Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1912-06-04
SUGAR FACTS

tons or thirty-two thousand million
pounds. At the present time, this
quantity of sugar is obtained in about
equal proportions from sugar cane
and from sugar beets. The sugar
made from cane comes altogether
f1om tropical countries, many of
which have reached their limit OF
production.
The eight million tons of beet
sugar, with the exception of six hun
dred thousands tens now produced
in the United States. are grown and
manufactured in continental Europe.
Germany, Russia, Austria, France
and Belgium are the large exporting
countries of sugar while practically
all other European countries pro-
duce sugar from beets for their own
consumption. The beet sugar indus
try commenced in Europe in the
early part of the last century and
is, therefore, now about one hundred
years old
The worlds consumption of sugar
is abreast of the worlds production.
This is evidenced by the fact that the
beet crop shortage during 1911, in
Europe, which reduced the worlds
production of sugar by about one mill
lion tons or about 6 per cent caused
the worlds price of sugar to advance
by more than 20 per cent.
Tx,sk a.. l. -
consumer of sugar in the world. The
consumption in 1911 was $500, 900
tons or % u per cent of the worlds
production. At an average price of
5 cents per pound this represents a
value of $360.000, 900 or $1,000, 900
for each day in the year. The per
capita consumption per year is be-
tween 80 and 80 pounds, the same
as In England, while the per capita
consumption of all other countries
in the world is less than one-half of
this amount. This is largely due to
the fact that the consumer in other
countries must pay much higher
prices, owing to the fact that the gov
ernments exact high excise taxes on
sugar.
The United States now produces in
round numbers, 100000 tons of cane
sugar, principally in Louisiana, and
100000 tons of beet sugar, a total
of 100000 tons, or only about one
quarter of it's annual consumption.
There are. however, large oppor-
tunities for increasing the beet sug-
ar production of the United States.
The climatic and soil conditions of
about two-thirds of the United
States are suitable for beet grow
ing. The reason that this industry
has not developed more rapidly is
due largely to the fact that the aver
age farmer is very slow about taking
hold of a new crop like sugar beets
and because it takes a large amount
of capital to build and operate a SUI
gar factory.
In the United States there are now
seventy-four beet sugar factories To-
Gated in the following states: Colo
RADIO IT, Michigan 16. California IL,
Utah 8, Wisconsin A, Idaho 4, Ohio
3, Nebraska 2, and one each in Hill
nois, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Kan
sas, Washington, Oregon and Ari-
IONA. There are now under con-
struction two new factories in Ohio,
one in Indiana. one in Michigan, one
in Montana and one in California.
This will make a total of 80 beet
sugar factories in operation in the
United States by the end of the year
1912.
To manufacture the sugar which
is now imported from foreign coun-
tries would require $50 additional
large sized sugar factories represent
ing an investment of over 100000
each and to take care of the annual
increase in the consumption of sugar
in the United States would necessi-
tate the building of fifteen additional
sugar factories each year.
The further development of the
beet sugar industry in the United
States would be of great national
benefit for many obvious reasons:
1t would offer employment to
thousands of workmen on the farms
and in the sugar factories.
1t would largely increase the buSi-
ness of the railroads, coal mines, cot
ton mills and cooperage plants.
1t would require large quantities
of building materials and give added
employment to the building trades.
1t would add largely to the output
of engine, boiler and machinery
builders.
pendent for its sugar supply of for
eign countries and OF such manipu-
lation as now prevails in the coffee
trade, known as the Brazilian Valor-
ization plan. which has very much
increased the cost of coffee in the
United States.
1t would assure tc the people Of
the United States a gradual, declin-
ing uniform price for sugar.
The growing OF large acreage of
sugar beets would be distinct bene-
fit to agriculture in general, first be-
cause sugar beets do not exhaust the
soil, as sugar is strictly product
of air, water and sunshine; and
Second, because the deep tillage
and intensive cultivation required for
the beet crop improves the physical
condition of the soil and increases
the Yields of other crops grown in
rotation.
For the farmer, sugar beets are
desirable crop because they are less
sensitive to weather extremes than
many other crops, they are less sub
iect to attacks by plant pests and
they add assurance to the farmers
income because thsrs "a no oyer-pro-
duction.