Sugar 



105 



Fostered during Napoleon's lifetime, the industry collapsed with his fall, and only one 

 factory survived the wreck. Still the potential value of the sugar-beet had been demonstrated, 

 and although languishing, the industry was not dead. Other factories by degrees were estab- 

 lished, and in 1829, the first year of which we have statistics, the crop of beet-sugar was 

 estimated at 4,000 tons. In Germany also the manufacture of beet-sugar lapsed with the fall of 

 Napoleon, and was not taken up again until 1835. 



In the United States of America, in spite of early experiments in 1830, the beet industry 

 dates actually from 1863. The production in America is as yet comparatively small, and the 

 historical notes given above show that in Europe the present enormous industry has developed 

 almost entirely during the last seventy to eighty years. Political considerations from the 

 first played a most important part, and later the bounty system materially expedited progress, 

 enabling the continental producers to market their sugar in other countries, actually below 

 cost price if desirable, and yet to obtain sufficient remuneration to work at a profit from the 

 artificially high prices a protective tariff ensured at home. The abolition, by the Brussels 

 Convention of 1903, of all bounties, direct or indirect, and of undue preference to home produced, 

 as opposed to imported, sugar, has had the two-fold effect of reducing the price of sugar in 

 continental Europe and of raising the price of the sugar exported from the same region. Cane 

 and beet-sugar once again compete in the markets of the world on equal terms. 



The beet is one of the group of plants known as biennials, taking two years before it flowers 

 and fruits. It is propagated by seed, and in its first year produces, above ground, only leaves, 

 which elaborate large quantities of food reserve which is stored up underground in the large 

 fleshy root in the form of sugar. If left to itself the plant remains dormant during the winter 

 and in its second season flowers and fruits, using for this purpose the store of surplus food 

 accumulated during the preceding year. Man, as in the case of the sago palms, which, however, 

 take several years to attain their maximum store of food, interferes, and at the end of the first 

 year appropriates to his own uses the supplies the plant has put by for the benefit of the 

 succeeding generation. Special beets, carefully selected, are allowed to seed to furnish future 

 crops. 



Cultivation 



The ground used for the cultivation must be well tilled, whatever is its nature ; it must be 

 heavily ploughed and often harrowed. Deep cultivation is of the greatest importance in 

 beet-growing, and it is necessary to loosen the subsoil also. This is accomplished by the 

 subsoiler which follows 

 ^immediately after the plough. 

 Steam ploughs and other 

 mechanical devices are 

 largely employed in beet 

 cultivation, which is thus 

 carried on more cheaply than 

 that of the sugar-cane. The 

 soil must be carefully cleared 

 from weeds, which by their 

 growth would prevent the 

 development of the young 

 beets. This tilling of the 

 soil must be begun imme- 

 diately after the preceding 

 harvest has been gathered. 



The beet is propagated 

 from seed. Some farmers 

 buy the seed, others obtain it 



TRANSPORTING BEETROOT PULP 



