The Lamar register., 1913-01-08
SOME GOOD SUGAR FACTS
Value Of the Industry to the SOil
and Countries Exploiting 1t
Shown


of living as affected by the in
creased yield of other crops when
grown in rotation with sugar beets"
prepared by Truman G. Palmer
of the department of agriculture and
ordered printed as senate docu-
ment upon motion of Senator Lodge
Is an enlightneing and valuable
contribution to sugar lit..ature.
While it confirms facts thst have
long been in possession of students
Of the soil and its possibilities, it
reveals at least one great truth of
which the agricultural community
of America is generally ignorant,
namely. that instead OF impoverish-
ing. cultivation of the sugar beet
under proper conditions enriches
the soil.
Not only that but is presents ir-
REPUTABLE and conclusive facts and
figures showing the folly of any
but mercenary refiners of foreign
raw sugar in this country advocat-
ing q policy detrimental to the ex-
'pansion OF a great home industry
that only needs to be let alone to
supply this country with its sugar
and keep money at home, now
paid to foreignerA
The reason why the culture of
sugar beets improves the soil to a
greater extent than does the cul-
ture Of other root crops is because
their cultures Ensures more liber-
al fertilization. deeper plowing,
and better cultivation than ordinar-
lily il given other root crops and be-
cause of the greater amount of
nbrons roots which are left In
the ground.
A. result Of sugar beet culture.
areas Of Europe which formerly
were regarded az worthless have
been brought under cultivation,
thus greatly increasing the cultivat.
ed area, the three-crop system of ro.
tation with one year OF fallow has
disappeared. and the fields now
yield four crops in four years In
stead Of three crops in four years.
Where formerly only the better
lands would yield 12 bushels of
cereals three years In four. or 8
bushels yearly per acre. now with all
the poor land added to the cultivat-
ed area. worn out and the worth
less soils have been SO rejuvenat-
ed that the present combined av-
erase yield OF wheat. rye. oats and
barley in western Europe. incIud-
Ing the yield of the less progressive
states Of the south. is 27.2 bush
els per acre, while in Denmark II
1853. in Germany 3s.4. in Holland
41.9. and In Belgium SIS bushels,
as compared to an average yield
Of but 21.6 bushels of the same
crops from the virgin soils of the
United States.
In the farming district of the
United States where sugar beet
culture has been introduced, the
yield of cereal crops grown in ro-
tation with sugar beets is greatly
In excess of the yield dn western,
or even in Germany. In 1909.
from 200.000,000 acres devoted
to corn. wheat, rye, oats and barley
In the United States crops were
produced to the value of $4,000
100000. Had this area produced as
many bushels per acre OF each crop
as were produced in rotation with
sugar beets by the sugar beet farm
ers reporting to me. at the same
price per bushel their yield would
,have returned them 900,
an increase of $3,900.0 900. 900. That
American farmers generally can and
will secure yields II the beet sugar
industry spreads is certain and the
Inevitable result will be a lowering
of prices of food commodities, thus
dividing the advantage between pro-
ducers and consumers and material
ly reducing the high cost Of living.
1t cost Germany and the other
European countries large sums OF
money to develop their indigeous