742 EXPEKIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Considerable data obtained by addressing letters of inquiry to rice 

 planters are included on the management of rice plantations. 



Progress of the beet-sugar industry in the United States in 

 1899, with a supplementary report on the cane-sugar industry of 

 the Ha-waiian Islands (U. S. IIout<e Repre^entativtss^ 56. Cong.., 1. 

 :St-'<>iion., iJoc. 609^ pp. 200, i!t(q)s If, dgm. 1). — This report is similar in 

 character to that published in 1898 (E. S. R., 11, p. 535), and deals 

 with the present status of the sugar-beet industry in this country' and 

 of the cane-sugar industry in the Hawaiian Islands, 



Report of tJie special agent, C. /. 6V/y^>>' (pp. 11-181-). — A consider- 

 ably detailed report is given of the operations of the sugar-beet 

 factories in the different States during the season, data as regards 

 capacity of plants, quantity of beets worked up, sugar produced, etc., 

 being included. Sugar-beet factories are now in successful operation 

 in California, New Mexico, Utah, Nebraska, New York, Oregon, 

 Minnesota, Illinois, Washington, Colorado, and Michigan. The 

 greatest activity in beet-sugar production during the year occurred 

 in Michigan, where 8 new factories were put in operation. Some gen- 

 eral information regarding the culture of sugar beets is reprinted 

 from the report of 1898, and the feeding value of sugar-beet pulp for 

 cattle and sheep is further discussed. The conditions incident to the 

 distribution of the bounties offered by certain States for the production 

 of beet sugar are recorded. Many reports from the directors of the 

 experiment stations giving data in regard to the culture, sugar content, 

 and purity coefficient of beets grown at the stations are given in the 

 report. A considerable portion of these data have already been pub- 

 lished in ])ulletins by the different stations. 



In the discussion of the general conditions affecting the sugar 

 industr}' of the Hawaiian Islands their locality", topograph}^, and 

 climate, soil, and trade conditions are set forth at length, the purpose 

 being to show in a measure the probable future productioii of cane 

 sugar and the bearing this will have on the sugar-beet industry in this 

 country. The main factors which will control the production of sugar 

 cane in the islands are the limited land areas suitable for the purpose 

 and the cost of pumping irrigation water where irrigation is necessary 

 and water can not 1)e obtained by other means. 



The production of sugar in the islands for 1900 is estimated at 

 310,000 tons, and the amount produced each 3'ear is increasing. Care- 

 ful estimates place the limit of production for the islands at 500,000 

 tons. Present methods of cane culture and sugar manufacture in the 

 islands are carried on largely b}' animal and steam power and are in a 

 high state of development. It requires 18 months to produce the first 

 crop of cane. Planters ratoon once and sometimes twice where they 

 can produce 30 tons per acre, but a considerable acreage is produced 

 without ratooning at all. The yield generally averages 5 tons of 



