New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-06-06
BEET SUGAR INDUSTRY.
american Raisers WI Soon Be Able
to Compete 1cith the World.
IRON THE TRIBUNE BUREAU

Washington June 6-Secretary Wilson Is not only
stanch friend OF the beet sugar industry, bat he
is OF those indefatigabIs officials who never
get discouraged, never permit obstacle. however
formidable # may appear. to prevent their working
10 a given end. provided that end DO desirable
and who without ostentation circumvent and
override drawbacks which would completely dis
hearten tho average Individual
When Congress deems Il unwtse to give Us more
tariff any agricultural product, must seek
produce that product more cheapIy.' IS the Sec
retary's motto. Tho ordinary beet sugar factory
is enormously expensive costing from half mil
lion dollars up. and the question OF getting the
beet pulp after the sugar is extracted back tho
farm TO be utilized stock feed is serious one.
IN probably the majority OF cases II cannot be
done economically. Many OF the beets shipped
~ 10 the big factories from far distant farms.
some OF them hundred miles away. and It is obvi-
ousy impracticabIe 10 ship the pulp back for feed
But the secretary's beet sugar experts are looking
into the feasibility OF establishing numerous small
plants a cost OF comparatively few thousand
dollars in which the preliminary process OF sugar
extraction can be accomplished IN other words
where crude beet sugar can be mada- II his idea
be worked out In practice It will mean a
derful advance in both American sugar making
and cattle feeding.
For instance" said he, ~ they could have one
big refining factory in tho middle OF the state OF
Iowa, and then q great number Of small plants
throughout the State TO reduce the beets crude
sugar II would enable the farmers utilize their
stimulate sugar beet growing.
Another thins-these great factories. as they
operated now. can make sugar for only a few
months each year; then they must shut down until
the next crop, during which period large invest
ment Of capital is idle. II the little factories
do work Of manufacturing. the big refinery
can be run the year around. the capacity or the
lehnery VIII D. regulated according 20 the output
distributed the beet pulp could all be utilized for
corn fodder or other green feed our late but,n
the subject tells you all about the value OF
pulp But this other matter IS Just an idea. There
Is nothing TO say about 1t. am Just starting
The most We doing now IN beets" he con
tuued, lis IN growing beet seed. We must grow
home half million dollars year and we will have
letter seed " can STOW me best beet seed in the
Better even than the German seed Of the long.
''Oh, yes far better We can grow better beets
in America richer IN sugar. and bigger tonnage to
the acre, American farmers have grown heets with
IS per cent saccharne and thrty-eight tons to the
The average yield IS far too Iow-eight tons to the
acre. our people must grow more tonnage. we
viii then not need any protective tarin"dfteen
tons acre and is per cent sugar. That will beat
Even the PhnipPPin7!es. where they grow sugar
Yes. can even let tho bars down FOR the
Philippines. and that is coming some time. The
zone will have over the Philippines or cuba or
Hawaii is that, while their soil fertility Will de-
our farmers will diversity their crops and thus
keep up the feTallty OF thelF soil Why. even IN
largely. They have to send TO Chill for nitrogen.
10 Florida for phosphate and Germany for
potash and they have to take over coal from Brit
ISL Columbia pump water for irrigation. Then
the question of transportation from these countries
is item
How much Of fact IS there in the statement
made by the opponents OF the beet sugar industry
that the American farmer viii make a sue
cessful beet grower. that he will not get down on
his hands and knees permit his wife and chill
drcn do so to tend the beet plants the way the
foreign growers do2'
NOTHING. Our early growers made a blunder
They tried cultivate beets with the hoe They
imported Europeans and had their beet crops hocd
and weeded by hand. The hoe does not cultivate
deep enough After the planting and the thinning
every thing should be done with the horse culttva-