St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1897-10-08
Our Beet Sugar Industry,

Correspondence of the CALIFORNIAN
Secretary Wilson, OF the department of
agriculture, is confident that the result of
this years experiments with sugar beets
will add 300 per cent to the beet-sugar
factories OF the country.
II know of people who stand ready"
said he, in speaking on this subject, Ito
establish twenty beetsugar factories in
this country next year."
THAT will be pretty big increase, will
it not, Mr.. Stcretary?"
at will. We have, perhaps, a half
dozen beet-sugar factories in the United
States now. all told, so that will be an
increase of about 800 per cent, which |
think will be very good for the first year
OF the experiment"
your experiments Of this year have
apparently been successful, them"
Eyes. Beyond question. OF course
our analyses have not progressed suffi-
GENTLY yet to show very definitely what
each section has done or is doing, but
there is no doubt in my mind of the en-
tire feasibility and practicability of the
production OF all our sugar in this coun-
try The interest which the farmers of
the country have developed in beet
raising, the result of such analyses as
have already been made of the beets pro-
duced this year and what we know as to
the results in former years and as to this
years crop in the sections where beet
growing has already been developed,
show beyond question that it is entirely
practicable for the people of this country
to produce their own sugar"
THAT means the retentionin the United
States of great deal OF money which
now goes abroad"
Eyes. A hundred millions is a good
deal of money, and especially when it
goes out of the country. IT we can dis.
tribute among our farmers the hundred
million dollars which we now send
abroad for our sugar it will be very
important thing to them and to the
country in general. 1t will be especially
so to labor. People talk about labor
and about doing things for labor and for
the cause of the workingman. What car
be done more to the advantage of the
workingman than to put into his pockets
hundred million dollars which we send
out OF the country every year for single
article Then add to that the amount
which we send to other parts of the
world for other classes of farm product:
which might be kept at home and tn,
total is something enormous. The valu,
OF the products of agriculture which ART
brought into the United States ant
which we might produce at home if W,
were to make the proper Efforts in rount
numbers, $3.50. 100000 per year. Why
not give that to our farmers?"
What is being done. Mr.. Secretary, il
the way of learning the result of THU
years experiments with the sugar bee
seed which you sent out last spring?"
1--WE are gathering the beets produced
from the seeds by sections and states into
our experiment stations, and testing ant
Analysing them. These analyses are 20
ing on constantly, and will continue 70
some weeks or perhaps months. 1t is
, comparatively slow process, but on
: which will give us a thorough practca
, and scientific knowledge of the capabil
, ties of the various sections of the countr
for this kind of work, and while tn
analyses have not yet progressed yer
far, enough has been done to satisfy IN
= that the results OF this years experiment
! with sugar beets are going to be yer
u satisfactory and encouraging. am COZ
S fident that before the end of another yea