SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE. 



103 



of Agriculture on the basis of extensive 

 observations in the fiehl and at beet- 

 sugar factories, and chemical examina- 

 tion of beets grown at a large number 

 of places in forty-one States and Terri- 

 lories. Experiments to determine the 

 regions best adapted to profitable beet 

 culture have been in progress for several 

 years past, and in connection with simi- 

 lar work conducted by the State experi- 

 ment stations, have in large measure 

 settled this question. On the basis of 

 the results, over 30 beet-sugar factories 

 have been established and are in success- 

 ful operation. A number of others are 

 now building, and still others are in con- 

 templation, if contracts can be made 

 with farmers for growing the beets. 

 California has eight factories, including 

 the largest factory in the world, with a 

 capacity for working 3,000 tons of sugar 

 beets per day, which is an indication of 

 the energy with which this new indus- 

 try is starting in America. It was ex- 

 pected that 35,000 acres of beets would 

 be grown for this factory in 1900. Nine 

 factories were in operation in Michigan, 

 Avhere for several reasons the conditions 

 are considered particularly favorable to 

 the industry, and the greatest interest 

 has been manifested in its development. 

 An interesting featm-e of the factory at 

 Lehi, Utah, is the establishment of a 

 slicing station or subfactory at a point 

 thirty miles away, where the juice is 

 extracted from the beets, limed and 

 piped to the main factory. Another sub- 

 factory in an opposite direction is 

 planned, increasing the capacity of the 

 combined plant to 1.200 tons of beets a 

 day. This plan of having 'slicing sta- 

 tions' connected with the main factory 

 by pipe lines is a novel one, and is be- 

 lieved to be a distinct advancement. It 

 saves expense in hauling the beets and 



brings a larger radius of farming coun- 

 try into close contact with the sugar 

 factory. The factory at Carlsbad, New 

 Mexico, is said to be the only factory in 

 the world where sugar beets are grown 

 entirely with irrigation. Its demonstra- 

 tion of tlie feasibility of this is consid- 

 ered a valuable lesson for the arid 

 regions. The average cost of raising an 

 acre of sugar beets, under conditions 

 similar to those in Iowa, for example, is 

 given as $30, and the yield at from 

 twelve to fifteen tons, although under 

 extraordinary conditions it may reach 

 twenty-five tons. The price paid for 

 beets by the factories depends in many 

 cases on the sugar content, but averages 

 about $4 to $4.50 per ton. In many lo- 

 calities where the conditions are favor- 

 able it has been demonstrated to the 

 satisfaction of the farmer that a larger 

 profit can be realized from growing 

 sugar beets than any other crop, and in 

 addition the land is improved by the 

 superior cultivation given this crop. 

 P\irthermore, the value of the extracted 

 sugar-beet pulp as a feeding stuff for 

 animals is urged as an additional advan- 

 tage to the agriculture in the vicinity of 

 beet-sugar factories, which is being ap- 

 preciated. This pulp is usually given 

 away for the hauling, but in some cases 

 the factories themselves have erected 

 feeding pens, where large numbers of 

 cattle and sheep have been fattened. 

 Time and effort have been required to 

 induce farmers to take up the growing of 

 beets on account of the large amount of 

 labor and the expense involved, and 

 many expensive lessons have had to be 

 learned in the operation of factories ; but 

 the industry is now believed to be well 

 on its feet, with a good prospect of 

 steady growth. 



