The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-12-28
SUGAR BEET PLANT
ONE MAY BE ESTABLISHED IN
MONTANA NEXT YEAR.
BEETs DO QUITE WELL HERE
Successful Experiment Have Been Con-
Quoted in Three Of Montana's Fer
tile Valleys - Factory Projec-
tors After State Bounty.
Especial to Inter Mountain.)

Especial to Inter Mountain.) !;
Helena. Dec. 28-Experiments con-
Quoted in Montana during the last year
with sugar beets leads to a strong belief
that before another year has passed a
beet sugar factory viii be established in
one of Montana fertile valleys.
1t requires several years to properly
equip beet sugar plant, and a factory
of the smallest practical capacity cam
not be put UP for less than $500, 900 or a
half million dollars. "A start viii. how
ever, probably be made next summer
that will create a good market for q
product that grows prolific in Montana
and may be raised with great profit by
all who have either irrigated or meadow
lands. plt.a.e ut-'it'in1
Experiments Are Made.
Experts, representing Utah parties,
have been in RavalH county during the
summer for the purpose of conducting
experiments with sugar beets In Gala
tin county there has been a great deal
of talk of beet sugar factory. At the
last session of the legislature Senator
Hoffman endeavored to secure the pass
age of a bill giving the industry some
state aid, but after passing the senate
the measure met with defeat in the
house of representatives.
In Lewis and Clarke county the mat
ter has been agitated many times. A
short time ago the business mems asso-
citation received communication from
former Helena man asking what the
chances were for retaining the lands in
the Prickly Pear valley through irriga-
ton, as he regarded the valley as one of
the best localities for the culture of the
beet in the state. 'A' 3@1n''tU -f'
T1o Ioo ind, ctrxy in ho cd
States has grown until it is now the
most formidable competitor of the great
sugar trust. There are sugar beet fac
tories owned by the American Beet
Sugar company in many states of the
union, and their annual production
amounts to million of barrels. 10
Montana Beet Superior. eI
Experiments conducted with the sugar
beet in Montana have been most salts
factory The Montana sugar beet car
ries a larger percentage of sugar than
the German beet. In Germany the beet
sugar industry is at its height. 1t is
there that the sugar beet was first util-
lied and the sugar extracted and re-
fined. Not only does the Montana beet
yield more sugar. but it grows mare pro-
life and the yield per acre is much
heavier than in any other section of the
United States.
Beet sugar factories :, established in
various parts of the country have put
millions of dollars into the pockets OF
the farmers. BY the time the factory Is
completed the farmers are ready to de-
liver beets at so much per ton. In some
localities where the cultivation of sugar
beets is scattered over large area the
factory has crushing stations located
every few miles and the juice extracted
from the beet is delivered to the factory
through tubes.
Has Many Bi-Products.
The sugar beet has number of by
products which aggregate for the entire
United States millions. of dollars in
value. Molasses OF the best quality is
made from the pulp and there are sew
eral other products from which there is
a ready market The .''tailings" of beet
sugar plant are not worked by cyanide
process, but are used as fertilizer to as
sist in the cultivation of more Of their
kind. s!lfi
The most extensive of the experiments
that have been conducted by outside
capitalists have been made on the Bitter
Root farm owned by tn estate Of the
late Marcus Daily. These experiments
consist of cultivation of beets on soil of
various kind and test of the beets
made at the factory after they matured
in Montana. ~
The tests have been such that capital
lists interested in the industry have al
most decided to build either one, or sew
eral factories in this state. One OR two
factories could supply a large part OF
the sugar consumption in Montana every
year. They would like. however to Sc
cure some legislative aid or bounty be-
fore taking the first steps towards the
establishment of the industry In this
state.
In several of the states bounty of a
fraction of a cent per pound has been
given, in others no state aid has been
furnished and the factories have been
successful. Sugar beets are an easy and
successful crop.