gradual enlargement of the area
so planted will be observed with a cor
responding diminution of other plant
ing. Thus the profit viii be equalized.
The growing Of beets for brief period
may prove more profitable than general
farming; but the law announced is in
exorable, and sooner or later all agri-
cultural and horticultural pursuits will
be equalized with reference to the profit
arising out of these pursuits. This
must be accepted as true in the very
nature of things and demonstration is
found in orcharding and viticulture.
At prevailing prices a good wheat crop
is a more profitable use Of good soil
than either orchards or vineyards. As
between orchards and vineyards, how
ever, there has been an equalizing pro-
cess, and the law will produce ike re-
suits with reference TO every new OBJ
ject of culture just as soon as it is
demonstrated that the new object of
culture is more profitable than the uses
to which the soil was formerly devoted
Under any and every condition, there
fore, a general average of profit arising
out of the cultivation of the soil Will be
observed, no matter what particular in
dustry is pursued.
One thing, however, is apparent: The
cultivation of the beet for the purpose
of making sugar is new industry and
one in which California has measurably
a monopoly. This partial monopoly
arises out Of the fact that the climate
is more favoring to the production of
beets, the percentage of saccharine is
higher and the season for the extrac-
tion Of sugar from beets taken immedi-
ately from the ground is longer. When
the period Of frost is reached, the beets
of the Eastern States must be stored
under circumstances which viii protect
them against freezing, while the IN
worked beet crop of California may be
stored in cheap and open cribs. These
with other distinctive advantages con-
ferred upon the industry by the elem
ency Of the climate give California a
very large percentage in the economies
OF production.
Out of all this arises a great .opportu-
nifty on the part Of the cultivator of the
soil which should not be overlooked.
The only hazard in the beet sugar in
dustry relates to the production of
beets. The vicissitudes of crops, of
soils, of cultivation, of the percentage
of saccharine-all these relate to the
cultivation Of the ground. When the
beets are produced and delivered at the
factory the hazard ceases. The vicis-
situdes Of seasons with reference to