The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-01-16
SUGAR CONSUMPTION IN
 THE UNITED STATES.

2 The people of the United States con- sume half their own weight in sugar every year. This may seem start | ling statement. but If we take the quantity of sugar produced in the United States and add to\ this the quantity brought from our own is- lands and the quantity imported from foreign countries. and subtract there from the amount exported, we get grand total of considerably more than seven billion pounds consumed in the country; and by dividing the popula- agerage of S1 1-2 pounds per capita. speaking in round terms. for 1910. and about like quantity for 1909. It Is not assumed. of course, that each per- son necessarily consumes sugar equal to one-half his individual weight: but taking the total consumption and com pairing it with the total population in the section known as continental United States. the average yearly con- sumption of sugar is found to be about S1 1-2 pounds per capita.
 Tn fact, the people of the United States are larger consumers of sugar per capita than those of any other country of the world except England, for which the largest figures show consumption averaging S6 pounds per capita. against our own average of 81 1-2 pounds per capita. The next largest per capita consumption is in Denmark 77 3-4 pounds; followed by Switzerland GA pounds; Sweden. 54 pounds: and Germany and Holland, each about 43 1-2 pounds
 Not only Is the United States the second largest sugar consumer per capita. but the total amount consum- ed annually Is much greater than that of any other country. aggregating, as above indicated. more than seven biI- lion pounds per annunE. against about E1, soy1 Ir {y, v,er1o about three billion pounds in Ger many.
 About one-ha1f of the sugar con- stunned in the United States is brought from foreign countries. about one- fourth from our own islands, and the country. The total production of su- gar in the United States now amounts to one and three-ouarter billion pounds a year, of which more than one billion pounds is beet sugar and about three quarters of a billion can sugar. It is only recently that the production of beet sugar in the United States has come to exceed that of cane sugar. Tn 1900 domestic production of cane su- gar was twice as great as that of beet sugar, and 20 years ago was more than 60 times as great: but the growth of beet sugar production has been very rapid in recent years, and in 1907. for the first time. exceeded in quantity that produced from cane and has so continued since that time.
 Of the sugar brought from other countries. nearly all is made from cane. While about half of the worlds sugar is made from beets. most of it is produced in Europe and consumed other parts of that grand division. while most of the world outside of Europe obtains its sugar supply from cane. grown of course. in the tropical and subtropical sections. Of the cane sugar which we consume. most of that coming from foreign countries is drawn from Cuba, the Dutch East In- dies and smaller amounts from the West Indies, Mexico, Central and South America. All of that coming from our own islands-Porto Rico, Hawaii. and the Philippines-is cane about 40 per cent. is produced from cane. The beet sugar of the United States is grown chiefly in Colorado, California, and Michigan. and some most of the cane sugar Is produced in Louisiana, with small quantities in Texas, Florida. and South Carolina.
 The sugar "habit" is evidently a growing one with the people of the United States and probably with these world production of sugar, including all countries for which statistics are available, has increased 50 per cent in the last decade and about doubled in 15 years. In our own case the con- sumption has shown a rapid growth. the per capita consumption having been in 1880. 40 pounds; in 1890, 51 pounds; in 1900. 59 pounds; and in 1910. approximately S11-2 pounds.
 What is the cost of this enormous United States? This is more difficult to answer. The valuation of that brought from foreign countries and our islands is set down at about IFS million dollars in 1910. and the stated value of that produced in the United states. at approximately 75 million dollars: though this comparatively high figure when considered by the sarinA ner pound. is due to- the fact