The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-11-19
FRIDAY. NOVEMBER 10. 1897.
8OAE NEEDED CAUTION AND IN
FORMATION AS TO BEET
SCG AR. BE-

1t Is now stated that the sugar beet
a precisely like the ordinary beet that
fs 30 generally eaten. 1t Is also stated
xhAt the farmers cannot handle their
Awn product. but hat a regular sugar
mill must be erected that IL not too
remote from the fields. Sine time ago
- national convention of beet
Eruwers met at Rome. New York. This
shows a growing interest in this great
Droduct-
The United States consu at Magde-
burg. has sent to this government a
report as to the factories for grinding
the sugar. It Is a report Of value be-
cans based o German experience.
and the Germans are the chief pro-
New York Tribune, considering the re-
port, says that the prime suggestion
fs hat beet farms and beet sugar fac
tories must stand together. 1t Is die
to grow beets if there is no mill at hand
10 extract the sugar from them, and it
Is idle TO build a factory if there are no
bee farms at hand to supply the raw
material. In addition to the adapta-
fion Of soil and climate to beet growing
therefore, the farmer must consider the
suitability Of the place for the estab-
zishment for a factory, and, conversely,
the would-be manufacturer must con-
cider, apart from the intrinsic availa-
bility Of his mill site, the possibilities Of
beet culture on the surrounding farms"
III is important to get his right. The
Messenger, in former editorials, con-
=saaered mainly the adaptability Of
North Carolina in soil and climate to
the producing Of the sugar beet with
profit. It gave some instructive facts
In connection with this derived from
those who had practical experience
I'M the cultivation Of the beet. Now
comes the further intelligence that the
=. question of a factory by the farmers
who may grow beets must be necessa-
xfly considered. There can be no sugar
without a factory. 1t must be situated
near enough for all economic and
SUBS report a rich, deep soil, with a
porous, well drained subsoil and plenty
OF suitable fertilizers are absolute es-
Aentials for a profitable raising Of the
sugar beet. We take from the Tri-
tunes condensation Of the report:
The climate should be such as to as
Aure fairly moist weather for the first
three months Of the growing season
and one month of comparatively dry,
sunny weather following. Indeed the
latter Is the more important, for the
necessary moisture of the first three
months a be supplied by artificial ir-
1rsgntion. When such conditions of soil
and climate do not exist there Is little
.nse in trying beet culture"
This does not agree. be it stated. with
FORMER accounts we a seen. A Diff
ferent kind Of soil was thought to be
necessary. At any rate. If the sugar
beet and our common table beet are
che same, the farmers can know wheth-
81 their lands a produce it success
-xnIly. In average quantities enough to
make it pay.
There is another view Of the beet
II A1Ho NSSSAO ASS W w
HI Ia now stated that European
tries have been only successful in grow
ing the sugar beet by the patronage Of
the several governments giving pro-
.jducers a bounty. It Is stated that the
-1Hoet has been such as to make 1t at
SIeAst doubtful as to whether sugar pro-
@<auced In that way is really profitable to
- fhA nr~on~A
may be benefited but by burdening the
people at large. In the last New York
Forum there is a paper by Mr.. E. T.
Atkins on the sugar beet industry. He
says there Is a great over-supply al
ready in the world Of ~sugar-that the
total stock in August last aggregated
1,sS1, 500 tons. He throws cola water on
h proposed scheme Of home produc-
ton. He says. and thoughtful people
will be wise to we'll consider before en-
Barking in a new enterprises:
with the experience Of European
countries in artificially fostering an in
dEstry to a point beyond the natural
Kaw Of supply and demand, is it wise
fer us to enter upon a similar policy?
With the present duty, ranging from
50 to 100 per cent. imposed for the pur-
pOse of protecting an industry that does
not as yet. to n extent, exist, and
with the experience of our past sugar
Aegislation,-duties having been chang
I'D with nearly every incoming admin
Estration. and varying between two
And q quarter cents per pound or CEN
akIifugals to free raw sugars,-will cap
1tal be attracted to the new in
aanstry?
Figures show that our exports to
Ia countries from which we are buy
ing sugar reach the enormous sum of
-3z1s, 7O8, 653; and an analysis would
grove the larger part of these exports
znu be Of agricultural products. The i'm