The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1913-03-13
OHIO CAN CROW
NATIONS SUGAR
One Acre In Ten Of Improved
Land Would Yield This Result.
GOVERNMENT IS AUTHORITY.

Millions Now Sent Abroad to Pay For
Foreign Grown Sugar Should Be Put
Into Pockets of American Farmers
Instead, 1t Is Declared.
That the average American consumes
eighty-two pounds Of sugar each year.
that only ten pounds of this ration are
now produced In this country. that
vast sums are now sent abroad to pay
| for imported sugar which should be
kept at home and put into the pockets
of American farmers and that Ohio
alone could produce all the sugar re-
quired by the nation-and with tre-
mendOuS addition to the wealth and
prosperity of the Stute-are some of the
striking facts set forth in Il recent re-
port of the department of agriculture
at Washington on the sugar industry
of the United States.
That it would be Il simple matter for
the United States to produce at home
the sugar now brought from abroad is
shown by the departments report that
If 100000 acres of land were de
voted to sugar beet culture the nation
would be entirely free from depend
ence upon foreign grow sugar. AS the
present acreage devoted to this crop is
about 100000, this means that four
times the land now utilized for sugar
beet growing should be devoted to this
purpose in order to avoid the tribute
which the American people are now
paying to foreigners for their sugar
On the other hand, the department
produces figures to show that there are
274OOO,OOO acres Of improved land in
the nineteen states in which it has
been demonstrated that sugar beets
may be grown successfully.
"If one farmer in four in these
states" reads the report, "sere to plant
a three acre patch and give it the care
that could readily be bestowed upon so
small plot it would be unnecessary
for us to buy foreign sugar Two
thirds of per cent of the improved
land in this area is all that would be
required to accomplish this result,
More than that acreage lies idle. abSo-
lutely unused. every year. Any one of
the states of Illinois, Iowa, Kansas,
Missouri Minnesota, Nebraska and
Ohio could produce all this sugar and
then have the beets occur only once in
a ten year rotation: several Others
could do it alone on a five year rota-
ton"
In Europe. it is pointed out the i'm.
portance of hoed root crop and Of
sugar beets as the most desirable Of
such crops is fully recognized In fact, in
the leases for many German and Aus
trian farms it Is provided that certain
proportion of the land must be planted
in sugar beets each year, AS show
ing how the various European govern,
ments have done everything in their
power to encourage sugar beet grow
ing, on account of its influence in in
creasing agricultural production, the
report says:
''It will be seen that the culture Of
| the sugar beet plays very prominent
| role in the agriculture of northern Eu,
rope and that it occupies correspond
| ingly prominent place in the nationt
economy The industry from its foul.
| dation has been fostered by national
| legislation in every country of Europe.
| 1t Is thoroughly protected from the
| competition of the cheaply produced
1 nd is, Inv n
else taxes made to yield large sums
for the support of the governments
Europe as a whole derives $20O,O0OOOC
per annum from sugar taxes, yet this
is a minor factor in its national
economy in comparison with the wealth
added by the beet sugar industry, the
money saved by the home production
of all the sugar consumed, the receipts
from heavy exports of sugar, the EN-
ployment of many thousands of people
and the indirect agricultural benefits
which have accrued from beet culture.
Applying the experience of Europe
to conditions in the United States, tht
report continues:
with due recognition of the funda
mental agricultural principles involved
and with adequate tariff protection
the conditions in the near future will
become favorable for a very rapid eX
pansion of the beet sugar industry Il
the United States. If this is to be o
the greatest good to the country a
large the raising of the beets shoul
not be developed as specialized bus
ness, but should be undertaken i
limited acreages by general farmer
and in rotation with grains and othe
crops. The indirect benefits Of bee
culture can thereby be fully realized.
1t is the recognition of the grea
saving that would result to the Amer
can people from growing their ow
tupply of sugar. the widespread benz
hts of sugar beet culture In adding {
the agricultural wealth of the cOul
try and the vital necessity of increa'
ing the acreage output of America
farms in oruer to halt the rapid rise
the cost of living that has induced of
, cials of the department of agricultur'
including Secretary Wilson and D
! Harvey W, Wiley, regardless. of pol
tics, to appear before congress and
urge that no reduction should be mad
in the present tariff on foreign suga
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