44 



tion in this direction as a work peculiarly within the province of the Department, 

 and one which would prove of immense benefit to the country. Five million acres of 

 laud, suitable to the purpose, will produce all the sugar required for this country for 

 several years to come. It is therefore certain that the sugar industry will be con- 

 fined to the most favorable localities. If a thorough, scientific study of all the soil 

 and climatic conditions does not point out this region, bitter experience and the loss 

 of hundreds of millions of dollars will gradually fix its boundaries. Last of all, the 

 sorghum industry has suffered from the general depression which has been felt by 

 the sugar industry of the entire world. Low prices have caused loss where every 

 other condition has been favorable. It is hardly probable that the price of sugar will 

 rise again to its maximum of the years passed. Only war, pestilence, or disaster 

 would produce this effect. It is best, therefore, for the sugar-grower to accept the 

 present price as final and make his arrangements accordingly. But low prices will 

 produce increased consumption, and thus, even with a smaller profit, the sugar-grower, 

 by increased production, may find his business reasonably remunerative, if not as en- 

 riching as before. The sorghum-sugar grower will be injured or benefited with the 

 growers of other kinds of sugar by these economic forces. Hence there should be no 

 enmity between the grower of the sorghum, the sugar-beet, and the sugar-cane, but 

 all should work in harmony for the general good. 



It is true the present outlook is discouraging. But discouragement is not defeat. 

 The time has now come for solid, energetic work. Science and practice must join 

 improved agriculture, and all together can accomplish what neither alone would ever 

 be able to achieve. It is not wise to promise too much, but this Bureau would fall 

 short of its duty were it either to suppress the discouraging reports of this industry 

 or fail to recognize the possibility of its success. The future depends on the persist- 

 ence and wisdom of the advocates of sorghum. The problem they have to solve is a 

 most difficult one, but its solution is not impossible. 



It must be confessed finally that the chief object of this last series of 

 experiments, viz, to place the industry where private capital would see 

 its way clear to its extension over a large area has not been attained. 



It is now seen that much of what has been done is useless, and were 

 the work to be gone over again these necessary mistakes of a first at- 

 tempt would be avoided. Time, labor, and money could be saved. 



What encouragement is just is offered to those who are willing to 

 take up this work here and extend it. 



The great difficulties in the way of extracting the sugar from the cane 

 have been removed. The fact that sorghum, in certain circumstances, 

 becomes a fine-sugar producing plant has been incontestably estab- 

 lished. A suitable soil and climate have been found for growing the 

 crop and manufacturing the sugar. Remaining difficulties in the way 

 of success have been fairly and candidly pointed out. 



Since the present appropriation was made for continuing and con- 

 cluding these experiments, I consider that my connection with the de- 

 velopment of the industry has ended. I leave the work with only one 

 regret, and that is that the future of the sorghum-sugar industry is still 

 in doubt. 



