The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-05-18

spring of 1902. the beets having been
saved from the 1901 crop and the best
beets were selected from all of those
analysed and were planted as seed
beets. Owing to the very wet season
only a small quantity of seed was pro-
duced but this has been saved and will
be planted in 1903. From the best va
riety of beets grown during the past
season of 1902 more than 1000 seed
beets were carefully selected and these
individual beets have already been
analysed. About 200 of the best beets
from this lot of 1000 are now in cool
storage and will be planted as seed
beets in the season of 1903. These 200
seed beets are all exceptionally rich in
sugar, the poorest beet selected con-
tanning not less than II per cent. of Su-
gar and the richest containing as high
as % per cent. 1t is hoped that con-
siderable quantity of very high grade
sugar beet seed may be produced from
these seed beets in 1903. When we re-
members that beets containing Il or 10
per cent. of sugar are considered very
satisfactory for factory use, the posi-
bility of growing high grade pedigreed
sugar beet seed from such stock of
| selected seed Oeets as the 200 we now
have in cool storage, win be apparent
and its Importance will be appreciated
In conclusion we may say that the ev-
! idence of the Investigations conducted
during the past season points very
definitely to the conclusion that large
yields of sugar beets of most excellent
| quality can be produced in Illinois,
provided varieties are grown which are
adapted to our soils and climate, and
further provided that the beets are
properly planted on suitable soils and
cultivated by methods which have been
shown by past experience to be the
most successful for the growing of SUI
gar beets.
slSecretary Wilson believes that the
mountain states under irrigation will
bring the cost of producing sugar in
this country to less than 2 cents a
pound. The rich virgin soil of the
mountain states, when irrigated will
enable the the beet sugar growers to
| produce sugar that can be sold at 2
cents a pound with a handsome profit.
The by-product will give them another
| profit, and, in the view of the Secre-
tary of Agriculture, the United States
will become the greatest sugar pro-
| ducing country in the world when the
| men engaged in that business learn to
| handle the by-product and capital
| learns the profits of such culture
What the beet sugar men want is
peace for five years. said Secretary
| Wilson yesterday. THE Cuban treaty
will give them peace and stability for
! at least five years. In that time they
can develop the industry so as to dem
onstrate the possibilities of this coun-
try in the production of beet sugar.
Without agitation, capital will seek in
vestment in this enterprise because of
| the handsome profits that it will bring
| But the agitation of the last year has
done more injury to the business by
Withholding capital than would the
loss of 20 per cent. protection.
THE most far-seeing men among
the beet-sugar growers realize this
| and want to stop the agitation. They
want to be able to show capital Just
what profit there is in beet sugar fac
| tories as an investment, year after
year, for definite period. The prompt
| ratification of the Cuban treaty will dc
this.
There is an enormous profit in beet
sugar. have produced twenty tons OF
beets to the acre and at cost of 81 a
ton. There was profit of $50 to the
acre. That was an exceptional yield
and perhaps an exceptional price But
| fifteen tons of beets per acre is not an
exceptional yield and 81 a ton is q
moderate price. The business is profit
able and will be more so when the vir-
gin volcanic soil of the mountain states
| is placed under irrigation"