212 FEEDING WITH SUGAR BEETS, SUGAR, ETC. 



ing an infant with the milk of a cow, and positively declined to 

 give beets in any amount to the animal that supplied the ele- 

 ments of existence to his beloved child, contending that the 

 result might be disastrous to the infant's constitution, and also 

 asserting there could be no possible doubt that the milk was 

 directly acted upon by the food the animal consumed. There 

 was nothing new in all this, but there was error when bad 

 qualities were attributed to the milk yielded by cows fed upon 

 green roots. There is scarcely any limit to similar examples, 

 the patience of the reader must not be overtaxed by relating 

 them; it need only be said that they have little force of argu- 

 ment. Similar theories were upheld against the potato prior to 

 its introduction to our markets. After Sir Walter Raleigh was 

 successful in convincing the inhabitants of Great Britain of its 

 importance, it became, and is at present, the principal article of 

 subsistence in Ireland; and when that crop fails there, famine 

 is the usual result. The same rule applies now to the beet, and 

 we can positively assert that, if it were no longer grown in the 

 northern parts of France, it would give rise to a serious panic in 

 that country. The number of cattle and the resulting revenue 

 from their sale would necessarily diminish for the want of a 

 substitute for the usual food, and the farming population would 

 be the sufferers. The prosperity usually so great in the districts 

 named would revert to the condition existing before these 

 valuable roots were grown. 



In the foregoing an instance of American prejudice as it ex- 

 isted sixteen years ago was given, and a recent and very extraordi- 

 nary conclusion arrived at in Minnesota is quoted. The following 

 items taken from the local press show in a most characteristic 

 manner the complete ignorance of certain officials about sub- 

 jects they are called upon to discuss. 



In the Minneapolis Tribune we read: 



" It is quite likely that the health commissioner, in conjunc- 

 tion with the dairy and food department of the State, will take 

 action against the dairymen who are feeding their milch cows 

 refuse from the beet-sugar factory at St. Louis Park. 



"The commissioner took steps in the matter several months 

 ago, but allowed it to drop because his authority in the prem- 



