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Show u x SUGAR BEETS AND BEET $ SUGAR. Though sugar can be extracted from any plants, the world's supply of sugar comes at present from only two J plant species, sugar cane and sugar j beets, and it comes about equally from J each. The former is grown only m tropical or sub-tropical climates, the latter only in temprrate climates. The gcat bulk of the beet sugar con , sumed is made in European countries.;, Germany. Russia, Austrian-Hungary, ' and France being the leading produc- ers. But in recent years the young and rapidly growing beet sugar indus try of the United States has come into prominence. There are now 6$ active beet sugar factories in this country located in 16 different states) Last year the farmers of these states harvested about 365.000 acres of beets, and delivered to the factories 34i5iOOO tons of beets. Fom these nearly 42$-000 42$-000 tons of refined sugar wis made. The yield of beets per acre was nine and one-half tons, and the yield of sugar p'er acre of beets was. 2,334 ' pounds. ? - . . ' r 'lhe U. S. Department of Agriculture Agricul-ture has just issued its annual report on "Progress of the Beet Sugar Industry In-dustry in 1908." One marked feature of progress is seen in the improved quality of the beets grown. 'JLhe entire en-tire beet crop fo 1908 aveaged fifteen and three-quarter pear cent of sugar in the beets. The factoy processes have also been improved until the refined suj;ar prod..ed is ? bout four 'fill r.s .f that contained in the beets. One of the instructive features of this report is an account of the use of by-products. The beet pulp from which the sugar has been extracted is a valuable stock food and vast quantities quanti-ties of it arc fed in the fresh state to cattle and sheep. It finds especial favor fav-or with dairymen. A' dozen or more I factories have installed plants for dry ing pulp. With this is mixed molasses, mo-lasses, the pToduct being put on the market as "dricd-molasscs-bcct-pulp." The molasses is also extensively used in the manufacture of alcohol. |