MICHIGAX BEET SUGAR 401 



of j<uj:ai' fi'om beets. Their success encouraged other nations in Europe 

 to take up the industry, and more recently it obtained a foothold in 

 California. But it was not until the United State Department of Agri- 

 culture began a (•ani])aign of systematic sugar beet education and ex- 

 perimentation that the industry showed sign of spreading widely over 

 America. It required faith and perseverance to induce men of capital 

 to venture upon an unknown industry, the profits of which, 

 uncertain enough in themselves, were dependent on the efforts of farm- 

 ers who never had grown sugar beets, and who were reluctant about 

 undertaking a doubtful new crop which cost much more money and 

 labor to grow than any other common crop. 



Fortunately, however, the agitation was begun just at the close of 

 hard times in 1807, when the farmer was discontented and willing to 

 try new things. At the same time capital, which had been timidly with- 

 holding from investment until times were better, was eager to investi- 

 gate new and promising chances, such as the sugar factory industry 

 might atlord. The government in 1897 imported from Europe a large 

 quantity of sugar beet seed, and distributed it free among the farmers 

 of various states, upon condition that beets should be grown and 

 samples sent for examination. When the samples came in the analysis 

 shoAved that many were very rich in sugar, much richer than the ordi- 

 nary crops of Europe, especially favorable results being obtained from 

 the Pacific Coast states, from Colorado, and from the great central states 

 of Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska and Illinois. Other states also 

 showed excellent results. Interest was everywhere awakened and some 

 of the states, through their agricultural colleges and experiment sta- 

 tions, took up the work of promotion vigorously, and in several cases a 

 bounty was offered by the legislature for all beet sugar produced. In 

 ^licliigan. Dr. R. ('. Kedzie, chemist of the Agricultural College, and 

 Prof. ('. D. Smith, director of the Agricultural Experiment Station, 

 wrote bulletins, made speeches to farmers, talked with capitalists, 

 visited the beet fields, indeed, made a business of assisting the new in- 

 dustrv. As a result, Michigan built ten factories in two vears, and 

 the cheapest of them did not cost less than iJ300,0()0, and scA-eral of them 

 cost very much more. Other states were only a step behind. Certainly, 

 there never was more conclusive proof of the value of intelligent scien- 

 tific and ('ducational effort in building uj) a new industry. The work of 

 the Dei»artment of Agriculture and of the Experiment Station and the 

 Agricultural College in the single State of Michigan has thus added, by 

 conservative estimate, from iM) to 50 per cent to the value of the lands 

 suitable for beet growing in the vicinity of many of the factories, and 

 it has ci'eated a new source of em]»loyment for a large number of work- 

 ing men and women. 



SO.ME RESULTS IX MICHIGAN. 



Kecently I visited stime of the beet fields of Michigan in company with 

 Dr. Kedzie and was shown through the i)ioneer factory of the State at 

 Bay City. There are three factories here within a radius of tw'o miles, 

 and there is no better chance anyw'here to see the new industry at its 

 best. In fact, sugar beet growing and sugar making have appeared 

 as the salvation of that part of the State. Fortunes were once made 

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