Evening star., 1897-04-26
B EETS FOR SU GAR
Experiments Now Being Conducted, by the
Agricultural Department.
Secretary Wilson Thinks the Seed
Should BE Admitted Free
Of Duty.

Ahc cApSTHuenl DelHS maze by secretary
Wilson OF the Department of Agriculture
for the cultivation of beets for sugar is
expected to demonstrate that beets can be
grown In this country yielding above II
per cent of saccharine matter over a great
ter belt than 1t is considered advisable
to grow them in Europe. Abroad 20 de-
grees Is considered the highest tempera-
ture In which beets can be grown, but
experiments here have already shown that
they can be produced in latitudes where
a lower degree Of heat is experienced.
One rather remarkable fact that has been
drawn out since the Secretary began the
distribution Of beet seed is that the peo-
pie of the United States are not willing
to depend upon European data as con-
elusive in regard to the character of soil
and climate in which bests can be grown
successfully.
In Missouri at least 800 farmers have
been supplied with beet seed at their own
request, and propose to see whether they
cannot raise beets that will yield above L
per cent of sugar. Missouri has been re-
garded and it has been so stated, as too
far south to successfully raise this product.
yet that has not deferred the farmers
of that state in their determination to
make the experiment The Carolinas and
Texas are far beyond the belt in which
it has been thought possible to make beet
culture for sugar profitable. Yet in North
and South Carolina and Texas hundreds
of farmers will this spring plant the beets
and will have a portion of the product
tested to determine its value for. sugar
making. They cannot be satisfied regard
ing the prospects of their communities as
good locations for beet culture until their
product has been examined and the De-
partment Of Agriculture has INFORMED
them whether not the percentage of
sugar secured is great enough to warrant
beet culture in their localities for that pur-
pose.
Between six and seven tons of beet seed
have now been distributed all over the
country. Most Of it. of course, being sent
to the northwest and north of Mason and
Dixon's line. Packages of beet seed con-
tain half pound. and one, two or three Of
these are sent to applicants. This means
that 1900 people have been supplied with
the seed. and the reports received by the
department seem to indicate that all of
them will at least make an effort at beet
culture. They will all send twenty-five
pounds Of the product to the experiment
station OF their own state, where the same
will be tested in order to give them the
result This will make one of the most
extensive experiments in agriculture that
has ever been attempted in the United
States. 1t is confidently believed by many
people that the result will be the establish
ment of large number of factories for
sugar production from the beets. and that
it will not only result in saving a part, IL
not all. of the $1,000.0Oo sent abroad to pay
for sugar, but will also cause an enormous
expenditure of money for the factories,
each Of which will cost $2O0,00O
Secretary Wilson is earnestly in favor of
having the tariff bill. now before the Sen
ate, provide for the introduction of beet
seed into this country free Of duty. Tn
der the Mckinley law there was a tax of 20
per cent on all seeds. while under the
Wilson bill the duty was only ten per cent.
The bill as passed by the House of Rep
resentatives provides a higher duty than
prevailed under the Mckinley law. Sec
Ietary Wilson argues that we permit the
introduction Of blooded stock for breed
ing purposes into the United States free
of duty, while the same reasons for such
course would apply to the importation of
all rare seeds. Especially is this true now,
for the reason that at the present time
beet seed of kind to grow sugar-pro
ducing beets cannot be raised in this coun-
try.
In Germany and other parts of Europe
systematic experiments for the production
OF such seeds have been carried on for
twenty-five years, with the result that the
seed produced there today will give better
results when grown in this country tfan
any seed that can be secured here. good
many farmers in the United States are in
cltned to think that they can grow beets
from seed they themselves raise, but tie
Department of Agriculture Is satisfied that
this is not the case, and that the greatest
economy for the present will be used by
the investment of sufficient money to buy
the necessary seed from abroad. In the
meantime, the experiment stations are
working under instructions from the Secre-
tary in the cultivation of beet Seeds SO
that 1t Is hoped within few years to
produce such seed in this country of a high
class But 1t will take a number of years
to do this, and in the meantime the seed
will be imported from abroad, md in the
meantime the Secretary thinks the seed
should be admitted free