104 THE SUGAR INDUSTRY. 



showing from 8 to 17 per cent, sugar in beet and averaging 11% to 12 per cent., with 

 a purity average of 76-78, and running in some cases over 90. These figures certainly 

 show encouragement, in contradistinction to the idea that has been circulated that 

 Kansas could not produce rich beets. A classification of the past two years' work is 

 thus described by Director Willard: 



"I have arranged this year's results by counties from northwest to southeast 

 across the state. A study of the figures from that point of view discloses some inter- 

 esting facts. Of the 20 growers living northwest of a line connecting Washington and 

 Stanton counties, which cuts off less than one-third of the state, five or 25 per cent, of 

 them sent samples containing over 14 per cent, of sugar, 11 or 55 per cent, of them 

 sent samples containing over 13 per cent, of sugar, and 15 or 75 per cent, of them sent 

 samples containing over 12 per cent, of sugar. Of the 90 growers living in the part of 

 the state southeast of the line named, or in over two- thirds of the state, four or only about 

 4 per cent of them sent in samples containing over 14 per cent, of sugar, 16 or about 

 18 per cent, of them sent in samples containing over 13 per cent, of sugar, and 20 or 

 22 per cent, of them sent in samples containing over 12 per cent, of sugar. The line 

 named is approximate!}' parallel to the isotherm of 70 degrees for the months of June, July 

 and August, and about 200 miles southeast of it, as located by Dr. Wiley. It would seem 

 that northwest of the line the prospect for successful beet production, especially by 

 irrigation, is very good. The advantages of a successful sugar beet factory to a local- 

 ity are very great, but the injury of a boom collapsed is only too well known to our citi- 

 zens. If the experiment station saves us from the latter it will repay its cost for many 

 years: it stands ready to assist to the former if its analyses of properly grown beets 

 point to commercial success in that line. Let every locality hoping to establish this indus- 

 try, first thoroughly test its soil capacity and the willingness of its citizens, by showing 

 that it can raise the necessary raw material, before it puts money, or more likely bonds, 

 into an exoensive factory." 



Colorado has certainly demonstrated her adaptability to the beet sugar industry. 

 Large crops of rich beets can be grown in a variety of places. The average quality of 

 sugar upon 600 fields or plots of beets grown in 1898 was over 15 per cent, of sugar of 

 over 80 purity, and the yield was from 12 to 20 tons per acre, average 16 tons. The results 

 in some sections are astonishing, notably in the Arkansas, Platte and San Luis valleys. 

 In each of these localities, the farmers are ready and eager to pledge the necessary acre- 

 age for one or more factories which could be located convenient to cheap and good coal, 

 lime and water. "As high as 36 tons per acre have been obtained under irrigation in Weld 

 and Larimer counties, and a shipment of these beets to the Grand Island factory in 

 Nebraska resulted in an average of 13 Ibs of pure granulated sugar to 100 Ibs of beets, 

 or 9,360 Ibs of refined sugar per acre." (?) The Colorado experiment station at Fort 

 Collins makes the following report: 



1898 1897 



No. of farmers in the state who grew beets in an 



experimental way, about 600 275 



No. of samples received at station from crop 



grown in 850 225 



No. analyses embraced in following figures 454 156 



Highest and lowest sugar in beet, per cent 22-8 17-6 



Average sugar in beet, per cent 15.4 10.8 



Purity, highest and lowest, per cent 91-50 89-46 



Purity, average, per cent 80.1 73.6 



It is probable, in fact certain, that more people raised beets than the figures given 

 above, but as they made no report we cannot count them. The figures for 1897 include 

 a great many green crops -ampled early in the season; more than half the samples are 

 of this kind. The average of the ripe crops is 12.8 per cent, sugar in the beet and 78 per 

 cent, purity. In 1898 the samples were not taken until most of the crops were ripe. The 

 year 1897 was very unfavorable for sugar beets, while 1898 was rather favorable than 

 otherwise. Had every analysis of each year been included the above figures would be 

 scarcely changed. 



