256 The Sugar-Beet in America 
If there is a sugar factory in the community, it uses a 
great number of men in the winter and the congestion is 
relieved. Those who would otherwise be idle are given 
employment and the entire winter wage scale for the com- 
munity is advanced. 
CENTRALIZED POPULATION 
Sugar-beet raising calls for intensive farming. A given 
area of land producing beets will give employment to 
several times as many men as the same area devoted to 
hay or grain. With sugar-beets as an important crop, 
the farmer does not require so large an acreage in order to 
make a living as would be necessary with many other 
crops. This means that sugar-beet farming promotes a 
denser population. This has many advantages. It 
makes possible better educational facilities and more 
desirable social opportunities, thereby reducing to a 
minimum some of the chief disadvantages of farm life. 
INCREASES OTHER BUSINESS 
The raising of sugar-beets and the manufacture of 
sugar from them bring increased business to many other 
industries not directly connected with the farmer or the 
sugar factory. Thus, every community in which the 
beet-sugar industry is established has the pulse of its en- 
tire business quickened thereby. Railroads receive much 
traffic in transporting beets, lime, sugar, machinery, and 
the many other commodities that are incidental to sugar- 
making. Bank clearings are increased by the money 
paid for beets and supplies and that received for sugar. 
Oteeies a ee oe 
