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THE SUGAR BEET. Some Valuable Information About This Important Farm Product, In these days of close search for a profitable erop to raise on the farm the inerits of the sugar beet as a money maker cannot aiïord to be passed over by the wide-awake careful farmer without receiving more than a passing scrutiay. The southern half of Michigan, at least, is q the beet producing belt of the United States, and Washtenaw county is admirably situated for the business. Ann Arbor with its tvyo ratlroads and excellent shipping facilities would make á fine central point for a factory and the business could undoubtedly be made a profitable one, especially under the present rise in the price of sugar. The following interesting and valuable facts regarding the sugar beet, its culture and importance have been given out by the secretary of agriculture and are worthy of careful perusal: "When we take into consideration the fact that in the year 1896, the total amount of sugar manufactured in the vvorld was 7,707,500 tons, of whicli 4,960,000 tons was produced f rom the sugar beet, it will at once be apparent that this plant is one of the most important which can be cultivated in the United States. . "Careful experience in this country has developed the fact that the sugar beet will produce the best results in a latitude where the average isqthermal line of 70 degrees Fahrenheit, averages for the months of June, July and August; this line does not follow latitudinal lines but yaries in accordance with other conditions. 'The trouble with American farmers has been, and is now, that those who live north of the cotton belt are brought into direct competition with the low price of wages in India, and Russia as well as China and Japan, and there has been an over production in the food producís, which has caused prices to be lower than can be profitabiy maintained by the United States. "The people of the United States are expending over S10l),o00,000 a year for imported sugar, tne larf er part of it being bought of Germany. The output of the product from the sugar beet in Germany during the year 1896, amouuted to 1,800,000 tons. Lands can be made profltable to raise this product when worth $75 to $100 per acre, whereas the same lands as now f armed, in northern Nebraska, for instance, are farmed at a loss at a valuation of $20 per acre. For example, take an acre of French cuiture of this plant, we fincl that they pay $40.85 alone for fertilizing. which in most of the regions of the United States named, does not have to be used; the total cost of farming aFrench acre ot sugar beets as given by French statisticians is $70.61, the erop when harvested arnounting to 25 tons of beets, which is sold at the factory at $5 per ton, making $125.00; if we then deduct the cost of culture, it will be seen tb a-t the proflt from an acre in France is $54.39. Experiments in the United States show that the beet may be raised in this country at a maximum cost of $34.30 per acre, but if we allow laborers $1 per day, with the rental value of land at $5.00 per acre, it will cost $49.50 per acre. The price received nere for beets at the factorv is sometbing less than in France, amounting on the average to $4.50 per ton; but the product in this country can be made equally as great as that of France or any other country on earth; aiid the prècentage of sugar in the beet is as great in the United States as in any other country. "There are quite a number of manufactories in the United States, and they are all doing a good business; three being in California; two in Nebraska; one in New Mexico; and one in Utah: and those at the present tioie building, are, one at Kome. N. Y., one in Wisconsin, and three in California. The great sugar king, Claus Spreckles, is building a factory at Salinas City, California. There are in Germany now in operation, 397 factories: in France, 355; Austria-IIungary, 216; and in liussia, 277. "The enormous investments in this industry in the old world and the avidity with which capital is reaching out to it, assures the American f'aimer that there will be a ready sale for his product to manufactories which will be built in his vicinity as soon as the farmers are ready to f urnish a sufflcient amount of beets to guarantee the establishment of a factory. "The sugar beet industry is in fact no longer an experiment, but has proven a great success, as is shown by figures given, that about two-thirds of. the sugar produced in the world comes from this ülant. "The subject is so elabórate that it cannot be treated in a short article, but it those reading this article will addresss the National Information Bureau, 1420 New York Ave., Washington, D. C, full details will be sent as to the proper culture of beets; the proper kind to cultívate; the mach inery to use; and a thorough treatise upon this subject; which information will be gladly furnished free of cost." OASTORIA. ïhe fasyt ilaile .XJr sV "" 's 0I1