The beet-sugar producers in this country are laboring under many
and severe disadvantages ; educating the farmers is alone expensive;
labor is a great factor and the inability to market what is known as the
"by-products," together with high freight tariffs and the sharp compe-
tition from abroad, make the industry but a struggling financial experi-
ment as yet. These "by-products" are of material value in increasing
the cost here of sugar. They consist of the pulp, which is extensively
fed to cattle in Europe, because it is very fattening; worth there $1.25
a ton, given away here when 25 cents can not be obtained for it. Our
farmers have not yet come to realize its real worth. Then we have the
potash salts and the lime cake, used abroad by farmers for fertilizing,
and liberally paid for, while in this country it is an item of expense, as
it must be hauled away from the factory.
The following table shows how much sugar we have bought from
foreign countries since 1851, and the amount of duty paid thereon:



AGRICULTURAL DEPRESSION.
95



Quantities and values of sugar imported into the United States, with the annual amounts
of duty collected on, and cost per pound of, imported sugar for each year from 1851 to
189ii, inclusive.
Tear ending June 30-



Sugar.
Dutiable.
Free and dutiable.
Duty
collected.
Average
cost per

pound in
foreign

country.
Pounds.
380, 402, 289
4.i7, 511, 093
464, 402, 288
455, 928, 585
473, 809, 847
546, 226, 430
776, 984, 262
519, 200, 387
055, 846, 362
694, 838, 197
809, 749, 958
557, 738, 382
518, 594, 861
632, 230, 247
651, 936, 494
1860 1 1, 000, 055, 024



1851.
1852.
1853.
1854.
1855.
1856-
1S57.
1858.
1859.
I860.
1861.
1862.
,1863.
1864.
