The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1898-11-03
OF SUGAR BETS
As Sugar Made Fields and Not In Factories Good Seed an
Important Requirements German Conscps Report

Henry W. Diederich, United States
consul at Magdeburg, Germany, sends
the following report to the state depart
ment. The report will prove OF inter-
est and value to the farmers of the
Northwest, who are just taking up the
industry. Mr.. Diedrich says:
The results of the war with Spain are
bound to effect changes in various direc-
tons that no one could have foreseen
at the beginning of this year. Not the
least important is the bearing they will
undoubtedly have On the sugar industry
in Germany and in the United States.
An enoromus increase in the production
Of sugar in the islands of Cuba. Puerto
Rico, the Philippines and Hawaii Is
probable in the near future. With
coolie and Chinese labor in the Orient
and in the Pacific, with the stimulus of
American energy and capital in the
West Indies, and with the more or less
intricate bounties of Europe, the sugar
question has become very complicated
one.
Though the outlook of the young
beet-sugar industry in the United
States is not so promising as 1T was
year ago, it is much too early to be-
come discouraged. While it may be
advisable for those planning to start
new plants to make haste slowly, yet
the good work already begun should
continue. Especially should the work
of locating the areas in the United
States suitable for the culture OF the
sugar-beet be continued, as this can be
done without risk or loss of money, the
sugar beets being capable Of utilization
as feed. In reading the reports OF our
experiment stations in various states,
both as to yield Of sugar beets and also
as to their saccharine qualities, one
cannot but admire the wonderful prog
ress made in this new industry within
a few years, and to congratulate our
people engaged in it upon their success.
Sugar is made, not in the sugar fac
tories. but out in the fields. Therefore
it is impossible to pay too much atten-
ton to the cultivation of beets con-
tanning the highest proportions OF
sugar, and, at the same time, with the
largest tonnage per acre. In order to
produce such, the selection of suitable
soil, the climate, the rainfall, and
length of season, the fertilizing, plant
ing, cultivating and harvesting-all
these are very important factors. But
the most important of all is to start
out with the best seed obtainable; for
good seed, after all, is the foundation
of successful sugar industry. If may
express an opinion, based on my per-
sonal observation, it is that some OF our
beet growers should insist more than
they have upon getting none but the
best of seed, no matter what the price
may be.
will not enter upon the history OF
the origin and development Of the beet
seed. Nor will l dwell upon the diff
ferent varieties and their merits.
have had occasion to visit several OF
the celebrated German stock farms.
where they produce seed that Is sold to
all sugar-producing countries of the
world. With the accumulated knowl-
edge and experience of century OF in
vestigation, with an investment OF
enormous capital, and with vast
amount of science and skill, energy,
and labor, their methods of producing
pure and high-grade seed are as per-
feet and successful as are those en-
ployed in the raising of fine breeds OF
horses and cattle.
The high-grade seed grown In this
country is now in the lead everywhere.
Even France is beginning to import
German beet seed, thereby conceding
its superiority. / know that one Ger
man firm alone shipped 80, 900 sacks Of
seed to France. I feel safe in saying
that altogether not less than 100000
sacks of German beet seed were bought
by Frenchmen last season. in spite OF
the 30 francs ($5.97) customs duty
which they had to pay on every 100
Kilograms GAO pounds). ! am in
formed that most of these orders have
been duplicated for next season. and the
amounts In many cases doubled and