THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



135 



per capita consumption of as much as ten 

 pounds. Eeduced to tons, the total for 

 the year 1898 would be 400.000 tons, re- 

 quiring for its transportation 27,000 cars, 

 which, if grouped in a single train, would 

 nearly reach from New York to Baltimore. 

 The United States is by far the largest 

 coffee consuming country in the world, 

 our own consumption being nearly double 

 that of all Europe, and practically half of 

 the coffee produced in the world. In only 

 two countries Holland and Denmark 

 is the per capita consumption larger than 

 that of the United States, that of Holland 

 being 23 pounds per capita and of Den- 

 mark 15 pounds against 11 pounds per 

 capita in the United States, 5i pounds in 

 Germany, 3^ in France, and less than one 

 pound per capita in Great Britain. 



These figures are especially interesting 

 in view of the fact that coffee can be suc- 

 cessfully grown in all of the islands which 

 are just coming into closer relation with 

 the United States. It is now the largest 

 article of export from Puerto Rico and 

 the production there can be greatly in- 

 creased since a very large proportion of 

 the island is capable of producing coffee, 

 which grows most successfully on the 

 highlands and mountain sides. In- parts 

 of Cuba conditions are similar, and at one 

 time the coffee production of that island 

 amounted to nearly 100,000.000 pounds 

 annually, though after the introduction of 

 the sugar industry, it practically disap- 

 peared, sugar glowing being more profit- 

 able. In Hawaii coffee is being success- 

 fully grown, and the area there can be 

 materially increased, and the same is true 

 of the Philippines." 



THE BEST SEEDS ABSOLUTELY NEC- 

 ESSARY. 



We cannot too strongly nor too often 

 urge the supreme importance of planting 

 seeds that are perfectly pure and fresh. 

 Seeds that are offered at cheap prices are 

 almost invariably of doubtful origin and 

 uncertain age, sure to cause the planter 

 disappointment and loss. The thought- 



ful planter's only surety lies in buying 

 seeds sent out by a conscientious and 

 trustworthy house. A vast number of 

 American gardners have (and have had 

 for years) the utmost confidence in seeds 

 that bear the name. D. M. Ferry & Co., 

 Detroit, Mich The present generation 

 of planters can hardly remember the time 

 when Ferry's seeds were not on sale every- 

 where each year and as regularly planted 

 by thousands with the greatest faith in 

 the unvarying quality of the seeds and in 

 the integrity of the firm that grew them. 

 Every planter, whether already a buyer 

 of Ferry's seeds or not, should send for 

 Ferry's Seed Annual. It is mailed free 

 to anvone who writes for it. 



THE BEET IN UTAH. 



The Utah Sugar company, of Lehi, 

 Utah, has declared a dividend of five per 

 cent. On Christmas day the factory 

 closed, after having used 43,150 tons of 

 beets from which 9,500.000 pounds of 

 sugar have been made. Stock will bring 

 $12 50, which is 25 per cent, above par. 

 but there were no sellers. The stock- 

 holders anticipated only a dividend of 2i 

 per cent, so that the larger one was an 

 agreeable surprise. 



The latter part of December Mr. George 

 Austin, the agricultural superintendent 

 for the Utah Sugar Company, began mak- 

 ing contracts with the farmers in Salt 

 Lake and Utah counties for beets for next 

 season. In Salt 1 ake county 800 acres 

 of beets are to be planted, while all told 

 there will be planted in the two counties 

 600 acres more than last year. Last year 

 the price per ton for beets delivered at 

 the factory was $4 25. This year, how- 

 ever, the contracts provide an advance of 

 25 cents per ton delivered during Septem- 

 ber and October. 



FEED GROWING SCARCE. 



Joe Duling, of the firm of Duling Bros. 

 Canfield, Wash., says of the outlook for 

 wintering stock in that state : 



''Tha present cold spell, which is un- 



