The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-20

SIIIy-LWU
gar per capita. while the people of Europe
use but twenty-five pounds per capita Yet,
ploddlng Germany has outdone enterprising
america IN the production OF our greatest
staple The sugar Importation of 1886 was
3, Sso.23S 90 pounds, representing cash value
Of $3.50, boo, 652.2S, exclusive of the import du-
ties palq on same. All this money was sent
out of this country, when every dollar could
have been saved to enrich our own people
and give employment to our thousands or
half starving poor people
Again, the manufacturing of the neces-
sary machinery TO equip the large numDer
of plants that should produce this article
of commerce and AGRICULTURAL implements
employed IN cultivating of the beet crop
would add greatly to our manufacturing IN,
tereStS. YET with the knowledge OF all
these important facts existing for the past
thirty years, the output OF sugar IN TINS
broad land IN 1896 was only about eVO,VyO
pounds. l fear we will be compelled to seek
in Germany, where the Importance ana prof.
its of this important industry is better un-
derstood, to find capitalists willing to invest
in this country: Show them the possibilities
of our climate and soil, and have no doubt
that they Will readily embrace the oppor-
tunity so long neglected by our own people;
and yet | believe there are in this country
phlanthropic capitalists who, II maze TO
see the immense benefit that this industry
would become to our people, would ne VIII
ling to forego for a year or two prospects
of a large interest on the investment, and
build with view to future reward OF "a TWO Vn3
fold nature. First the blessings or his TEL
Iow-men; second, a perpetual cash dividend
on the investment. So much for the manu-
featuring part of the industry
Turning to the agricultural brancn, per-
haps we will find fully great hindrances
as we have presented in the manufacturing
department and, perhaps, again, large
part of the responsibility for the failure
may be thrown on the farmers shoulders.
The American farmers or To-Day largely
inherit their vocation with their farm, ana
in this State have ever confined themselves
to the cultivation of corn, wheat ana the
meadow, together with the care or a rev
cattle and swine, They may read IN the
farm journals of the successful cultivation
of sugar beats in Germany ana VIII say
farmers, with their five to ten acres or
market gardens among the hills where they
can't grow wheat and corn, but on my 10y
acres of tillable land the old crop Is goou
enough besides, know nothing about ralS-
ing beets. And so he will continue TO BUY
imported sugar at a i.ign price WIN z9-cent
corn and 50-cent wheat. IL Will be necessary
to show the farmer by figures and reason
able deduction that the cause or cheap
wheat and corn is overproductlon Convince
them there is more money in beet culture,
and you have them started your way But
the nature of the new crop IS great lllnoVa-
ton on his long-established IDEAS or tarm-
ing and he is slow to take to new ways,
unless it is to the use or machinery that
will tighten his labOrs Therefore the aver
age farmer will have to be cultivated up 10
the requirements of beet culture before sue
cess will attend his efforts. The haphazard
way usually INDUCED in when growing ana
harvesting wheat and corn Will not 90 IN
beet culture.
UNACCUSTOMED TO THE HOE.
From the nature of the crops he has been
accustomed to he is little acquainted with
the use Of the hand hoe, backbreaking in
strument that largely enters into the culture
of the sugar beet In the production or his
wheat and corn crops, he turns a shallow
furrow, ofttimes riding the sulky pillow and
always the harrow. He rides the seed drills,
he rides the cultivator, he rides the reaper
and mower and rides the rake, and fear
the farmer boy would soon ride the hoe
into the first fence corr er in a beet Held,
and lay down beside It. Otner tmnSS pelhg
equal, ] think q beet sugar plant located
in the vicinity of a largely German farming
element would stand the best chance OF
speedy success, because they, as q CLASS
understand the better methods OF truck
gardening a style of agriculture they were
accustomed to in the fatheriand ana when
is necessary in beet culture. l had the OPP
portunity during the past season or VISITING
many farmers where trial patches or the
sugar beet We're grown as an EXPERIMENT,
and invariably found the pest crops grown
by German gardeners. Undoubtedly, Amer
lean farmers would gradually drift into the
methods demanded by the new crops and
largely Guido the Germans, who we have il
our minds delegated to set the pace, but as
speedy success is what we are after In TINS
case, and as the southern tier or counties,
comprising Posey, Nanderburg, WarIlcK,
Perry and Gibson, are largely occupied ny
German farmers, and as the SOIL an9 Gil
mate was proven last year in result OF hVe
hundred trial tests to be well adapted 10
sugar beet culture, l think no better loca-
ton could be found in the State than in the
location named for a plant. AS a. further
inducement coal can be delivered Tor 20
cents per ton, and limestone in inexhaustible
quantities for the clarifying
During the forenoon yesterday j. B. Con-
ner state statiStician, talked OF Sugges-
tions from Study OF Economic Conditions
in Indiana. DR.. j. n. 1durty spoke OF
Sanitation as an Economic Question" and
ID IL I1lten of Purdue University, read a
paper on Good Roads" Ex-State Senator
A. E. Harlan, of Alexandria, spoke on the
''Waste of Natural Gas.