The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1904-12-28
ALFALFA LAND GOOD
FOR SUGAR Beet CROP
Figures Showing Its Extent and the
Profits neutrality-suspicious. Less
Favorable Than Here.

The following is an article that ap.
peared recently in the Orange Judd
Farmer and is from the pen of DIR. c. O.
Townsend of the United States depart
ment of agriculture:
"The beet sugar industry has played
an important part in the development of
the agricultural interests of Michigan
during the past Is years. The first half
of this period was spent in determining
the fitness of the soil and climate of
Michigan for the production of sugar
beets and in preparing, in some meas
ure, the people in the agricultural dis
tricts of the state for the introduction
OF new crop into their system of TO-
tation. The second half of this period
has witnessed marvellous development
of this new industry. 1t is true that
sugar has been made from beets on
commercial scale in this country for
more than 80 years. The progress of the
industry was very slow during the first
half of this period, SO that in 1887 only
100000 pounds of beet sugar were pro.
duced in this country. From that time
on, however, the development of the in
dustry has been rapid and the founda.
ton upon which it rests has become
more and more secure.
"Beet sugar has been made in paying
quantities in other states for more than
a quarter century before the man
ufacture of this important article was
taken up by the people of Michigan.
Several conditions were responsible for
this delay: l, the uncertainty in re-
gard to the fitness of the soil and eli
mate of Michigan for the production of
sugar beets containing the requisite
amount of sugar and having the proper
degree of purity; 2, the capital neces-
sary for the development of the new
industry was already invested in the
production of other important com.
modities, especially in the manufacture
of lumber; 8, the farming operations
necessary for the production of sugar
beets are in some respects so different
from the ordinary agricultural methods
that farmers were 10th to branch out
into the new industry until assured that
It would be in a measure successful
Among the factors that were directly
reasonable for the establishment of the
beet sugar industry in Michigan the
most important was the state expert
ment station. It was necessary to de-
termine by actual tests whether or not
the soil and climate of Michigan would
produce beets capable of being utilized
satisfactorily for the manufacture OF
sugar. At an early date the expert
ment station, aided by the United States
department Of agriculture, undertook to
solve this problem.
"In 1890 nearly . ton-of sugar beet
seed was distributed among a large
number Of farmers in Michigan, who
grew trial plats of beets. Samples
were tested for sugar and purity, giving
an average of over Is per cent sugar
and upwards of 80 per cent purity. These
tests were repeated several seasons
with equally satisfactory results. As
early as 1881, the state legislature, de-
string to encourage the manufacture OF
sugar in Michigan. offered bounty Of
cents per pound for all sugar made
from any source, and exemption from
taxes for Ave years upon property used
in making sugar. No claim was made,
however, under this law. for the boun-
ty for beet sugar. In 1897 bill was
passed Offering q bounty of cent per
pound for sugar made from beets. In
the meantime the experiment station
had been testing cane, sorghum and
beets, and had reached the conclusion
that beets promised the best results.
The end of the lumber industry was in
sight and capital was seeking new
fields. Farmers had become encouraged
by their successful efforts to grow beets
on the trial plots. and altogether the
time was ripe for the new industry to
be launched in Michigan.
"A company was formed and in 1898
the first beet sugar made in Michigan