In 1803 England declared war on France and blockaded the coast of the French 

 Empire so thoroughly that France could not import any more sugar from her colonies. 

 Napoleon saw the necessity of home production, and, therefore, induced the French 

 Government to pay large premiums to the farmers and manufacturers, in order to improve 

 and help this new industry. Since then the sugar content in the beets as well as the 

 method of purifying the beet juices in the beet factories improved very rapidly. Sugar 

 beets with from 15% to 20% sugar, are very common now, and even as high as 25% to 

 28% sugar in Calif ornian beets is a yearly recurring fact. 



The yield of a beet crop differs according to climatical conditions, and the work 

 done in the field. The average for California is 12 tons; Colorado, 11 tons, and for 

 Michigan and Canada 10 tons per acre. As a rule, the more work that is done in the 

 beet field, and with the proper quality of beet seed, the higher the yield. Even in 

 Canada, yields of 18 tons to the acre are not uncommon. 



The beet seed proposition is a very important one, especially now during the 

 war. Before the war the price was about $10.00 per 100 lbs.; if you are able to buy it at 

 present for $25.00 and higher, you are lucky. Home-grown beet seed is still very scarce. 

 In Utah, U.S.A., experiments are being made to raise beet seed on a large scale, and 

 apparently with some success. The Dominion Sugar Company is experimenting in 

 this line in the vicinity of Berlin, Ont., and last year was able to raise quite a number 

 of bags of good quality beet seed. 



Growing beet seed is rather expensive to start with. Planted with imported beet 

 seed for the first year, the grown beets are very carefully tested, and the beets with the 

 highest sugar selected and separated. After being siloed, these selected beets, stecklings, 

 are planted out in the second year. The seed raised from these mother beets in the 

 second year, is planted out again, the harvested beets are selected and, after siloing 

 again, planted, etc. The seed crop in the fourth year will net about 1,200 lbs. per acre. 

 During the following selection special care is taken not only as to the amount of sugar 

 but also as to the weight of the root. A factory slicing the beets from 8,000 acres would 

 require 100 acres planted for beet seed. This would mean that if the Dominion Sugar 

 Company was going to raise the amount of beet seed necessary for its three factories, 

 (225 tons) 375 acres planted with stecklings would be required. Considering the 

 yearly rotation of crops, from 2,000 to 2,400 acres would be necessary. If the war 

 continues for another year or so, something will have to be done or the sugar industry 

 will be seriously affected. 



As to beet sugar vs. cane sugar: there is no difference between a good quality beet 

 sugar and a good quality cane sugar. There is no difference of taste, odor or from any 

 other physical, chemical or technical standpoint, between the two kinds of sugar. 

 The discussion of this question in 1907 led the Agricultural Experimental Station of the 

 University of California to a very interesting experiment. About 2,000 cans containing 

 different kinds of fruit were preserved, half of them with refined cane sugar and half of 

 them with beet sugar. After being stored in a rather unfavourable location for two 

 years the cans were opened. Seven of the cans from the cane sugar lot and six of the 

 cans from the beet sugar lot were spoiled, in all probability due to imperfect sealing. 

 The quality of the fruit in the remaining cans was perfect; not the slightest difference 

 could be noticed in the fruit or in the preserving syrup. This proves, in my opinion, 

 that any argument against the use of beet sugar cannot be taken as serious. 



SUGAR, A CANADIAN PRODUCT 



C. H. HOUSON, Wallaceburg, Ont m Secretary, Dominion Sugar Co. 



The use of the sugar beet for the production of sugar has during the past 100 years, 

 but more especially during the past 50 years, developed in Europe to such an extent 

 that it is now one of the most important economic factors, employing a large percentage 

 of the population of the European countries. 



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