of 5f cents per pound. We have contracted 
for all the beets we want this season for $4 
a ton. Paid $4.50 last year. We can obtain 
sufficient lots at $4 per ton to supply a 200 
ton factory. Ours only has a daily capacity 
of 80 tons of beets. Few people are aware 
that the yield of sugar pei acre is greater 
than wheat or barley. Our best beet lands 
yield from 3000 to 6000 pounds of refined 
sugar per acre, being greater than the 
average yield from cane lands. An acre 
of beets can be cultivated at less cost than 
an acre of cane. It matures in five months. 
It takes cane over twelve months to mature. 
We have millions of acres of land on this 
coast that will produce as much sugar per 
acre as the best sugar lands in the Hawa¬ 
iian Islands, and at less cost per pound. 
California, Oregon and Washington Ter¬ 
ritory have within their boundaries nearly 
100,000,000 acres more land than the whole 
Prussian Empire, and a better soil and 
climate for the production of sugar beets. 
That Empire produces annually nearly 
double the amount of sugar required to 
supply the United States or less than 15,000,- 
000 acres of land. We have double that 
quantity of better land for the purpose of 
producing sugar on this coast. Notwith¬ 
standing which, we send $100,000,000 every 
year to foreign countries to pay for sugar. 
Our Government subsidizes the sorghum 
industry to the extent of $50,000 a year. 
Sorghum contains but three per cent, of 
crystallizable sugar. We get from the beet 
from 10 to 11 per cent. But the Depart¬ 
ment of Agriculture cannot be made to see 
that the only solution' of the question of 
home production of sugar lies in the beet, 
but continues year after year to pursue the 
sorghum phantom at a ccst of $50,000 a 
year. 
Flower Designs. 
There are many beautiful ways of arrang¬ 
ing flowers besides in our costly vases. For 
example, take a basket and knit a strip of 
different shades of moss-colored worsted; 
then dip in hot water and press them: when 
dry, ravel nearly all out, only leaving an 
end which can be fastened on to the basket 
with sewing silk, or green glace thread and 
a large needle. A basket tastefully covered 
in this way looks as if it were made of 
moss and retains its beauty longer; a tin 
dish should be made to fill it and painted 
green; keep it filled with natural flowers; ' 
such an ornament is nearly as beautiful as 
costly porcelain. 
To form a pyramid of flowers, take three, 
four or five wooden bowls, according to the 
size you wish your pyramid; let them be a 
regular gradation in the size; procure some 
round pieces of wood like ribbon blocks, 
graded in size; glue the tallest into the 
center of the largest bowl, so that it will 
stand upright, and upon top of that glue 
the bowl next in size, and so on to the 
smallest bowl. Varnish the inside several 
coats, paint the outsides green and cover 
with moss; some have a stand made and 
glued to the bottom of the largest bowl. 
When filled with flowers it is a lovely sight. 
Baskets made of tin and painted green, 
then covered with moss, make the prettiest 
hanging baskets possible. Tin rings large 
enough to surround vases, placed inside 
and made to hold water, with little wires 
across the top and painted green, when 
filled with flowers, form the prettiest mats 
in the world; the wires keep the flowers 
in place. A very pretty one can be made 
if filled with rose-buds, forget-me-nots and 
geranium leaves. It is an improvement to 
cover the outside with moss. Crosses made 
in the same way are very beautiful and 
appropriate to place on the grave of a 
friend. There are many ways of arranging 
flowers. Even the poorest can afford to 
purchase a tin basin, and with a little com¬ 
mon paint and moss, which can be found 
in all places, a pretty dish for flowers is 
soon made. Shells make lovely vases. The 
large shells that are polished so exquisitely, 
that have been spoken of before, make 
lovely vases.— Household. 
Give what you have. To some one it may 
be better than you dare to think.— Long¬ 
fellow. 
Fruitless is sorrow for having done amiss, 
if it issue not in resolution to do so no more. 
—Bishop Horne. 
Few are wise enough to prefer useful 
reproof to treacherous praise. 
