The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-11-05
BEETS AND CAMPHOR.
SECRETARY WILSON'S VIEWS
ABOUT THEM
The Agricu1turist and Arboricu1turist
Receiving Special Attention-Wi1son
Says There Is No More Reason for
Would Keep Money at Home.

cpeclal washington correspondence:
Secretary Wilson, the head of the De-
partment Of Agriculture, continues earn
est If not enthusiastic about the practical
bility Of putting into the pockets of the
farmers of this country the $1,000 100000
that the people are now sending abroad
for their sugar. 1.-THE more l think Of
this beet sugar business" said he, "and
the more l look into its vast possibilities,
the more | am surprised that the Ameri-
can people have been buying such quanti-
ties abroad. There is really no more rea-
son why we should buy sugar abroad than
wheat. We have in this country land as
well adapted to the growth of sugar beets
as anywhere in the world and it is re-
markable fact that our people have been
so long in seeing the possibilities and put
ting forward every effort toward the &c
complishment of this end. Sugar enters
into our consumption to such a large and
national extent that the triumph of bring
ing about the growing of all our own pro-
ducts in this direction would be no small
one. The way in which the American
farmers are taking hold Of it shows what
q comparatively easy matter it would
have been at any time of late years to es-
tabllsh the industry on permanent basis,
and as | say, it seems strange that far
sighted men have not seen the advantage
to result to those successfully fostering
it. In my trip through the West found
farmers generally enthusiastic over the
subject, all of them anxious, and hoping
that the analysis to be made Of their beets
would show such q satisfactory percent
age of sugar as to enable them to at once
enter into the growth Of the beet as a
crop. In fact, the danger lies in over
enthusiasm; in the large outlay Of money
and establishment of plants in sections
where the beet cannot be probably
grown.
''The Mckinley bounty on sugar was
operating we'll, and If it had continued
would have so encouraged both cane and
beet sugar industries that we, would, by
this time, be quite independent Of foreign
markets in this respect. The bounty pro-
posed for beet sugar in the Dingley tarlff
bill would have still further stimulated
the industry, but even as it is, belleve
we are on the way to seeing good quar-
ity of sugar supplied from great many
points in the United States. The sugar
beet thrives on a variety Of soils, Delng
best adapted to sandy loans of moderate
fertility, and l presume that reports OF
our analyses will show great areas IN va
rious sections of the country capable OF
raising beets containing sufficient per-
centage of saccharine matter to warrant
the building of factories and the planning
of large areas.
"About 1920 of the farmers OF the
country have grown beets for tests, ana
we are now receiving samples for analy-
sis. If everything goes right we Will nave
O complete report on the subject by the
first of the year. This will show the most
desirable sections for entering into the
beet industry and will enable operators
to erect beet sugar refineries with some
degree Of assurance that the industry VIII
be success in their particular sections.
"Any new crop which takes the place
of present crops, and thereby reduces
their acreage, tends to stimulate the
prices received for those crops, by dlmin-
ishing their yield, and this is one OF the
indirect ways in which a general cultlva-
ton of the sugar beet will better the con-
dition of the farmer. The saving of $lOo,-
600. 900 to the country will give that
amount to labor. Sugar represents LABOR
almost entirely, from the growing or the
seed to the sugar barrel. The dlverslh-
cation of our industries to this extent Will
have a tendency to help the prices of other
crops.
'"The production of camphor." continued
the Secretary, 'has been recently called TO
nv attention, and I think l see in this
connection another industry to be devei-
oped and one especially advantageous TO
the South. We are gathering statistics
now in regard to the area III which the
tree will thrive. 1t is known to do well IN
Florida. In fact, there are now in that
State large trees which were sent down
there from this department years ago as
little plants, intended then for shade ana
but they have demonstrated
clearly that the tree grows well IN tlor-
ida. and what / want is to see wnole
groves planted on the rich hammocks ana
bottoms of the State, where the soil Is
very productive, but not safe from frosts
for the growth of oranges, lemons and the
more tropical products. Every part OF the
camphor tree is now used in the eXtrac-
ton of this valuable gum; the leaves,
chips. the roots, everything. All our
camphor is now imported from the far
East. and if we can keep this money IN
our own pocket, we are so much the bet
ter off. The South, especially, is in need
of a Investigation of crops, and l hope
it will be found that the camphor INDUS
try will be practicable and profitable.