The Hawaiian gazette., 1914-09-25
SEED SHORTAGE
IS GRIPPLING
Beet Growers Face a Scarcity
and Almost Prohibitiye
Prices For 1915

The following from the September
is.nc Of Sugar, published in chicago, is
Of local interest. a Number Of 1etttrs
from American representatives of III.
ropean beet seed houses, ontling con.
ditions, have been received during the
north. As permission has been given,
three OF them are reproduced herewith
for tho interest they may have. Ono
Of them is from M. van wayerdh 4
Sons, Ltd., Of New York cry, hand
ling seed grown in Holland; the other
whose name we have nv permission
TO use, handles German seed The let.
ters follow. Cs51H.
On account Of the mobilization of
Holland, the chances for prompt
!, harvesting Of this years sugar beet
seed have not improved A great part
of the help has been called to the
colors, and il docs not look as IL the
men win soon be able to pick up their.
work again, so that the processes of
drying and eieaning win be rather
slow. The frequent exceedingly hot
spclls have also done their part 20
! limit the crop to considerable extent,
II 1t would seoni that conditions IN
Germany and Austria are much worse,
however Not only because many
rnore of their men were called away,
/ but their railways have been entirely
taken over by the respective govern
Iments, and no freight trains are NOV.
ing ut all, passenger trains being lin
tied 70 only one or two day. while
oven these trains -uffcr great delays.
Besides this, all Of their important
ports have been effectively blockadei.
i No surplls in Holland
Holland will produce this year about
ono. fifth Of the quantity Of sugar beef
seed that America required last year.
u This includes the quantities grown un.
7 der contract for American factories,
10 that tho surplus on hand will be
J entirely inadequate to satisfy the
wants OF the factories in your country
:. in case no German or Austrian seed
, becomes available. The chances that
Germany, Austria or Russia will export
sugar best seed arc admittedly small.
Only II peace is declared before %.
tober first, will there be any likeli,
: hood OF getting part of the beet seed
Il
ever, October first Is some time of
and much may happen in five weeks
, "In the meantime we IN Holland
are going right ahead with all avail
able forces; wo are very fortunate il
having the neuttal harboT of Rotter
dam SO near our beet seed growing dis
= triets, and as fast as the seed becomes
! ready for shipment, il is loaded OF
boats and taken TO Rotterdam. W.
Z still live in fear that on account o.
4 further developments the port of Rot
terdam may be closed, which would Of
Z fectiyoly shut of any possibility o.
!, shipments Of even Holland seed from
" reaching America II is too early Il
y say how much surplus seed VIC vii
have. '.,. o..
NJ. VAN WAVEREN SONS, LTD
The second letter states that: ,r
:. ''The war on in the old country prac
titally will eliminate the export of Ger
n man, Austrian French and Russian
a bcet seed. We do not look to see mucl
~ of harvest of beet seed In any o
!. these countries, ...ga,E
/. eve find that very few America
factories have enough beet seed an,
n some are entirely without. A fey
Michigan factories have enough sec
for the next campaign but the Califor
MIA factories arc in the market.
}, f. ~ seed Prices Ppohfbitive
a "'Priees have advanced from S7.5
"A per bag of 220 pounds TO from $40 /
/. $50 at Rotterdam, the purchasers t
d pay freight, insurance anu assume th
e war risk. 81 9i5t He 90.
y This price Is practically prohibltiyc,
IT - d. = IA % 4 4 L