Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-08-24
BEET SUGAR INDUSTRY
HOW 1T IS REGARDED BY A
BRITISH CONSUL.
He Reports to His Government the
Success That Has Attended the
Efforts in This Country.


will shortly be able to produce from beets
the 500. 600 worth of sugar which her
people now annually import seems to be
shared by British Consul Wyndham. who
has given the subject close attention and
reported upon it to his government. The
following Is an extract from his report.
which has Just reached the treasury bureau
Of statistics:
1.-The production Of beet sugar in the
United States is rapidly increasing. and in
the Chicago consular district there are
four factories in the state of Illinois, three
in Nebraska and three in Colorado; those
in Nebraska and Colorado belong to the
American Beet Sugar Company, and are
at Grand Junction, Rocky Ford and Sugar
City, and when fully completed will en-
ploy thousands Of hands.
We Consume More Than Any Nation.
statistics indicate that the United States
consumes more sugar than any other ma
ton or approximately one-quarter of the
hole Of the worlds product. The condi-
lions of SOIL climate and other advantages
are quite as good in the United States. and
especially In Colorado, Nebraska and ILL.,
nos. for the development of the beet as
in any of the countries of Europe or Asia
The worlds production and consumption
of sugar is now about S2J0,OO0 tons per
annum two-thirds of which is produced
from beet and only one-third from cane.
while the normal consumption Is estimated
as increasing at the rate OF 2ao,ooo tons
yearly.
1.-The success attending the cultivation OF
sugar beets In this district has proved that
it may be made a profitable and successful
investment A large factory has been built
at Rocky Ford Col. which cost s2OO.oO0 to
build and equip. 1t is proposed to nave II
ready for the crop of the coming season
To supply 1t the farmers In the vicinity
have contracted to grow 5000 acres OF peers
year for five years. From tests MADE
thew estimate their beets will yield ID to Is
per cent of sugar. The factory, when run
ming at it's full capacity, will consume daily
1900 tons Of beets. which it will convert
into about 100 tons of refined sugar of the
highest purity. The beets reach maturity
with a high percentage, and seldom go be-
low 10 per cent; II per cent is taken as the
basis of buying beets at the factory.
THE beets are grown by the farmers I'M
der contract with the factory, and paid for
according to the saccharine contents deter
mined by chemical tests made of samples
taken from the wagons at the time of de-
livery. In addition. the factory controls
about 5000 acres of land. Most of the land
will be farmed by tenants, but only por-
ton of each farm is devoted to beets each
year. Growers sell their beets based upon
the sugar contents The tests somewhat
resemble the assaying Of ore from the
mines. Selling upon this basis encourages
better farming and the raising of better
beets. 1t is the only fair way both to the
raiser and manufacturer.
A Sample Farm.
cat Sugar City farm of 10000 acres has
been cultivated for raising sugar beets,
and sugar factory has been built with a
capacity of 800 tons every twenty-four
hours On the farm 1,GOO men and women
have been employed during the summer.
and thi; seasons crop will be convert ed
actory at this point built the town. which
few years ago consisted OF hut or two
and thousands of prairie dogs. Next year
fully 1900 acres of beets will be in cultiva
ticn. The output will be increased as rap
idly as possible. and every day the demand
for workmen is increasing.
"A general estimate of the cost Of con-
Struction, cost of operation and general
results to be counted upon of beet sugar
factories in this district, as taken from the
Rocky Ford plant. places the general aver
age of sugar in the beets at II per cent.
So far as the Arkansas valley, in Colorado
is concerned, this percentage is being large
ly exceeded, the minimum percentage Of
sugar being about IA per cent, while the
maximum has reached q per cent, with q
coefficient Of purity ranging from so to 9J
per cent. In stating these results. refer
ence is especially made to the factory at
Rocky Ford. built and worked by the
American Beet Sugar Company, a New
York corporation which works two fac
tories in California and three in Nebraska.
the one at Rocky Ford being it's fifth.
The experts in charge of this last factory
all express surprise at the results of this
first campaign. and they have become thor
oughly convinced that this valley (Arkan-
sas valley, COLI is the ideal sugar producer,
thanks to it's equable climate ample sup
ply of water for irrigation. cheap fuel and
limestone and an unlimited extent OF avail
able land for beet culture. It is expected
that the same company will erect one or
more factories in addition to the one at
Rocky Ford, one to be built further east
and the other west of Rocky Ford
las an example of the quality Of the
sugar beets produced upon this land. it
may be mentioned that so far six car loads
Of beets from one field have been tested,
with results as follows: One car load. 1913
per cent; three car loads. 1873 per cent, and
two car loads, 20.4 per cent"