The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1898-11-03

| trebled; all of which shows clearly that
even France now prefers German beet
seed, and am not at all surprised to
learn that there is a movement on foot
in that country to increase the tariff on
imported seed.
The first-class sugar factories OF Eu-
rope buy none but the very best seed,
grown from high-grade individual
''mother" beets, to distribute among
the best growers; thus not only main
tanning the standard of their sugar
beets as to quality and quantity, but
also putting themselves in position
to compete in all the markets OF the
world. This 6rst-class seed Is sold and
delivered by the growers on board cars
in the Prussian province OF Saxony, at
from 8 to 10 cents per pound, which is
a moderate price, considering the fact
that it takes at least four years to get
1t into the market.
There Is also a second-class seed
offered for sale in this country. at from
5 to 6 cents per pound. This is COM
monty called the "Nachzachtsamen. !"
being a seed produced not from the
mother beets, but from the first first
class seed mentioned above. This in
ferior grade, however, is not used by
first.class sugar men in Germany,
France, Holland and Belgium, but
most of it goes to Austria, Russia and
the United States. And this is the
reason why deem it my duty to call
attention to the importance of getting
only the very best of seed obtainable.
In nv opinion, those American growers
of sugar-beets who buy cheap grades OF
seed, make great mistake. All kinds
of seed have q natural tendency to
degenerate. Even the frst-class beet
seed mentioned above will not bring
forth beets that come up to the stand
ard of the original or mother beet, but
will show a loss Of a to l per cent
of sugar content. Now, the second
generation of seed will degenerate
more than as much again. and lose
from / per cent to Q per cent. This is
a small amount when considered by it
self, yet it is sufficient not only to turn
the profits of sugar factory into a
loss, but even to drive the concern to
the wall.
To illustrate this: Factory A slices
so, 900 tons (short) of beets, which
would yield about an average of 1916
per cent sugar in the extraction. After
deducting the sugar left in the molasses
and in other waste, this would leave
about Is per cent-6,500 tons of pure
granulated, marketable sugar, which at
$50 ton would net 1926. 200.
Factory r slices the same amount of
beets, grown from second-class seed,
which, at fair average, have about 1.3
per cent less of sugar in the extraction.
After this material has also gone
through the process of refining. there
will be Ill per cent-5,85O tons OF
marketable sugar, which at $50 ton
would net $292, 500.
1t will be seen at glance that while
both factories use the same amount OF
material, and have the same expenses
for labor, fuel, etc.. there Is differ
ence in the gross receipts for manufac-
tured sugar amounting to $50, 800.
Factory A bought 55 tons of first
class seed, at $3.50 per ton, $4,000;
factory bought 55 tons of second
class seed, at $3.50 per ton, $4,000. 1t
will be seen that factory B wanted to
buy Cheap and to make money fast.
1t did, indeed, save So, 800 at the start;
but factory A began by planting the
very best seed obtainable, and came out
at the end of the season with $29, 1900
cash ahead Of its competitor, and was
in the position of declaring handsome
dividend.
Like SO many other things in life,
the cheapest beet seed are the dearest.
1t pays to get the very best. and only
the very best is good enough. Let the
good work of experimenting in the field
of sugar-beet culture continue, in order
to learn exactly what we can do in the
face of fierce and growing competition,
but let American growers determine not
only to try different varieties of seed,
but also to plant none but seed of high
grade and pure pedigree.