CHAPTER III. 



OX THE PACIFIC COAST. 



Washington is the only state on the Pacific coast, which, at this writing (January, 

 '99) has not one or more beet sugar mills. It is probable, however, that two factories will be 

 built in Washington in time for the '99 crop, one in the Yakima valley and the other at 

 some other point in eastern Washington. Experiments continued over a series of years 

 indicate that in Washington, as in Oregon, there is some danger of a second growth of 

 beets, owing to warm rains in the fall, on the coast slope, but this trouble seldom occurs 

 east of the mountains. 



Oregon has proven to be a remarkable state for raising a heavy tonnage of rich 

 beets, where the culture has been properly followed. The first factory in the state was 

 built in 1898 at La Grande, Union county, northeastern Oregon, not far from the Idaho 

 line, by the Oregon Sugar Company, as is described in connection with the accompanying 

 illustrations. Considering the haste with which this enterprise was started and the inex- 

 perience of the farmers in growing beets, its first campaign was quite satisfactory. The 

 company writes us as follows: 



"Our beet crop for 1898 was very light, only some 8151 tons being harvested, from 

 which we manufactured 1,850,000 Ibs. dry granulated sugar. Drouth (unusual) and the 

 hurried work necessary to get everything into operation during this season, and the 

 ignorance of the farmers in regard to the growing of this crop, are the causes of the short- 

 age in tonnage. Another cause was the mistaken idea that beets could be grown like 

 wheat, in tracts of hundreds of acres. Instead of the growers confining themselves to 10 

 or 20, or possibly 40 acres, they contracted to grow 100, 200, and in some instances as 

 many as 600 acres of beets. The result was, few hands to thin, cultivate and harvest, and 

 the crop was neglected. For next season a strong effort is being made to divide up the 

 large areas into smaller tracts, and induce bona fide settlers to come in and work up this 

 land to sugar beet culture. Indications are that there will be quite a number of people, 

 who understand this industry, come here during the winter, prepared to begin operations 

 early in the spring. Although our season was a short one, the run was very satisfactory 

 in every respect. The yield of sugar per ton of beets was large. The beets yielded a heavy 

 per cent, of sugar, averaging 15.72 per cent, with 84.6 purity." 



An average of within a fraction of 16 per cent, sugar in the beet and 85 purity is 

 absolutely unprecedented in the beet sugar industry of the world. If such results can be 

 obtained during a first season with unusually unfavorable climate and all other condi- 

 tions against a good crop, certainly the industry ought to be a success in future years, as 

 its agricultural details become better and better mastered. 



A MARVELOUS SUCCESS IN CALIFORNIA. 



All that was said about the beet sugar industry in the Golden state in my book two 

 years ago (see Part 2, Chapter II herewith) has been more than confirmed by experience 

 since. And this in face of the fact that, owing to the worst drouth in 40 years, the season 

 of 1898 was agriculturally the most disastrous that the beet sugar industry of California 

 ever saw. Without exception, all of the old factories in the state have largely increased 

 their plants and output since J896, and several new mills have been constructed, or 

 are now being completed for the '99 crop. A number of other factory enterprises are 

 also being worked up. and will doubtless be built, unless Congress puts a premium on free 



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