Show THE BEET SUGAR QUESTION THE chicago tribune lri bune of december 24 contains the following letter to see sec rotary rusk on the subject of sugar making from frojm beets raised by ir irrigation The letter needs no explanation I 1 TREMONT HOUSE CHICA GoDec 14 the ron hon J M rusk busk secretary of agriculture washington D 0 dear sir when I 1 saw you in chicago in july last you manifested a very great interest in the result of the utah sugar beet crop which was being raised by irrigation artion the first experiment of the kind in n the united states and also as to the success of the utah sugar factory for the reason that this factory was the first and only one on the continent which is strictly the result of american talent with machinery manufactured and put together by american workmen the whole plant of machinery weighing nearly one thousand tons was made in america upon plans and and specific specifications actions furnished by E H dyer co the plo pio ineer fleer beet sugar manufacturers of cali fo fomia and erected under their immediate supervision in n accordance with your request I 1 now have the honor to inform you that in both particulars the enterprise has been a success the beets raised by irrigation have been worked up into sugar and have results strictly commensurate with the skill and labor applied to their cultivation they have given good returns to the thrifty industrious farmer but poorer results to the unthrifty and negligent some of the beets showed a practical working sweetness of 14 to 18 per cent with 80 to 86 per cent purity coefficient while others showed only 10 per cent with 74 per cent purity but notwithstanding the rather low average of sweetness and consequent refractoriness of the beets which condition is known to be the result of insufficient cultivation the product has been uniformly a very fine grade ot of white sugar polarizing izing the american made machinery worked right along from the first start easily and smoothly and as the hands at first altogether inexperienced im proved roved in skill the daily work increased 8 n i proportion until a maximum of tons t one was consumed cons umea by the factory in a daily run of twenty two hour if the supply of beets had bad continued a few weeks longer the daily average for the season would doubtless have been tons ions but the acreage planted was small only about 1500 acres having been harvested the average tonnage of which I 1 am not yet able to state having been deeply impressed by the interest you manifested in this matter I 1 am sure these results will cause you great gratification very respect respectfully fiall y submitted ARTHUR STAYNER |