New-York tribune., 1897-08-26
BEET STGAR FARMS AND FACTORIES.

REET STG4R FARMS AND FACTORIES.
Tho holding of National Convention or
Sugar-bcet Growers at Rome, y. u. gives time
lincss 10 a recent report Of the United states
Consul at Magdeburg on beet-sugar factories.
which is indeed full OF valuable suggestion to
all in this country who may be thinking OF en-
caging in the business of sugar production from
bccts. II is based upon the experience OF Ger
man producers. and Germany Is at once one OF
the chief producers OF beet sugar and one of
the most practical, scientific and successful OF
industrial nations. II is probable that the in
dnstry in question may be conducted as sue
ccssfully here as there. But that end will be
most readily attained by pursuing paths similar
TO those which have led to ii in Germany.
The prime suggestion is that beet farms and
beet sugar factories must stand together. 1t is
idle 10 grow beets il there Is no mill at hand TO
extract the sugar from them, and it is idle TO
build factory If there are no beet farms at
hand to supply !, with raw material. In add-
ton to the adaptation Of soil and climate TO
beet growing. therefore. the farmer must con-
slider the suitability Of the place for the estab-
lishmcnt Of n factory. and. conversely, the
would-bc manufacturer must consider. apart
from the intrinsic availability Of his mill Site
the possibilities of beet culture on the surround
ing farms.
The requirements for beet culture are a rich.
deep soil. with n porous. wcll-draincd subsOl
end generous application Of suitable fert-
izers The climate should be such as to assure
fairly moist weather for the first three months
of the growing season and one month Of COM
parativey dry. sunny weather following. In
deed the latter is the more important. for the
necessary moisture Of the first three months can
he supplied by artificial irrigation When such
conditions of soil and climate do not exist there
is little use in trying beet culture Where they
are found the farmer will be justified in making
some practical experiments with sugar beets.
not on a large scale necessarily, but in small
lots. in various parts Of his farm.
If II be asccrtaned that beets can he success
fully grown in given place the next question is
whether n factory can he profitably conducted
there. The essential requirements for n factory
are water for washing the beets etc. fuel for
the engines. and limestone for purifying he sac
charine juice. These must be close at hand. or
readily and chcaply procurable from distance.
If they are not there is no Use in building fac
tory and none in attempting to grow beets If
they are mutual agreement should be made
between the farmer and the manufacturer the
former stpulating to provide sufficient quaint
ties of beets to make the factory profitable the
latter to take and utilize the product Of the
farms All these conditions complied with. the
enterprise may be undertaken with good prom
ise Of success That there are many places In
The United States where it may be thus under
taken is not 10 he doubted. But that fact must
bc asccrtained by actual experiment in every
ease. unless disappointment and disaster are 10
he the result.