ii86 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



lis caniiiaij;!! was tlierefoic lu'cessaril.y sliort, and was iinfortunatoly 

 at(('iiuea by several accidents which seriously interrupted the work. 

 Owinji- to the lateness of the start in the last caniitai^ii many of tlie 

 farmers that had contracted with this iactory souj;ht relief from their 

 <<)ntracts and delivered their beets to other factories. 



The Peninsular Suj^ar Compjiny has located its plant at Caro, some 

 '2{\ miles east and north of Sa;2,inaw. The buildinj^- is a. larji^e one, and 

 is lilted with nuuhinery to consume uOO Ions of beets ])er day, with 

 opportunity to double its capacity. The good will of tlie farmers toward 

 the factorv is nmnifested bv the fact tliat there are alreadv subscribed 

 foi' next cam])aij;n ])le(l_<i-es for nearly 5,000 acres. 



The factory of the Alma Sugar Company is located about 40 miles 

 almost directly west from Saginaw in the center of a rich, ]»opulous 

 and ]>ros])erous agricultural community. Like the other factories of the 

 State it is backed by sulTicient capital to insure success. The factory 

 cost 1450,000 and employs 500 men, mainly Americans, and will emi)loy 

 practically all Americans hereafter. As the table above shows, it had 

 a, fairly successful campaign in ISSlil, making 170 pounds of sugar to 

 the ton" of beets. There are already pledged 3,800 acres for the coming 

 (•ami aign ^is against I'.MOO for last year. 



The Detroit Sugar Company has located its plant at Rochester, not 

 far distant from Detroit, with which it is connected by electric cars as 

 well as by steam railroads. This factory made a relatively short run 

 in 1809, but turned out a quality of sugar that was unsurpassed, and 

 secured a larger per cent of sugar per ton of beets than any other factory 

 in the State except the Michigan Sugar Coniitany. 



The Wolverine Sugar Company has located at Benton Harbor, in the 

 extreme southwestern i)art of the State. Here the factory has to com- 

 pete with fruit growing in the best fruit section of the State, and also 

 with the raising of cucumbers and vegetables for large canning and 

 pickling factories at Benton Harbor and St. Joseph. As a result of 

 this competition the factory lias secured its acreage this year very 

 largely from Indiana. There are 2,250 acres now pledged for the com- 

 ing campaign. The factory was put up by E. H. Dyer & Co., and cost 

 approximately $300,00l>. Its work has been eminently satisfactory during 

 the past campaign, the sugar being faultless and in demand both in 

 Michigan and in Chicago. 



The Holland Sugar Company, at Holland, differs in some respects from 

 the other companies of the State. A large share of the stock is owned 

 by farmers in the vicinity of Holland, who therefore are interested in 

 the factory as well as in the growing of beets. Last year the cam- 

 paign lasted 55 days. The sugar made was excellent in quality, and met 

 with a readv sale at highest market prices. Acres in 1899, 3,700; acres 

 in 1000, 2,000. 



The Kalamazoo Sugar Company began its campaign late at their fac- 

 tory north of Kalamazoo. The run was short, and the supply of beets 

 limited. The factory has pledged for next year, however, 5,400 acres, 

 of which 2,200 acres are in Indiana, and 1,0()0 acres in Ohio. A series 

 of accidents decayed the beginning of the campaign last fall, but the 

 work was satisfactory when once operations fullv began. The factory 

 was erected by F. W.'Wolf & Co., and cost |400,000. 



The influences of the factories upon the agriculture of Michigan are 



