The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-05-20
SUGAR OF THE BEET.
SECRETARY WILSON SAYS IT WILL
SAVE US 500, 900, 900 YEARLY.

: Sugar Factories Will he operated-Sap-
2 italists VIII Put In Their Money.
Beet sugar is more than a fad with
tie head Of the department of agricul-
ture; il is the subject of his earnest
consideration, and 10 make il a practi-
cal success is one of his fondest ambi-
tions.
at is evident that the people of the
United States have faith in the sugar
beet" said Secretary Wilson recently.
I'VE have recently supplied 90. 600
farmers Of the country with sugar beet
seed for experiments during the coming
season. They are scattered through
practically every state north of the ex-
treme southern line of states. The peo-
pie as far south as the Carolinas, Ten
nessee and Texas believe that they can
grow sugar beets successfully, and we
are quite willing TO give them full OPP
portunity TO make that test everywhere
If they succeed in extending the beet
sugar territory down 10 the very line of
the cane sugar area, there ought TO be
no difficulty in producing in the United
States all of the 500, 600, 600 worth Of
sugar for which we are now going
abroad every year.
1.-THE practical business end of this
experiment., continued the secretary,
as he glanced at the map of the United
States hanging upon the wall of his Of
fee, ''is the next thing TO be taken up.
We have supplied people in all parts Of
| the country with sugar beet seed, and
/ they can now go on with their expert
ments in growing them. Meantime we
/ shall begin our more technical but
/ equally important Investigations to de-
/ termine what part of the country is
most likely 10 lie successful field for
/ operations both in the actual growth Of
the beets and the production Of the
| highest grades Of sugar. This is IA sub
/ ject which the capitalists Of the coun-
1 try especially want TO know about. 1t
I takes money to establish beet sugar
/ factory. 1t is not practicable for the
/ farmer who raises a few acres Of beets
| 70 turn them into sugar upon his own
farm. The factory must have such ex-
pensive machinery and be operated up
on such a large scale as TO absorb the
production Of several farms, if it is to
be financial success.
So the capitalists who are waiting
to put their money into beet sugar fac
tories are entitled TO all the information
which we can give them as to the Sec
ton or secti0n of country where beet
sugar is most likely to be successful in
production. To this end they ought TO
hove tha lrc+ s,fo
obtained in regard to climate, soil,
transportation, conveniences and other
elements which enter into Il determine
ton Of these questions The next step
which L propose to undertake, then, is to
put into the hands of competent per-
} sons the study Of this subject, includ-
ing climate, rainfall, character of soil
and other matters Of this kind in the
! various parts of the various states. In
! this way, while the farmers are expert
menting with the growth of the sugar
beets, wo expect TO be making equally
| important experiments and researches
! from this standpoint, and by COM
bination Of these experiments be able to
indicate to the people desiring to in
vest in the establishment of sugar fac
tories the locations or the strip of coun-
try where they are most likely to meet
with success and likely to meet with
the most success"
You think, then, that there is CAPT.
tai in the country ready to go into the
beet sugar manufacturing business?" he
was asked.
Undoubtedly, and plenty of it, A
number of factories are already in proc
ess of erection, and people with capital
are willing and ready to establish many
more OF them as soon as they determine
what sections of the country are best
adapted for practical beet sugar produc-
ton. hope to have broad line extend
ing across that map from the Atlantic to
the Pacific in q comparatively short
time indicating the practical beet sugar
belt OF the country in which capitalists
as well as farmers may safely enter
upon the work of supplying the people
of the country with sugar.
Your other experiments in behalf of
the farmers, Mr.. Secretary, are making
good progress?'
YES. Our first shipment of butter to
Europe in the experimental form is GO
ing forward now. The butter has reach
ed New York, several tons of it, from
the best creameries of the United States
and in various forms as to size of pack.
age, method of production, sailing,
method of packing, etc. Every pound of
butter is so recorded as to its method of
production and otherwise that we know
its history, and will be able to Judge by
its reception and popularity what ought
to be done in future shipments.
There is now gap between the
point where refrigerator cars stop in
New York and refrigerator vessels start
from New York to Europe We have
men there now seeing that the ship
ments of butter are not exposed to the |
sun in their passage from the one re-
frigerator system to the other, and have |
indicated to the railroad people the me-
cessity OF covering this gap in some way
which feel assured they will do
Shipping our butter by American |